Financials
Apax buys software business from India's 3i Infotech
Apax Partners has agreed to acquire the software products business of Indian IT provider 3i Infotech for INR10 billion ($136.6 million). It will be renamed Azentio Software.
PE-backed WealthNavi soars on Tokyo debut
Japanese financial technology start-up WealthNavi gained 100% on its trading debut following a JPY17.9 billion ($172.9 million) IPO that facilitated partial exits for Gree Ventures, Infinity Venture Partners, and Global Brain.
Australia home solar fintech start-up raises $73m
Grok Ventures, an investment firm set up by Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, has led a A$100 million ($73 million) round for Australian household solar energy financier Brighte.
SoftBank joins $60m Series B for Korean payments player
SoftBank Ventures Asia has joined a $60 million Series B round for Korean payments technology start-up Chai.
China's Snowball Finance raises $120m
Snowball Finance, a Chinese online financial information platform with wealth management ambitions, has raised $120 million Series E from Orchid Asia.
India's PhonePe spins out from Flipkart, raises $700m
PhonePe, the digital payments platform of Indian e-commerce marketplace Flipkart, has been spun out as a stand-alone entity and raised $700 million in funding at a post-money valuation of $5.5 billion.
Deal focus: Cashfree targets merchants in India’s payments boom
Apis Partners' support of India-based Cashfree is driven by a recognition that the democratization of digital payments is as much about empowering traditional merchants as unbanked consumers
Apis invests $35m in India's Cashfree
Apis Partners has invested $35 million in Indian digital payments services provider Cashfree as part of a Series B round also featuring Smilegate Investment and Y Combinator.
India's True Balance gets $28m Series D
Indian financial technology provider True Balance has raised a $28 million Series D round from a group including SoftBank Ventures Asia.
Hong Kong insurtech start-up Coherent raises $14m
Coherent, a Hong Kong-based insurance technology company, has raised a $14 million Series A round led by Cathay Innovation, with participation from Franklin Templeton.
Grab leads $100m round for Indonesia e-wallet player
Singapore-based ride-hailing and local services platform Grab has led a $100 million Series B round for Indonesian e-wallet services provider LinkAja.
Regulators halt Ant Group's Shanghai, Hong Kong IPO
Private equity-backed Ant Group’s bumper IPO in Hong Kong and Shanghai has been put on hold by Chinese regulators over a potential failure to meet listing qualifications or disclosure requirements.
PE-backed Lufax follows $2.3b US IPO with weak debut
Online lending and wealth management platform Lufax raised $2.36 billion in the largest US IPO by a PE-backed Chinese company so far this year but endured a difficult first day of trading.
Ares bids for Australian financial services player AMP
Ares Management has submitted a non-binding offer of around A$6.4 billion ($4.5 billion) to acquire Australia’s AMP, continuing the recent private equity push into the country’s wealth management industry.
India's Finova gets $55m in equity, debt funding
Finova Capital, an Indian small business lending start-up, has raised $55 million in equity and debt, including $35 million in equity from Sequoia Capital India and Faering Capital.
Australia's Link Group rejects PEP, Carlyle buyout offer
Australia-based financial data and fund administration services provider Link Group has rejected a A$2.7 billion ($1.97 billion) buyout offer from Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and The Carlyle Group, saying it materially undervalues the company.
Cenova leads $37m round for China's Nanyan Insurtech
Chinese insurance platform Nanyan Insurtech has raised a RMB250 million ($37 million) Series C round led by Cenova Ventures. SIG China and BlueRun Ventures both re-upped.
India's Razorpay raises $100m Series D
Indian digital payments start-up Razorpay has achieved unicorn status following a $100 million Series D round led by GIC Private and Sequoia Capital India.
PE-backed Chinese fintech player Lufax files for US listing
Lufax, a Chinese online lending and wealth management platform valued at $39.4 billion following its most recent private funding round, has filed for an IPO in the US.
SBI, Sygnum launch digital assets fund
SBI Ven Capital, an investment arm of Japan's SBI Group, has teamed up with digital asset bank Sygnum Group and launched an early-stage fund investing in digital assets across Southeast Asia and Europe.
India, US-based Chargebee raises $55m Series F
Chargebee, an India-founded and now US-headquartered financial technology provider, has raised $55 million in Series F funding led by Insight Partners.
Warburg Pincus to invest $95m in India's Home First Finance
Warburg Pincus has agreed to invest INR7 billion ($95.7 million) in Home First Finance, an India-based provider of home loans to the low and middle-income segments.
Australia's Airwallex upsizes Series D to $200m
Australian international payments technology provider Airwallex has raised an additional $40 million in Series D funding from existing investors, bringing the round to $200 million.
PE & Asian banks: Once-in-a-decade opportunity
GPs like targeting banks during downturns, investing in stronger players at discount valuations and backing them to come out the other side with increased market share. Will it be more of the same with COVID-19?