Fintech PR
Zone raises $8.5m in Seed Funding to Scale its Decentralized Payment Infrastructure
International VC investment firms Flourish Ventures and TLcom Capital co-lead the funding round of Africa’s first regulated layer-1 blockchain for payments
LAGOS, Nigeria, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Zone, Africa’s fast-growing payment infrastructure company (the “Company”), today announced that it has raised $8.5 million in an oversubscribed seed funding round led by reputable VC firms Flourish Ventures and TLcom Capital.
The deal marks a pivotal moment for Zone as the company continues on its journey to build a Blockchain-based decentralized payment infrastructure for financial services providers across the continent and beyond. By harnessing the power of blockchain, Zone’s blockchain network delivers reliable, frictionless and universally interoperable payment experiences at scale to financial service providers and their customers. Zone has a unique position as Africa’s first regulated blockchain network for payments and has already signed up over 15 of Africa’s largest banks and fintech companies.
The new funding will enable Zone to further expand the coverage of its network domestically and connect more banks and financial services companies. A significant portion of the proceeds will also be allocated to conducting a comprehensive pilot programme to test the Company’s cross-border capabilities, scheduled for 2025. A key priority of the Company is to ensure that it is well-prepared to extend its footprint across Africa in order to support Intra-African and international payments which will bring the company closer to its vision of becoming a global payment network.
Flourish Ventures, an early-stage global fintech venture firm with purpose will provide Zone with a global perspective, networks of industry influencers and extensive Africa fintech expertise, paving the way for expansion into new markets. UK-based TLcom Capital provides essential local credibility and understanding of the African tech space while leveraging its existing relationships with key decision-makers In Nigeria to establish a strong foundation for Zone within its home market.
Other investors in this round include international blockchain-focused VC firms Digital Currency Group (DCG), VKAV (Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures) and Alter Global, each bringing niche sector expertise and credibility. These investments at a time when start-up funding has dried out are a testament to investor confidence in Zone’s mission to connect every monetary store of value and establish a regulated and decentralized global payment infrastructure.
Additionally, the endorsement and investment from Endeavor Catalyst reinforces Zone’s status as a frontrunner in Africa’s fintech revolution, highlighting the company’s alignment with the entrepreneurial spirit that drives technological transformation and economic progress.
Commenting on the funding round, Obi Emetarom, CEO and co-founder of Zone, said:
“The participation of high-quality investors despite the funding drought and the fact that we had more interested investors than we needed, is a sign of trust in the Zone brand and investor excitement about the opportunity to redefine payment infrastructure in Africa. As we step into this new phase at Zone, we are re-energized and our commitment to transforming Africa’s payment infrastructure is renewed. Our new investors and existing shareholders including CCA, Lateral Capital, Constant Ventures and V8 bring more than just financial backing as their global scope and deep expertise make them invaluable partners for us. With their support, we are poised to accelerate our mission to connect every monetary store of value and enable real-time payments within and across geographical borders. Zone is committed to staying at the forefront of technological advancement and industry evolution in financial services.”
Ameya Upadhyay, Partner at Flourish Ventures, said: “For the first time in Africa, Zone’s technology enables direct communication between participants in the payment ecosystem. We believe this is a fundamental leap that will allow customers to experience a completely new standard of reliability, speed and cost efficiency at the ATM, at POS machines and online. We are excited by the potential for Zone’s technology to be replicated across borders to advance payment innovation globally. The fact that Zone is led by Obi and Wale who are veterans of the banking industry reinforces our conviction that Zone can fulfil our shared goal of moving the entire sector forward.”
Ido Sum, Partner at TLcom Capital, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Obi Emetarom and Wale Onawunmi, co-founders of Zone, on their journey to build a category-defining fintech company that is using advanced blockchain technology to solve a critical payments system challenge. The Company’s innovative infrastructure has the potential to deliver tremendous value to financial institutions, enhancing the overall payments experience for end-users and driving down costs for hundreds of millions of consumers and businesses that rely on digital payments in Africa every day. We have no doubt that Zone, led by Obi and Wale, is on its way to transform into a global company over time, and TLcom is excited to bring its complementary experience, networks and expertise to support the Company in fulfilling its impressive scale ambitions.”
About Zone:
Zone is a regulated blockchain network that enables payments and acceptance of digital currencies. Its Layer-1 Blockchain network digitises Fiat payments and enables the transition to digital currencies while connecting previously excluded financial institutions into an all-inclusive payment ecosystem. Zone, Africa’s first decentralised payment network, allows participating institutions to connect directly with each other and perform payment transactions without an intermediary while completely automating settlement, reconciliation, and dispute management. The Company is working with the brightest minds on the continent to lay the foundation for the decentralised future of financial services. Its mission is to connect every monetary store of value by harnessing the power of blockchain.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/zone-raises-8-5m-in-seed-funding-to-scale-its-decentralized-payment-infrastructure-302090418.html
Lending revenue dips against backdrop of record-high indices
NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The global securities finance industry generated $9.64 billion in revenue for lenders in 2024, according to DataLend, the market data service of fintech EquiLend. The figure represents a 10.3% decrease from the $10.74 billion generated in 2023.
Global broker-to-broker activity, where broker-dealers lend and borrow securities from each other, totaled an additional $2.57 billion in revenue for 2024, a 9.9% decrease from 2023.
Equity lending revenues fell 13% globally, with North America revenue declining 15% and EMEA revenue dropping 24%. In North America, the cause for the revenue decline was a 19% decrease in average fees, while in EMEA, fees and balances decreased 16% and 11%, respectively. Equity lending revenues in APAC were largely flat year-over-year.
Global sovereign debt revenue increased by 8% over 2023, with U.S. treasuries making up the lion’s share of the gains. Treasuries were up 16% year-over-year, driven by a 14% growth in balances.
In corporate debt lending, global revenue declined by 21% as a regression from a record 2023 continued. Fees were the main culprit, with a steep 29% decrease driving the year-over-year decline in revenue.
The top five earning securities in 2024 were Sirius XM Holdings (SIRI US), Lucid Group (LCID US), Beyond Meat Inc. (BYND US), Tempus AI Inc. (TEM US) and Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT US). The five securities in total generated $644 million for lenders over the course of 2024, a significant dip from the $1.11 billion generated by 2023’s top five earners.
Bloomberg Terminal users can subscribe to EquiLend’s exclusive Orbisa securities lending data by entering terminal shortcut APPS ORBISA About DataLend About EquiLend Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1060364/EquiLend_Logo.jpg
DataLend, the market data service within EquiLend’s Data & Analytics Solutions group, tracks daily market movements across more than 200,000 securities, covering $35 trillion in lendable assets and $2.6 trillion in on-loan assets for the securities finance market. www.datalend.com
EquiLend is a global financial technology firm offering Trading, Post-Trade, Data & Analytics, RegTech and Platform Solutions for the securities finance industry. EquiLend has offices in North America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific and is regulated in jurisdictions around the globe. www.equilend.com
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/datalend-2024-securities-lending-revenue-down-10-yoy-to-9-64-billion-302341418.html
NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In a dynamic and increasingly complex business environment, small businesses across the USA are experiencing a growing need for expert financial management solutions. Bookkeeping in USA, a critical yet often overlooked business function, is proving essential for companies striving to stay competitive, compliant, and efficient.
Recent studies highlight the importance of tailored bookkeeping solutions to address challenges such as fluctuating tax laws, rising operational costs, and stringent compliance requirements. The demand for professional bookkeeping services in USA has surged, showcasing their role in fostering small business resilience and growth.
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The Role of Bookkeeping in Small Business Success
Bookkeeping in USA offers small business owners’ clarity and control over their financial health. As the business landscape evolves, it is becoming a strategic necessity rather than just a support function. Challenges like tax compliance, cash flow management, and accurate financial reporting require dedicated expertise, which many small business owners find daunting to handle independently.
Insights from Industry Experts
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and they deserve tools that empower them to succeed,” says Ajay Mehta, CEO of IBN Technologies. “Bookkeeping services enable entrepreneurs to focus on their strengths while ensuring their financial bases are secure.”
IBN Technologies has positioned itself as a leader in this space, offering streamlined bookkeeping services that align with industry standards and leverage cutting-edge technology. The company’s solutions are designed to help businesses avoid costly financial missteps, manage cash flow effectively, and maintain compliance with ever-changing regulations.
Modernizing Bookkeeping with Technology
The adoption of cloud-based bookkeeping solutions marks a transformative step forward for small businesses. Real-time access to financial data, enhanced security, and seamless collaboration between business owners and financial experts have made these tools indispensable. IBN Technologies integrates state-of-the-art technology into its services, ensuring clients can monitor their finances anytime, anywhere.
Addressing Tax Compliance and Financial Challenges
One of the most significant challenges for small businesses in the USA is navigating the complex web of federal and state tax laws. IBN Technologies specializes in offering tax-ready to serve bookkeeping in USA that not only mitigate the risk of audits but also identify potential tax savings. This dual approach has enabled many businesses to achieve better financial outcomes while reducing stress.
About IBN Technologies
IBN Technologies LLC, an outsourcing specialist with 25 years of experience, serves clients across the United States, United Kingdom, Middle East, and India. Renowned for its expertise in RPA, Intelligent process automation includes AP Automation services like P2P, Q2C, and Record-to-Report. IBN Technologies provides solutions compliant with ISO 9001:2015, 27001:2022, CMMI-5, and GDPR standards. The company has established itself as a leading provider of IT, KPO, and BPO outsourcing services in finance and accounting, including CPAs, hedge funds, alternative investments, banking, travel, human resources, and retail industries. It offers customized solutions that drive efficiency and growth.
Contact Details:
Pradip
[email protected]
+1 – 844 – 644 – 8440
USA:
IBN Technologies LLC
66 West Flagler Street Suite 900 Miami, FL 33130
India: Global Delivery Centre
IBN Technologies Limited
Kohinoor House, 2nd floor,
691/A/1B, Plot no. 7,
Bibwewadi Road, Pune-411037
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bookkeeping-in-usa-empower-business-growth-and-success-with-ibn-technologies-302341224.html
Fintech PR
CUBE COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF THOMSON REUTERS REGULATORY INTELLIGENCE AND ODEN BUSINESSES
- Acquisition delivers an expanded customer base with a deep global subject matter expertise network that further powers CUBE’s RegBrain AI across its industry proven SaaS RegPlatform™
- CUBE continues to see strong organic customer growth in its well-established enterprise sector whilst also accelerating growth across the mid-market sector
- 2024 was a year of strategic milestones for CUBE including the partnership with Hg, expanding its global footprint across six main hubs, the acquisition of Reg-Room and Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence and Oden businesses, together with pivotal board and executive appointments
LONDON, Jan. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — CUBE, a global leader in Automated Regulatory Intelligence (ARI) and Regulatory Change Management (RCM), has today formally announced the completion of its acquisition of the Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence and Oden businesses on 31 December 2024.
The acquisition of these global businesses is another step forward in CUBE’s growth plans as a leader in regulatory intelligence. It will supplement and enhance CUBE’s ability to deliver significant scale across many of the world’s leading and systemically important financial institutions. CUBE’s global customer base will expand to total approximately 1,000 customers in banking, insurance, asset and investment management, payments and adjacent regulated industries.
CUBE’s Founder and CEO, Ben Richmond, said: “The completion of this acquisition is a major milestone for CUBE in a year that has seen many important milestones including our strategic partnership with Hg, the acquisition of Reg-Room, and the acquisition of Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence and Oden businesses.”
“Thomson Reuters is best known in the industry for providing regulatory analysis and subject matter expertise combined with world-leading journalism and news,” said Ben Richmond. “The powerful combination of CUBE’s AI and the years of human generated content curated by Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence and Oden subject matter experts sets us apart in the industry. This new dimension at CUBE will accelerate innovation and drive further growth and opportunity in 2025 and beyond.”
Following the announcement of its strategic partnership with Hg in March 2024, CUBE has now completed two transformational US-based acquisitions across three businesses whilst continuing to assemble a highly experienced executive team. CUBE’s continued impressive growth saw its presence in the enterprise sector surpassing 200 customers and now represents around 40% of Tier 1 financial institutions globally. In the mid-market sector, serving small and medium sized enterprises, CUBE now has near 800 customers.
With this growth CUBE solidified its global footprint by establishing offices across its six main hubs focused on customer support and implementation; with the number of employees at CUBE doubling to near 700 and a comparable increase in the number of countries where CUBE’s employees are located, which now totals 15 countries.
Ben Richmond said: “We are excited to welcome all of our new colleagues to CUBE – 2025 promises to be yet another significant year for the business as we continue to deliver further innovation focused on automating regulatory compliance and risk management for our customers.”
The definitive agreement was originally announced in May 2024 and terms were not disclosed.
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cube-completes-acquisition-of-thomson-reuters-regulatory-intelligence-and-oden-businesses-302341226.html
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