Financial Services
Binance launches $50m Indian blockchain fund
Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange reportedly based in Malta, has launched a $50 million fund that will invest in “projects and start-ups” in India that will use blockchain technology.
Trade buyer comes in for VC-backed Australian fintech player
Greensill, a UK-based enterprise financier with a global operations base, has acquired Australian VC-backed financial technology company Earnd.
Quona closes second fintech fund at $203m
Quona Capital, a VC focused on financial inclusion in emerging markets, has raised $203 million for its second fund. It will target financial technology across India, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
Australia fintech player InDebted raises $9m Series A
Carthona Capital and MassMutual Ventures have led a A$14 million ($9.2 million) Series A round for Australian financial technology provider InDebted.
Chinese insurance tech player raises $14m Series A
Chinese health insurance platform Nuanwa Technology has raised a RMB100 million ($14 million) Series A round led by Longfor Capital, a unit of real estate developer Longfor Group.
MSPEA leads $23m Series D for India’s Ummeed
Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia (MSPEA) has led a INR1.6 billion ($23 million) Series D round for Indian low-income home loans provider Ummeed Housing Finance.
VCs invest Philippines digital bank Tonik
Insignia Ventures Partners and Credence Partners are backing a Philippines rollout by Tonik Financial, which claims to be the first digital-only bank in Southeast Asia.
Japanese investors commit $856m to Grab
Singapore-based ride-hailing and online-to-offline (O2O) services platform Grab has raised $856 million from Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and TIS Intec Group.
Chinese GPs provide Series A for Mexican digital bank
Stori, a Mexican digital bank founded by a team with China backgrounds, has raised $10 million in an extended tranche of Series A led by Source Code Capital and Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI). Existing investor Vision Plus Capital also participated.
CDPQ, Piramal commit $300m to India private credit
Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) and an asset management division of Piramal Enterprises have jointly committed $300 million to an Indian private credit platform.
ADB launches venture arm
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a VC arm focused on climate change-related technologies and women’s empowerment in the region.
RTP Global, Sequoia lead Series B for India’s MoneyTap
Indian app-based lending start-up MoneyTap has raised $70 million in a Series B round led by Aquiline Technology Growth (ATG), RTP Global, and Sequoia India.
GIC, Norfund invest Myanmar's Yoma Bank
Singapore’s GIC Private and Norway’s Norfund have acquired a combined 30% stake in Myanmar-based Yoma Bank for MMK130 billion ($88.7 million).
MasterCard invests India payments player Pine Labs
MasterCard has invested an undisclosed sum in Pine Labs, an Indian payments technology provider backed by PayPal, Temasek Holdings, and Sequoia Capital India.
MassMutual establishes second VC fund for Southeast Asia
US-based Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) has established a second venture capital fund for Southeast Asia with a corpus of $100 million.
Openspace makes first Thailand investment
Southeast Asia-focused Openspace Ventures has made its first investment in Thailand, co-leading a $10 million Series B round for financial technology player Finnomena alongside China’s Gobi Ventures.
Tiger Global leads round for Indian invoice discounting platform
Tiger Global Management has led a $26 million Series B round for Indian B2B financing platform provider KredX.
Malaysia's Carsome raises $50m Series C
Japan’s Daiwa Securities and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group have joined a $50 million Series C round for Malaysian used car trading platform Carsome.
Carlyle offers $197m for Australian debt collector
The Carlyle Group is bidding to acquire Pioneer Credit, a listed financial services provider specializing in consumer debt collection in the Australia and New Zealand markets, for an enterprise valuation of approximately A$288 million ($197 million).
Ping An leads $70m Series D for India's CarDekho
China’s Ping An Insurance has led a $70 million Series D round for Indian online auto marketplace CarDekho. It is Ping An’s first venture investment in the country.
Singapore's FinAccel raises $90m Series C
Singapore-based financial technology provider FinAccel has raised a $90 million Series C round led by Australia’s Square Peg Capital and Korean investors Mirae Asset Capital and Naver.
TPG joins round for India’s Ess Kay Fincorp
TPG Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, and Evolvence India have jointly led a $33 million investment in Indian non-banking finance company Ess Kay Fincorp.
India's Paytm raises $1b
Indian mobile payment and e-commerce platform Paytm has raised a $1 billion Series G round led by T Rowe Price.
Cento leads $52m round for SE Asia payments player
Cento Ventures has led a $52 million round for 2C2P, a Singapore and Bangkok-based payments platform that claims to serve some 620 million customers across Southeast Asia.