Financials
Legend-owned payment platform to list via reverse merger
Lakala, a Chinese offline third-party payment services provider owned by Legend Holdings, is set to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange through a reverse merger.
Partners Group, Kedaara to buy unit from India's Au Financiers
A joint venture between Kedaara Capital and Partners Group has agreed to buy Au Housing, the mortgage arm of Indian non-banking finance company (NBFC) Au Financiers.
Kalaari leads $4m round for India's RKSV Securities
Kalaari Capital has led an INR270 million ($4 million) Series A round for RKSV Securities, a Mumbai-based online stock trading firm.
Japan's SBI to lead Series B for US bitcoin exchange Kraken
SBI Investment, the VC arm of Japan's SBI Holdings, has agreed to lead a Series B round for US-based bitcoin exchange Kraken.
Deal focus: Apis backs EPS to lead India ATM industry consolidation
Financial technology investor Apis Partners has committed $25 million to India-based ATM provider Electronic Payments & Services, with more available to support bolt-on acquisitions
Everbright ReinFore invests in China's Huasheng Finance
Everbright ReinFore, a private equity arm under China Everbright Group, has led a Series B round of funding for Huasheng Finance, a Chinese online lending platform.
China Merchants Bank to invest in Didi Kuaidi
China Merchants Bank (CMB) has agreed to invest in Chinese ride-hailing app Didi Kuaidi, and to create a strategic partnership with the company as well.
Deal focus: Fintech start-up WeLab seeks scale
With $160 million in Series B funding, Hong Kong-based WeLab wants to upgrade its people and technology in order to build a China online lending platform of real scale
JC Flowers to buy Chi-X's Asia trading platforms
J.C. Flowers has agreed to buy the Australia and Japan businesses of Chi-X Global Holdings, an alternative equity trading platform that competes with primary exchanges, as well as the company’s Hong Kong-based technology services unit.
Apis invests in India's EPS
Apis Partners has invested $25 million in Indian payments service provider Electronic Payments and Services (EPS).
Kazanah leads $160m round for Hong Kong's WeLab
Malaysian government-backed investor Khazanah National has led a $160 million Series B round of funding for WeLab, a Hong Kong-based mobile lending and credit analytics platform.
China's Lufax raises $1.2b round
Shanghai Lujiazui International Financial Asset Exchange (Lufax), a Chinese online finance platform controlled by Ping An Insurance Group, has completed a $1.22 billion round of funding.
China online retailer raises $1b for finance unit
Sequoia Capital and China Taiping Insurance have led a RMB6.65 billion ($1 billion) funding round for JD Finance, the financial subsidiary of online retailer JD.com.
CDC commits $50m to India microfinance business Janalakshmi
Indian microfinance lender Janalakshmi Financial Services has raised INR3.3 billion ($50 million) from UK government-backed development finance institution CDC Group.
Deal focus: CreditAccess pursues multi-market scale in Asia
Olympus Capital commits $30 million to support the roll-out of CreditAccess Asia's microfinance business in new markets
Olympus supports microfinance player's Asia roll-out
Olympus Capital Asia has agreed to invest $30 million in CreditAccess Asia, but this could just be the starting point as the India and Southeast Asia-focused microfinance institution (MFI) pushes into new markets, with Vietnam the likely next target....
PE-backed Ujjivan Financial Services files for India IPO
Ujjivan Financial Services, an India-based microfinance institution (MFI) that has been awarded a banking license, has filed for an IPO, which would facilitate exits for several private equity backers.
Fund focus: Plugging the innovation gap
First State Super teams up with local VC player H2 Ventures to back Australia financial technology start-ups
SMFG agrees to buy GE's Japan leasing unit for $4.8b
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) has agreed to buy GE Capital’s Japan leasing business for JPY575 billion ($4.8 billion) as parent company General Electric continues to pare its assets.
CreditEase's Yirendai targets up to $82.5m in US IPO
Yirendai, an online peer-to-peer (P2P) online platform owned by China-based micro-credit loan player CreditEase, is looking to raise up to $82.5 million through its US IPO.
LeapFrog gets $200m as OPIC commits to emerging markets GPs
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has committed $200 million to LeapFrog Investments as part of a $1 billion financing drive for development-oriented funds in emerging markets.
CITIC PE-owned online finance platforms raise $65m
Maidai Licai and China Top Credit, two Chinese online finance platforms wholly-owned by CITIC Private Equity, have raised RMB420 million ($65 million) from their parent company and other strategic investors.
Australia's First State Super to invest in fintech start-ups
First State Super has teamed up with VC firm H2 Ventures to support financial technology start-ups. The Australian superannuation fund expects to deploy around A$250 million ($182 million) in technology innovation.
General Atlantic promotes Mumbai-based Sood to principal
General Atlantic has promoted Mumbai-based Rajat Sood to principal. He has been with the firm since 2007 and was previously vice president.