Financials
Singapore payment platform Fastacash raises Series B round
Asia-focused investment firm Rising Dragon Singapore has led a $15 million Series B round of funding for Fastacash, a Singapore-based social payments platform.
Baring PE Asia to acquire Orangefield Group
Baring Private Equity Asia has agreed to acquire fund administration and corporate services firm Orangefield Group from AAC Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount.
Tata Capital leads Series B round for Singapore's Nearex
Tata Capital has led an undisclosed Series B round investment in Singapore micro-payments start-up Nearex via its Tata Capital Growth Fund. Existing investors Beenos Asia and Xinvesco also took part in the round.
Amazon leads $60m round for India's BankBazaar
Amazon India has led a INR3.75 billion ($60 million) Series C round for Indian financial marketplace BankBazaar.com, with participation from Fidelity Growth Partners and Mousse Partners, along with existing investors Sequoia Capital and Walden International....
PE investors set for exit as RBL Bank files for IPO
Indian private lender RBL Bank plans to raise up to INR11 billion ($173 million) through an IPO, providing a full exit for Beacon India Private Equity and a partial exit for Gaja Capital and Capvent.
Legend-owned third-party payment platform raises $242m
Lakala, a Chinese offline third-party payment service provider owned by Legend Holdings, has raised RMB1.45 billion ($242 million) in its latest financing round, giving the company a valuation of more than RMB10 billion.
FTIL cancels IEX sale, agrees new terms
Financial Technologies India (FTIL) has agreed to sell a 16.6% stake in India Energy Exchange (IEX) to a consortium of investors for INR3.57 billion, cancelling an earlier arrangement to sell its entire stake in a deal led by TVS Capital Funds.
Mitsubishi UFJ to buy UBS' alternative fund services unit
MUFG Investor Services, the asset servicing group of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, will buy UBS Global Asset Management's Alternative Fund Services (AFS) business.
Faering leads $11m Series C for FundsIndia
Faering Capital has led a INR700 million ($11 million) Series C round for Wealth India Financial Services, the parent company of online financial services platform FundsIndia.
NSSF joins funding round for Alibaba's Ant Financial
The National Council for Social Security Fund (NSSF) has participated in a funding round for Alibaba Group’s internet finance affiliate – Ant Financial Services – that is said to value the business at more than $40 billion.
IFC invests $35m in Indian energy-focused NBFC
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has committed $35 million to infrastructure finance firm PTC India Financial Services (PFS).
China financial player Jupai files for US IPO
Chinese wealth-management service provider Jupai, which is backed by an investment unit of online real estate agency E-House and Sina Corp, has filed for a US IPO.
Banks and deal-sourcing: Information arbitrage
Japan’s banks do not have the power that they once did to source deals, but they are far from irrelevant. GPs say these institutions still have a role to play, though their advice must be considered carefully
Alibaba, Tencent-backed online property insurer raises $931m
Zhong An Online Property Insurance, which was set up by Jack Ma and Pony Ma, the founders of Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings, has raised RMB5.78 billion ($931 million) from a group of investors.
Archer buys Dun & Bradstreet's Australasia credit-checking unit
Archer Capital has agreed to buy Dun & Bradstreet’s (D&B) Australia and New Zealand-based credit data business for A$220 million ($170 million).
Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui backs GMO Payment
Japan's GMO Internet - which runs its own early-stage investment unit, GMO Venture Partners - has raised JPY8 billion ($65 million) from Sumitomo Mitsui to develop e-commerce payment solution GMO Payment Gateway (GPG).
India payments: The missing link
India’s payment start-ups hope to shape the way e-commerce companies charge for their goods. The future may lie with approaches tailored to the country’s circumstances
J-Star backs Japan medical insurer
Japanese mid-market GP J-Star has invested an undisclosed sum in Nihon Hoken Service (NHS), a Tokyo-based insurance agency and insurance solicitation business.
Corporate VC: Pleasing the parent
Companies want to keep tabs on technological innovation in order to stay relevant in their industries by nurturing Asia’s tech start-ups. However, there is no uniform approach to corporate venture capital
Temasek's India NBFC to provide home financing
Fullerton India Credit Company (FICC), the Indian non-banking financial company (NBFC) owned by Singapore's Temasek Holdings, will set up a new unit offering home financing in the affordable housing segment.
Indian regulator rejects Baring Asia's Sharekhan buyout
India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has rejected Baring Private Equity Asia's bid to buy IDFC's stake in Mumbai-based brokerage Sharekhan.
Baring Asia agrees its largest-ever buyout
Baring Private Equity Asia has agreed to buy Vistra Group, a leading global provider of company formation, trust, corporate and fund administration services, in what is expected to be its largest-ever deal.
Ant Financial launches $160m internet finance fund
Ant Financial Service Group, Alibaba Group’s online financials services affiliate, has launched a RMB1 billion ($160 million) fund to invest in internet and finance companies.
US digital payment firm raises $28m for Asia expansion
US-based online payment system developer Ripple Labs is looking to expand in Asia on the back of a $28 million Series A round provided by investors including IDG Capital Partners and AME Cloud Ventures.