Financials
China's Up Fintech trades up after $104m US IPO
Up Fintech, an online brokerage firm focused on global Chinese investors that operates in Asia as Tiger Brokers, gained more than 36% in its first day of trading on NASDAQ after raising $104 million in its IPO.
India's Pine Labs acquires VC-backed Qwikcilver for $110m
Indian cloud-based payments platform operator Pine Labs has agreed to pay $110 million for Qwikcilver, a gift card technology provider backed by several VC and strategic investors including Accel Partners, Helion Venture Partners, Amazon, and Sistema...
VCs, strategics support $41m round for Singapore's InstaRem
Singapore-based digital payments service provider InstaRem has closed its Series C round with $41 million from a group of investors including Vertex Growth Fund and South Korea’s Atinum Investment.
Singapore's Tookitaki raises $7.5m Series A
Tookitaki, a Singaporean technology provider that helps institutions develop regulatory compliance programs, has raised a $7.5 million Series A from a group of investors including Jungle Ventures.
Warburg Pincus to buy India education finance business
Warburg Pincus has agreed to acquire an 80% stake in Avanse Financial Services, an India-based non-banking finance company (NBFC) focused on education.
Vietnam's VinaCapital backs two local tech start-ups
Vietnam’s VinaCapital has made investments of undisclosed size in two local start-ups - financial technology provider Wee Digital and marketing services player UrBox.
Investors commit $65m to Indian digital insurance player
Acko General Insurance, an Indian online insurance broker with several VC and strategic backers, has raised $65 million from a group of new and existing investors.
China's Lufax hits $39.4b valuation with Series C round
Lufax, a Chinese online lending and wealth management platform established by Ping An Insurance, has achieved a post-money valuation of $39.4 billion with the completion of the Series C funding round. It comes after the company was said to have postponed...
China distress: Dining on defaults
GPs expect a wave of non-performing loan sales in China as the slowing economy leaves banks with more bad debts to resolve, but could the distress investment opportunity be even broader than they envisage?
HSBC, Singtel join $25m round for Singapore's CXA
Singapore-based digital health start-up CXA Group has raised $25 million in funding from a string of strategic backers, including HSBC and the Asia investment arms of Singtel and Sumitomo Corporation.
Omidyar spins out fintech arm as Flourish Ventures
Omidyar Network, a global impact investment firm launched by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar that is an active investor in Asia, has spun out its financial technology division into a new VC firm called Flourish Ventures.
Quona leads $12.8m round for India's SMEcorner
Quona Capital has led a INR900 million ($12.8 million) investment in Indian microlending platform operator SMECorner.
Deal focus: Patience pays off for True North
True North realizes a two-year goal with the acquisition of a controlling stake in Indian health insurance provider Max Bupa
LP interview: CreditEase Wealth Management
Leveraging the online and offline infrastructure of its parent’s P2P lending platform, CreditEase Wealth Management has built a channel for Chinese high net worth money to enter private equity
CDPQ to invest $255m in Edelweiss' India NBFC
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) has agreed to invest INR18 billion ($255 million) in ECL Finance, a non-banking finance company (NBFC) owned by India’s Edelweiss Group.
Carlyle invests $653m in India's SBI Life
The Carlyle Group has acquired a 9% stake in India-listed life insurance company SBI Life for INR46.4 billion ($653 million).
Sina invests $30m in Chinese fintech player Shuhe
Shuhe Technology, a Chinese consumer financial services start-up that provides installment repayment plans for credit card holders, has raised $30 million in Series B funding from Sina, a local internet company that operates microblogging site Weibo....
Singapore investors launch $100m fintech fund
Singapore-based investors Quantum Energy Asset Management and RE Lee International Capital have launched a fund targeting $100 million for early to growth-stage financial technology start-ups.
Australia financial regulation: Compliance conundrum
Proposed reforms could redraw Australia’s financial services landscape as tougher regulatory requirements see banks back away from certain areas. PE investors want to pick up the pieces
India's True North acquires Max Bupa for $72m
True North has acquired a 51% stake in Max Bupa Health Insurance, a joint venture between multinational insurance giant Bupa Group and Indian conglomerate Max India, for INR5.1 billion ($72 million).
VC-backed Chinese online brokerage files for US listing
Chinese online brokerage Tiger Brokers, which is backed by smart phone maker Xiaomi and a number of venture capital firms, has filed for an IPO in the US.
Deal focus: EQT bets on bank cards
China leads the world in mobile payments, but bank and credit card transactions still surpassed $5 trillion last year. EQT wants to help VBill expand its presence in the space, at home and overseas
Singapore to invest $74m in local start-ups
Singapore’s government plans to invest S$100 million ($74 million) in Singapore-based start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 2019, along with other measures aimed at promoting local businesses.
Thailand's Beacon leads $6.5m round for local fintech player
Beacon Venture Capital, the VC unit of Thailand’s Kasikornbank, has led a $6.5 million investment in Jitta, a local financial technology provider and stock analysis platform operator.