Fintech
Hong Kong's Micro Connect raises $458m Series C
Hong Kong’s Micro Connect, a financier for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), has raised USD 458m in Series C funding. It did not name the investors.
Singapore's Nium raises capital at $2b valuation
Singapore-based payments technology provider Nium claims to have doubled its valuation in the past 24 months to USD 2bn with new investors such as US-based Bond and Moore Capital joining the capital table.
TNB Aura leads $17m Series A for Vietnam's Gimo
TNB Aura has led a USD 17.1m Series A round for Gimo, a Vietnam-based start-up that operates a wage access platform aimed at underbanked workers.
China's Qiming joins round for blockchain privacy developer
China's Qiming Venture Partners has participated in a USD 25m Series A for P0x Labs, the developer behind blockchain-based privacy services provider Manta Network.
Visa backs $72m Series C for Singapore's Thunes
Singapore’s Thunes, a financial technology provider focused on cross-border transfers in developing markets, has raised USD 72m in Series C funding featuring Visa.
Japan's 01Booster Capital closes debut fund
01Booster Capital, a Japanese accelerator and VC investor set up in 2012, has closed its debut fund at an undeclared size. It was launched in late 2021.
Tower Capital buys payments unit from Singapore's DBS
Tower Capital Asia has completed the fourth investment from its debut Southeast Asia fund – taking deployment past 60% - with the acquisition of a majority stake in payment solutions provider AXS from DBS Bank.
Hong Kong's OneDegree upsizes Series B to $55m
Hong Kong insurance start-up OneDegree has raised USD 27m from a group including Gobi Partners. It is billed as an extension to a Series B round from 2021, bringing the overall total to USD 55m.
Japan SME fintech player raises $17m
Japan’s Olta, a financial technology provider for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has raised JPY 2.5bn (USD 17.6m) in Series B funding featuring SBI Investment, Spiral Capital, and DG Ventures.
Illuminate Financial closes $235m VC fund, targets Asia
Illuminate Financial, a UK-headquartered GP with a base in Singapore, has closed its third fintech VC fund on USD 235m amidst plans to expand activity in the region.
Indonesia microfinance player Amartha raises $100m
Indonesia’s Amartha, a small business lender focused on rural women entrepreneurs, has raised USD 100m in debt financing from US impact investor Community Investment Management (CIM).
Japan's LayerX lifts Series A to $59m
Japan’s LayerX, an enterprise billing and invoicing software provider, has lifted an ongoing Series A round to JPY 8.2bn (USD 59m) with support from several local VC firms.
Square Peg leads round for India payments start-up
Australia’s Square Peg Capital has led a USD 10.2m pre-Series A round for India-based payments technology provider XFlow.
PE-backed CompareAsiaGroup merges with US-listed SPAC
CompareAsiaGroup, an Asia-focused financial products comparison platform also known as MoneyHero Group, has agreed to merge with a US-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) at an enterprise value of approximately USD 342m.
Digital bank Tyme wins funding for SE Asia, Africa expansion
Tyme Group, an emerging markets-focused digital banking group with operations in the Philippines and South Africa, has raised USD 77.8m in pre-Series C funding. A portion of the proceeds will be used for expansion into other markets in Southeast Asia.
General Atlantic raises exposure to India's PhonePe
General Atlantic has invested USD 100m in India’s PhonePe only four months after providing the payments platform with a USD 350m round at a pre-money valuation of USD 12bn.
Potentia withdraws from talks to buy Australia-listed Tyro
Australia-based specialist B2B technology investor Potentia Capital has withdrawn from talks to acquire listed payments software provider Tyro Payments – marking the second time attempts to reach an agreement have failed.
Constantinople raises Australia's largest-ever seed round
Australia’s Square Peg Capital has led a AUD 32m (USD 21.3m) seed round for local banking software provider Constantinople. It is being called the largest-ever seed investment in Australia.
Singapore's Bolttech raises $196m
Singapore’s Bolttech, the insurance technology business of Pacific Century Group, has raised a USD 196m round led by Japanese insurer Tokio Marine at a valuation of USD 1.6bn.
Japan's SMBC, Incubate set up USD 200m Asia VC fund
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) has established a USD 200m growth and late-stage pan-Asian VC fund in partnership with Japan’s Incubate Fund, which will co-manage the vehicle.
Fund focus: Integra focuses on the fintech layer
One of few sector specialists in market populated by Indonesia-focused generalists, Integra Partners has fashioned a differentiated investment narrative. LPs committed $90m to the cause
Integra closes second Southeast Asia VC fund on $90m
Singapore-based early-stage venture capital firm Integra Partners confirmed it has closed its second fund on USD 90m.
Singapore fintech player AIG raises $80m
Advance Intelligence Group (AIG), a Singapore-headquartered and Indonesia-focused financial technology company, has raised USD 80m in funding led by existing investors Warburg Pincus and Northstar Group.
Portfolio: AIG
Advance Intelligence Group has developed a relatively narrow enterprise fintech business into one of the region’s leading digital lending operations with the help of several VC investors