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Musim Mas Signs its first Sustainability-Linked Loan with Rabobank and HSBC Bank

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SINGAPORE, Aug. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Musim Mas is proud to announce its inaugural Sustainability-Linked Revolving Credit Facility, marking a significant step in its commitment to sustainable business practices. Partnering with Rabobank as sustainability coordinator and HSBC as other lender, the Musim Mas Group’s marketing arm, Inter-Continental Oils & Fats Pte. Ltd., and its Spain and Italy Biofuel entities will convert its EUR 150 million uncommitted Revolving Credit Facility (RCF) into a sustainability-linked loan.

Musim Mas is strategically leveraging the Sustainability-Linked Loan (SLL) to seamlessly integrate environmental and social sustainability into its financial framework, reinforcing its dedication to responsible business practices, in line with the LMA Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles. The Sustainability-Linked Loan will be anchored on three Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – RSPO certification of independent smallholders, training of independent smallholders, and maintaining a deforestation-free palm oil supply chain. External verification of Musim Mas’ annual progress will be conducted by reputable assessors, ensuring transparency and accountability.

The selection of these KPIs was carefully driven by various factors, such as materiality and level of ambition of the targets. Independent smallholders operating on smaller-scale oil palm farms represent an important opportunity for advancing sustainable palm oil production. To sustainably increase the overall output volume of independent smallholders, who make up an estimated 41% of the production area[1], there is a need to improve the yield of these farmers. By empowering these smallholders to adopt sustainable farming methods, Musim Mas not only enhances livelihoods and promotes social equity but also advances toward its long-term goals of eliminating deforestation and fostering a resilient and responsible palm oil supply chain.

As the sustainability coordinator for the facility, Rabobank facilitated the integration of sustainability principles into the financing structure. Rabobank and HSBC serve as joint lenders for the RCF.

Gregory Vandeler, Head of Trade & Commodity Finance, Rabobank Asia, commented: “Rabobank is honoured to have acted as the lead sustainability coordinator for Musim Mas in their inaugural sustainability-linked loan. Partnering with Musim Mas – one of our longstanding clients and a true leader in sustainability in the palm oil industry – in this inaugural deal, reflects the trusted relationship we have with them. Linking sustainability performance to financing is a way to support our clients in their sustainability commitments while simultaneously enhancing productivity, resilience, and farmer livelihoods. There is great potential in making the agri-food sector more sustainable. In our role as a leading food, agriculture and trade commodity bank, we are committed to taking a leading role in working closely with our clients in their sustainable transition journeys.”

Priya Kini, Head of Commercial Banking, HSBC Singapore, said: “We have a longstanding relationship with Musim Mas, and we are glad to be able to further deepen our support with their first sustainability-linked loan. Musim Mas wants to embed ESG principles into their core business operations and financing activities, and we are pleased to help them do so. This collaboration is a clear demonstration of HSBC’s ongoing efforts to support our clients’ transition to a more sustainable future.”

This Sustainability-Linked Loan marks another step in Musim Mas’ commitment to incorporating environmental and social considerations into its financing activities. In 2021, the company secured a Green Trade Financing Facility with a Singapore bank, with RSPO certification as a key performance indicator under the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)’ Green Finance Industry Taskforce’s Green and Sustainable Trade Finance and Working Capital Framework. In 2024, Musim Mas collaborated with a leading bank to implement an innovative Sustainable Account with a Liquidity Management Structure. This initiative was designed to optimize the Group’s cash flow and working capital across its entities, while seamlessly integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations.

“Contracting a sustainability-linked loan with ambitious, meaningful, and measurable targets is a testament to Musim Mas’ deep-rooted commitment to sustainability and responsible corporate behavior. Musim Mas is reinforcing to our stakeholders—financial banks, customers, and employees—about our dedication to driving positive environmental and social impact while delivering long-term value.”, said Mr Alvin Lim, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, Musim Mas.

For more information about Musim Mas, visit our website at this link.

[1] Herdiansyah, H., Negoro, H. A., Rusdayanti, N., & Shara, S. (2020). Palm oil plantation and cultivation: Prosperity and productivity of smallholders. Open Agriculture, 5(1), 617–630. https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2020-0063

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CONTACT: Devane Sharma, [email protected]

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Fintech

Fintech Pulse: Evolving Fintech Investments and Partnerships Signal Industry Transformation

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Fintech is on an accelerated trajectory of investment, collaboration, and innovation. This pulse tracks the most significant developments in the sector, from high-profile investments to global platform expansions. Each update in this briefing serves as a key indicator of where the industry is headed.


1. European Fintechs Face Regulatory Pressures Amid New Investment Surge

The European fintech sector finds itself at a crossroads with increasing scrutiny and rising costs due to stringent regulations. While investments continue to flow into the continent’s financial technology companies, challenges in meeting new compliance requirements, especially around data privacy and cybersecurity, create a complex landscape for scaling. This tension between opportunity and operational limitations might affect European fintechs’ growth strategies.

Source: Financial Times


2. Shopify, Slack Founders Join Peter Thiel in Fintech Investment Push

Tobi Lütke of Shopify and Stewart Butterfield of Slack, along with investor Peter Thiel, have co-invested in a new fintech initiative that aims to bolster small business access to capital. By merging technology with a streamlined funding model, this new initiative targets underserved SMBs, highlighting a broader trend of high-profile tech leaders pivoting to fintech investment. The participation of Lütke and Butterfield signals increased cross-sector collaboration in fintech, bringing expertise from e-commerce and communication technology into the financial arena.

Source: Yahoo Finance


3. Lean Technologies Raises $67.5 Million to Drive Fintech Innovation in the Middle East

Riyadh-based fintech platform Lean Technologies recently secured a $67.5 million Series B investment round, aiming to expand its operations across the Middle East. This funding reflects growing investor interest in emerging markets and the potential of Middle Eastern fintech to bridge regional gaps in financial services access. As Lean Technologies broadens its service offerings, the funding will support further technological integration and scalability across financial ecosystems in the region.

Source: Fintech Global


4. Apollo Global Management Invests in Fintech for Private Offerings Support

Apollo Global Management has taken steps to enhance its services for private offerings by investing in specialized fintech solutions. This development signifies a growing trend among private equity firms to adopt fintech as a core component in their service expansion, particularly for personalized client services. Apollo’s strategy of integrating fintech solutions into private offerings marks a strategic shift toward digitalization within traditional financial sectors.

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Source: Bloomberg


5. Juniper Research Names 2025’s Future Leaders in Fintech

Juniper Research has revealed its picks for the top future leaders in fintech for 2025. This list emphasizes innovation in fields such as AI, open banking, and decentralized finance, highlighting startups that exhibit potential for reshaping industry standards. As these up-and-coming firms push the boundaries of traditional finance, they exemplify the rising tide of next-generation financial technology poised to become industry mainstays.

Source: Globe Newswire


Conclusion

The convergence of seasoned tech giants with fintech, new funding rounds for region-specific platforms, and the rise of future industry leaders underscore the momentum of the fintech sector. Each of these stories reflects a broader narrative: fintech is not only diversifying in services but also rapidly integrating into traditional finance and tech, paving the way for a transformative era.

 

The post Fintech Pulse: Evolving Fintech Investments and Partnerships Signal Industry Transformation appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

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Notabene Raises $14.5M in Series B Funding Led by DRW VC to Drive the Future of Stablecoins and Payments

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The rapid adoption of Notabene’s crypto payment authorization network, which has seen transaction volumes surge 10X in the past year, reflects the growing demand for compliant crypto payment solutions. This Series B round will help Notabene bring secure, transparent, and compliant crypto payments to more financial institutions, paving the way for stablecoins to revolutionize global finance.

NEW YORK, Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Notabene, a leading provider of cryptocurrency compliance solutions, today announced it has raised $14.5 million in a Series B funding round led by DRW VC, with participation from funds managed by Apollo, NextBlock, ParaFi Capital, and Wintermute, along with existing investors CMT Digital, F-Prime, Green Visor Capital, Illuminate Financial, Jump Capital, Signature Ventures, and Y Combinator. The funding will accelerate Notabene’s mission to make crypto payments a part of the everyday global economy by fostering open, secure, and compliant transactions.

Regulators now require crypto companies such as exchanges, wallet providers, and payment processors to securely exchange information about sender and receiver, just like they already do in traditional payments. This so-called Travel Rule is now a requirement in most global financial centers.

Having already helped process half a trillion dollars worth of transactions, Notabene is the leading global platform and network for compliant crypto payments. By automating the secure transfer of sensitive data between institutions, Notabene simplifies this complex process that is virtually impossible for companies to implement independently.

Kimberly Trautmann, Partner and Head of DRW VC, the round’s lead investor, emphasized the significance of Notabene’s work in this emerging financial ecosystem:

“Notabene offers a comprehensive and efficient way to track and disclose who an asset is being sent to, which is critical for those who facilitate the exchange, transfer, safekeeping, and administration of virtual assets (Virtual Asset Service Partners or VASPs) and need to be compliant with the Travel Rule. We believe Notabene is positioned to be the provider-of-choice, as it allows users to achieve real-time compliance, is protocol agnostic and does not require exposing sensitive information to other market participants.”

Notabene is expanding its focus to support the growing number of traditional financial institutions moving into digital payments. With over $20T in stablecoin transactions processed last year, global adoption is on the rise and poised to be crypto’s long-awaited killer use case. The key to unlocking stablecoins’ potential as fast, low-cost, borderless payments is a secure and transparent system – one that’s open and not controlled by any single entity. Notabene offers the essential infrastructure for compliance, reconciliation, and safety, enabling open, interoperable payment networks that will drive the next wave of adoption.

Notabene’s CEO, Pelle Brændgaard, underscores the company’s vision for the future of payments:

“We’ve already established ourselves as a pioneer in Travel Rule compliance, and now, as regulatory clarity grows and adoption scales, we are positioned to do the same for payments. By enabling secure, compliant, and open digital asset transactions, we’re helping shape the next generation of global financial infrastructure. Our philosophy of building open networks to maximize reachability between transacting counterparties will be a key driver of adoption with both crypto-native organizations, as well as incumbent players in traditional finance that are showing an increased interest in digital assets and blockchain payment solutions.”

Notabene’s platform has seen a rapid 10x increase in transaction volumes over the past year, totaling nearly $500 billion in transaction volume—solidifying the company’s role as a trusted provider in the compliance space. With over 165 companies using the platform, including some of the largest virtual asset service providers (VASPs) globally such as Copper, Crypto.com, OKX, and Ramp, as well as working relationships with regulatory bodies across hundreds of global jurisdictions, Notabene has built the largest network of transacting counterparties in the market today.

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Alexander Ross, General Partner, Head of NYC for investor Illuminate Financial, added:

“As the existing market leader for Travel Rule compliance, we believe Notabene has the potential to become the “SWIFT network for blockchain transactions.” There is a desperate need for a secure network to share all transaction metadata. This will enable compliance with global regulations and is a key pillar to unlocking mass adoption of stablecoins for payments. We have been working with the founders since 2021 and believe they are the best positioned to execute this vision.”

With this raise, Notabene is set to continue its mission to bring crypto and stablecoins into everyday global payments. It will help grow the industry’s only open compliant payments network to support more use cases and new market entrants.

“With $20 trillion in stablecoin transactions processed last year, stablecoins are emerging as the preferred method for fast, low-cost global payments,” said Pelle Brændgaard, Notabene CEO. “As regulatory clarity expands, traditional financial institutions are beginning to recognize stablecoins’ potential. Notabene’s role as a trusted compliance provider is critical to unlocking this potential and establishing stablecoins as a legitimate payment medium worldwide.”

About Notabene

Notabene is the leading crypto payment authorization network, enabling secure, transparent, and compliant transactions for financial institutions around the world. With a platform that facilitates transactions in over 80 jurisdictions, supports over 165 companies, and has processed half a trillion dollars in transaction volume, Notabene is setting the standard for compliant transactions in the digital asset space.

For more information, please visit Notabene.id.

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Notabene is the leading crypto payment authorization network, enabling secure, transparent, and compliant transactions for financial institutions around the world.

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Bluestream OÜ Launches Three Comprehensive Loan Comparison Websites

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TALLINN, Estonia, Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Bluestream OÜ, a quickly expanding digital finance company, is proud to announce the launch of three loan comparison websites aimed at simplifying the loan search process for Finnish consumers. The recently introduced platforms – “Laina heti”, “Luotto”, and “Lainojen yhdistäminen” – are designed to provide transparent, easy-to-understand and reliable financing comparison services designed to meet the diverse financial needs of consumers across Finland.

Laina heti: Speed and Simplicity for Urgent Loans

One of the three platforms, Laina Heti focuses on helping users find fast and convenient loans. This website caters to individuals who require quick access to funds for emergency expenses, unexpected bills or time-sensitive purchases. The design of the website emphasizes simplicity and efficiency, providing users with comparisons of short-term loan offers, including payday loans and other fast financial products.

Luotto: Comprehensive Loan Solutions for All Borrowers

The second platform, Luotto, is the company’s comprehensive comparison website for personal loans. Unlike Laina heti, which focuses on immediate and short-term needs, Luotto is designed to serve consumers seeking more substantial loans for a wider range of financial purposes. Whether it’s for a new car or home renovations, the website provides users with a detailed comparison of various loan options offered by banks, credit institutions, and other lenders across Finland.

Lainojen yhdistäminen: Simplifying Debt Consolidation for Finnish Consumers

The third and final platform, Lainojen yhdistäminen specifically targets consumers looking to consolidate several loans into a single, more manageable monthly payment. For many individuals facing the challenge of managing several loans at once – such as personal loans, credit card debt, or payday loans – loan consolidation can be an effective way to reduce financial stress, improve budgeting and potentially lower the total cost of borrowing.

“With Laina Heti, Luotto and Lainojen Yhdistäminen, we wanted to make it easier for consumers to access quick loans, personal loans and debt consolidation loans without getting bogged down in complex procedures. It’s all about making sure people have the information they need at their fingertips when they need it most,” said a representative for Bluestream OÜ.

About Bluestream OÜ

Bluestream OÜ is a digital finance company based in Tallinn, Estonia. The company specializes in creating financial comparison tools that provide consumers with transparent and comprehensive information to help them make informed financial decisions.

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Press Contact:
Bluestream OÜ
Email: [email protected] 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bluestream-ou-launches-three-comprehensive-loan-comparison-websites-302302960.html

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