Financials
RRJ ups stake in ING's US insurance business - report
RRJ Capital is said to have upped its stake in the US insurance unit of ING Group, investing a further $248 million.
INCJ invests $8m in Japanese mobile payment start-up
Government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has invested JPY800 million ($8 million) in mobile payments processor Coiney.
CDH invests $3m in Chinese personal finance app Wacai
CDH Investments has committed $3 million in the latest round of funding for Hangzhou Wacai Science, a Chinese personal finance management mobile app developer.
PEP-backed Veda Advantage targets IPO
Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) is hoping to raise as much as A$340 million ($326 million) through a sale of new shares as it looks to launch the Australian IPO of credit-checking firm Veda Advantage this December.
Malaysian financial comparison start-up gets $2m
Jungle Ventures has led a $2 million round of Series A funding for iMoney, a Malaysia-based financial comparison start-up. Other investors include IMJ Fenox, Fenox Venture Capital, Redbright Partners, 500 Startups and Vogel Ventures, as well as German...
IDG, CreditEase target online finance
CreditEase, the largest peer-to-peer (P2P) lender in China, has introduced a new twist to its relationship with IDG Capital Partners. Two-and-a-half years after becoming an IDG portfolio company, CreditEase has become a principal investor in an IDG-managed...
PE firms bid for South Korea's Woori assets
Several private equity firms have submitted bids for parts of Woori Finance Holdings in the second of three separate auctions intended to finally dispose of the Korean government’s interest in the business.
SBI, FMO target up to $125m for Asia financial sector fund
Japan's SBI Holdings and the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) are looking to raise as much as $125 million for their SBI-FMO Emerging Asia Financial Sector Fund.
OzForex shares jump on debut following $416m IPO
OzForex Group - an Australian online foreign exchange services provider backed by The Carlyle Group, Accel Partners and Macquarie Group - saw its shares jump nearly 30% on its first day of trading following a A$440 million ($416 million) IPO.
Creador makes SE Asia e-payment breakthrough
Creador spent a couple of years looking for ways to enter Southeast Asia’s electronic payments space without much success. “We are a firm believer that there is a shift from cash to credit and debit solutions and e-commerce will push this to the next...
Australia's Ironbridge completes Bravura take-private
Ironbridge Capital has completed the take-private of Australia-based financial services administrator Bravura Solutions after minority shareholders approved a deal that values the company around A$173 million ($158 million).
Creador to take 20% stake in Malaysia's GHL, back e-pay acquisition
Creador will take a 20% stake in Malaysia-based payment services provider GHL Systems through a private placement of new shares. The capital will in part be used to finance GHL’s proposed acquisition of Australian Securities Exchange-listed e-pay Asia....
IDG, CreditEase to launch financial innovation fund
IDG Capital Partners and CreditEase, a Chinese peer-to-peer (P2P) microcredit lender, have set up a financial innovation fund, targeting a first close of $100 million. The vehicle - IDG CreditEase Financial Innovation Fund – will support online financial...
TPG exits a more diversified UT Capital
Property prices in China are inextricably linked to government policy. Vigilant to the emergence of bubbles in different geographies and segments, the authorities are ready with measures to curb price growth, but they must also ensure a sector that contributes...
Hony among first batch of companies to set up in Shanghai free trade zone
Hony Capital was among the first batch of companies to be awarded licenses to operate in Shanghai's new free trade zone, which is being touted as a new test bed for economic reform.
TPG exits China leasing business to Haitong Securities for $715m
TPG Capital has agreed to sell Chinese financial leasing business UT Capital Group to Haitong International Holdings for approximately $715 million. It brings to an end a five-year ownership period during which UT Capital has expanded its activity from...
PE-backed OzForex plans $413m IPO
OzForex Group - an Australian online foreign exchange services provider backed by The Carlyle Group, Accel Partners and Macquarie Group - plans to raise $440 million in its Australian IPO scheduled for October 11.
KKR India NBFC raises $100m from US pension fund - report
KKR India Financial Services, the global private equity firm's non-banking financial company (NBFC), has reportedly raised $100 million from The Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
India's Micro Housing Finance Corp raises $5.5m in new equity funding
Unilazer Ventures and existing backers Caspian Advisor’s India Financial Inclusion Fund and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation have invested INR350 million ($5.5 million) in Micro Housing Finance Corporation (MHFC), which makes housing loans to lower...
LeapFrog in $204m first close on emerging markets microfinance fund
Specialist microfinance investor LeapFrog Investments has reached a first close of $204 million for its second fund after just eight months in the market. The vehicle, which has a full target of $400 million, will back companies in South Asia, Southeast...
Battle of the strategics
We have grown accustomed to China’s incumbent internet giants engaging in M&A. Since 2010, the BATS – Baidu, Alibaba Group, Tencent Holdings and Sina – have deployed around $6.5 billion (and that’s just disclosed transactions), eight times the amount...
SmartPay joins Ping An's e-payment push
Ping An Insurance Group has taken the fight to Alibaba Group once before. In 2010 it bought an 80% stake in online grocery retailer Yihaodian and helped build the business into one of China’s leading B2C e-commerce players, finding space in the corner...
Sequoia invests $10m in China personal finance site
Sequoia Capital has committed a total of $10 million across two rounds of funding for Feidee.com, a Beijing-based personal finance management website.
Portfolio: Everstone Capital and IndoStar Capital Finance
While PE investors have been keen to capitalize on India’s financial services industry, Everstone Capital took a unique approach to the sector – building an independent non-banking financial company