Financial Services
Rakuten launches $100m fund for global fintech investments
Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has launched a $100 million fund for investments in financial technology start-ups worldwide.
Deal focus: Meili Jinrong targets P2P consumer finance
Yooli founder turns his attentions to specialist niches in China's overcrowded online peer-to-peer lending space, with support from Morningside Venture Capital and SoftBank China
Creador nets 2.8x return on part-exit from Cholamandalam
Creador has made a partial exit from Cholamandalam Investment & Finance (CIF), an India-based non-banking finance company (NBFC), securing a 2.8x multiple and a 33% IRR in US dollar terms.
BAI leads $65m round for China P2P lending site
Bertelsmann Asia Investment (BAI) has led a $65 million Series A round of funding for Meili Jinrong, a Chinese peer-to-peer (P2P) online lending platform with a focus on consumer finance.
Canada's Fairfax ups stake in ICICI Lombard
Canada-based Fairfax Financial Holdings has agreed to buy an additional 9% of ICICI Lombard General Insurance from ICICI Bank for approximately $234 million.
PE-backed China Huarong trades flat after $2.3b HK IPO
Shares in China Huarong Asset Management, a distressed debt manager with several private equity backers, opened flat in Hong Kong following a HK$17.82 billion ($2.3 billion) IPO.
PE-backed CICC files for $811m Hong Kong IPO
China International Capital Corp. (CICC) has announced the pricing for its upcoming Hong Kong IPO, which will see the company raise up to HK$6.3 billion ($811 million).
PEP-backed Link gains on Australia debut
Link Group, the Australian financial data and fund administration services provider backed by Pacific Equity Partners (PEP), is trading above its IPO price following the company's A$946.3 million ($674 million) offering.
Tiger, Matrix commit $9m Series A to India's RazorPay
Tiger Global has led a $9 million Series A round for India-based online payment gateway RazorPay, with participation by Matrix Partners.
General Atlantic buys stake in India's IIFL Wealth
General Atlantic has agreed to pay up to INR11.2 billion ($173 million) for a minority interest in IIFL Wealth Management (IIFLW), a subsidiary of IIFL Holdings, the Indian financial services group formerly known as India Infoline.
Reorient sells stake in Korean GP EQ Partners
Korean Investment Holdings has agreed to buy the entire shares in Seoul-based private equity firm EQ Partners from Hong Kong-listed financial services Reorient Group for $6.6 million in cash.
China shadow lending: In from the dark
China’s shadow lenders are an often-misunderstood part of the private debt sector. Investors say these unregulated institutions are not necessarily a threat, but they are hard to account for
VC-backed Equitas files for India IPO
Indian microfinance institution Equitas Holdings has filed for an IPO, providing partial or complete exits for a number of VC and PE investors.
Providence makes buyout offer for Australia's iSelect
Providence Equity Partners has submitted a buyout offer for iSelect, an Australian Securities Exchange-listed product comparison site specializing in insurance, household utilities and personal finance.
Good Resources, Bank of China set up $5b global M&A fund
Good Resources Holdings, a Hong Kong-listed investment firm controlled by Chinese billionaire Kin-Ming Cheng, will set up a joint global MA& fund worth $5 billion in conjunction with Bank of China’s Hong Kong asset management unit.
Sailing, Yunfeng lead $158m round for China’s Rong360
Sailing Capital and Yunfeng Capital have jointly led a RMB1 billion ($158 million) Series D round of funding for Rong360, a Chinese online search platform for loan products.
Nippon Life to raise stake in India's Reliance Capital
Japanese life insurance firm Nippon Life will pay INR12 billion ($184 million) to increase its stake in Indian asset manager Reliance Capital Asset Management (RCAM).
Convergence, Golden Gate in Series A for Singapore's MoneySmart
Singapore-based personal finance portal MoneySmart has raised S$2.8 million ($2 million) in a Series A round led by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Media Fund, with participation by Convergence Ventures, OPT SEA and Golden Gate Ventures.
Philippines private equity: Please be patient
Investors are flocking to the Philippines, but PE firms should invest time in building relationships with family-owned businesses and the government must deliver reforms if the country is to fulfil its potential
CHAMP PE sells Australia's Alleasing to Monash
CHAMP Private Equity has sold Alleasing, an Australia-based leasing business, to Monash Private Capital in a deal said to be worth A$190 million ($135 million).
PE-backed China Huarong launches Hong Kong IPO
Huarong Asset Management, one of four groups tasked with managing non-performing loans (NPLs) from Chinese state-owned banks, is looking to raise up to $3 billion in a Hong Kong IPO.
SoftBank leads $1b round for Renren-backed US online lender
Japanese technology giant SoftBank Group has led a $1 billion Series E round of funding for Social Finance (SoFi), a Silicon Valley online lending marketplace also backed by China social networking site Renren.
Spice PE invests in Clearwater's India NBFC
Switzerland-based alternative investment firm Spice Private Equity has committed $10 million to Indian non-banking finance company (NBFC) Altico Capital India.
Japan virtual currency player gets $2.3m from VC backers
Orb, a Japanese start-up that has developed an authentication technology to facilitate the use of virtual currencies, has raised JPY274 million ($2.28 million) from a group of investors.