SINGAPORE, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Tanglin Trust School in Singapore marked a major educational milestone this week with the official launch of the Tanglin Highlands Programme, a four-week immersive learning experience for Year 9 students at the school’s new 15-acre campus in Gippsland, Australia.

Tanglin’s CEO, Craig Considine, welcomed the founding cohort of Year 9 Highlanders and their parents, who attended the launch event alongside distinguished guests: Ms Lucy Hughes, Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission; Mr Ashley Brosnan, Climate Counsellor, Australian High Commission; Mr Poh Chun Leck, Director of School Operations Policy, Ministry of Education, Singapore, and Neil Tottman, Tanglin Governor.

In his opening remarks, Mr Considine said, “Today, we celebrate not just the formal launch of the programme, but the realisation of an educational vision born in extraordinary times. The Tanglin Highlands Programme demonstrates our collective belief in the power of adaptation and innovation in education.”

The Highlands Programme will be based at the new Tanglin Gippsland campus, where students will continue their core curriculum studies in a low-tech, nature-based setting. Living together as a community, they will take part in outdoor pursuits, adventure-based challenges and independent living experiences.

Mr Considine added, “Preparing young people for an unpredictable future requires educational experiences beyond traditional models.” This innovative programme is designed to foster confidence, resilience, and a deeper understanding of both self and the wider world—qualities essential for navigating a rapidly changing global landscape.

Mr Mark Cutchie, Tanglin’s founding Head of Campus in Gippsland, addressed the audience of Highlanders and encouraged them to embrace the journey ahead. “It’s about having the courage to try something new, and the perseverance to keep going when things get tough,” he said. His remarks highlighted the programme’s emphasis on stepping beyond comfort zones, embracing an adventurous spirit, and learning through life experience.

As the first cohort of Year 9 Highlanders departs for Australia, the launch of the Highlands Programme stands as a cornerstone of Tanglin Trust School’s Centenary celebrations—embodying Tanglin’s belief in a holistic education where well-being is nurtured, talents beyond the classroom are developed, and academic scholarship is honoured.

About Tanglin Trust School

Established in 1925, Tanglin Trust School is the oldest British international school in Southeast Asia and celebrates its Centenary this academic year. The school delivers British-based education to more than 2,850 students aged 3 to 18 in Singapore. As a not-for-profit institution, all tuition fees are directed towards the provision of outstanding education. Tanglin is the only school in Singapore to offer the choice of A Levels or the IB Diploma in Sixth Form. It enjoys an excellent academic reputation, with examination results consistently surpassing both Singapore and global averages.

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Welcome to Fintech Pulse, your daily op-ed style briefing that distills today’s most pivotal developments shaping the financial technology landscape. From regulatory scrutiny of banking-as-a-service models to the unfolding era of AI-driven fintech, we analyze the stories behind the headlines—and what they mean for innovators, investors, and regulators.

1. Regulatory Spotlight: Senators Demand Federal Reserve Records on Synapse Failure

In a dramatic escalation of oversight pressure, a bipartisan group of senators—led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA)—has formally demanded that the Federal Reserve hand over all supervisory records related to last year’s collapse of fintech middleware provider Synapse. According to reporting by The Wall Street Journal, the senators allege that warning signs of Synapse’s missteps “should have prompted immediate supervisory and enforcement intervention” by the Fed.

Source: PYMNTS.com.

Key Takeaways

• Middleman Risks Exposed: Synapse acted as the on-ramp between neobanks and chartered banks, holding customer deposits at banks like Evolve Bank & Trust—yet when Synapse filed bankruptcy in April 2024, an estimated $96 million of customer funds went missing and were not covered by FDIC pass-through insurance mechanisms.

• Regulatory Gap: Fintechs such as Synapse, though vital to digital banking services, fall outside the Fed’s direct regulatory purview, illustrating a blind spot in U.S. financial oversight that lawmakers now vow to close.

• Market Repercussions: The fallout froze funds for tens of thousands of end-users, eroding trust in BaaS partnerships and igniting calls for more rigorous standards and clearer consumer disclosures.

Op-Ed Insight

The Synapse debacle underscores a harsh truth: innovators move faster than regulators, but the price of that speed can be catastrophic when intermediaries obscure the true custodian of consumer funds. As BaaS partnerships proliferate, the Federal Reserve—and by extension, other global regulators—must balance fostering innovation with enforcing accountability. Failure to do so risks a repeat of this crisis, undermining both consumer confidence and the broader fintech ecosystem.

2. AI Rearchitecture: Simon Wu on Vertical-First, AI-Native Fintech

In a feature for Crunchbase News, Simon Wu of Cathay Innovation argues that fintech’s next chapter is defined not by broad digital banking clones, but by vertical-first, AI-native startups that own their infrastructure and data loops .

Source: Crunchbase News.

Highlights

• Infrastructure Ownership: Startups that build or deeply integrate their own core banking stack (e.g., Chime) gain superior control over data, compliance, and AI model fine-tuning—key levers for personalized services and fraud mitigation.

• AI at the Core: From AI-powered underwriting (Nubank) to chatbot-driven support (Klarna), fintechs are leveraging machine learning to enhance decisioning and user engagement while reducing operational costs.

• Verticalization: Rather than competing head-on with incumbents, emerging players focus on niches—such as embedded payments in real-estate workflows or AI-driven insurance quoting—to deliver “fintech operating systems” that embed seamlessly into customer processes.

Op-Ed Insight

Wu’s thesis is a wake-up call: the era of generic, horizontal fintech is fading. Winners will be those who harness AI within proprietary stacks to solve real pain points—delivering not just products, but embedded workflows that feel indispensable. Investors should pivot from broad bets on “fintech 1.0” to backing startups that exemplify this AI-infra synergy.

3. Fintech Maximalism: Mark Goldberg’s Vision for Compounding Growth

On TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, veteran investor Mark Goldberg—fresh off launching his $350 million venture fund Chemistry—declares we’ve entered a period of fintech maximalism, where companies cultivated through 2021–24 emerge as multi-year compounders.

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Source: TechCrunch.

Core Themes

• “Tech-Fin” Over “Fintech”: Goldberg emphasizes a shift toward companies that blend deep technology capabilities with financial services—transcending the original fintech playbook.

• Portfolio Construction: Chemistry’s boutique strategy reflects a broader VC trend: seasoned partners spinning out to pursue focused, high-conviction rounds, betting on businesses that not only survive downturns but accelerate thereafter.

• 2025 Watchlist: Goldberg cites AI’s role in fraud detection, a resurgence in M&A and secondaries, and a potential wave of fintech IPOs—though he cautions that public markets may remain tough for fintech exits.

Op-Ed Insight

Fintech maximalism is more than jargon—it’s a mindset shift: only those firms with durable moats, integrated technology and financial acumen will thrive long-term. As Chemistry and peer funds deploy new capital, incumbents face intensified competition from lean, well-capitalized startups—and legacy players must adapt or risk obsolescence.

4. Truth.Fi’s Next Act: TMTG Partners on America-First ETF Launch

In a surprising move into asset management, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) has inked a binding agreement with Crypto.com and Yorkville America Digital to launch America-First ETFs under the Truth.Fi brand later this year.

Source: Nasdaq.

Details

• Product Suite: The ETFs will blend digital assets and “Made in America” securities, spanning sectors like energy and industrials—distributed globally via Crypto.com’s broker-dealer, Foris Capital US LLC.

• Strategic Rationale: TMTG’s CEO Devin Nunes frames the launch as diversifying into financial services, leveraging the Truth.Fi fintech arm to attract retail and institutional investors aligned with patriotic investment themes.

• Regulatory & Advisory: Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP advises on product development, underscoring the complexity of marrying crypto assets and traditional securities within regulated ETF wrappers.

Op-Ed Insight

Truth.Fi’s ETF play signals a broader convergence of social/media platforms and fintech—where user communities morph into captive audiences for financial products. While ideological branding (“America-First”) may resonate with a specific demographic, success hinges on genuine fund performance and regulatory compliance. For the wider fintech sector, TMTG’s pivot illustrates the allure—and peril—of media-backed finance ventures.

5. Financial Inclusion Frontlines: Daira at Money20/20 Asia

At Money20/20 Asia in Bangkok, Sheikh Omer Nasim, CEO of Pakistan-focused fintech Daira, delivered a keynote on leveraging technology to bridge the financial literacy gap in emerging markets.

Source:Taiwan News.

Highlights

• Market Context: With smartphone penetration at 51% and over 124 million mobile Internet users, Pakistan saw a 35% jump in digital payments in 2024, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.

• Product Innovation: Daira’s mobile app (launched October 2024) offers micro-loans, AI-driven personalized tips and a streamlined interface tailored to first-time borrowers—especially women under the SECP’s Women Equality in Finance Policy Framework.

• Regulatory Milestone: Securing a Non-Banking Financial Company license in 2024 cements Daira’s compliance credentials, enabling expansion into SME marketplaces and deeper inclusion efforts.

Op-Ed Insight

Daira’s model exemplifies how fintech can catalyze financial empowerment in under-banked regions. By coupling AI-powered education with credit access, platforms like Daira transform users into informed participants of the digital economy. Yet success demands ongoing collaboration with local regulators, continuous user-centric design, and robust risk management to scale sustainably.

Conclusion: Connecting the Dots

Today’s headlines paint a vivid tableau of fintech’s dynamic tensions: regulators racing to catch up with innovative BaaS models; AI-powered startups redefining infrastructure; boutique VC funds doubling down on tech-fin compounders; non-traditional players launching ETFs; and social impact fintech rising in emerging markets.

What to Watch Tomorrow

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• Will the Federal Reserve respond to Senatorial pressure with new BaaS oversight guidelines?

• Which AI-infra-first fintech will announce a major funding round or partnership next?

• Can Truth.Fi’s ETFs carve out market share in an increasingly crowded ETF landscape?

• Which emerging market fintech will replicate Daira’s inclusion success in another under-banked region?

Stay tuned to Fintech Pulse for incisive analysis and op-ed commentary on the stories that move markets—and shape the future of finance.

The post Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief – April 23, 2025 – Synapse, Cathay Innovation, Chemistry, Truth.Fi ETFs, Daira appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.

DUBAI, UAE, April 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Grant Thornton UAE today announced that it has reached an agreement to unite with Grant Thornton Advisors LLC (Grant Thornton Advisors). Through the agreement, Grant Thornton UAE will join the multinational platform that Grant Thornton Advisors initially created earlier this year with Grant Thornton Ireland.

The platform was established with the backing of an investor group led by New Mountain Capital, a growth-oriented investment firm with approximately $55 billion in assets under management.

The platform now has a multinational team of more than 13,000 professionals across more than 50 offices. With this new addition, the platform can now offer broader capabilities to a growing client base and further enhance the talent and quality of its unified advisory and tax services.

CEO of Grant Thornton Advisors, Jim Peko, will continue to lead the platform; Hisham Farouk, CEO, Grant Thornton UAE, will continue to lead his geography.

Along with the addition of Grant Thornton UAE, Grant Thornton (Cayman), and Grant Thornton Luxembourg have also joined the unified organization through separate transactions with Grant Thornton Advisors.

The platform will continue to explore growth opportunities in additional service lines and regions where there is economic alignment, client consistency and industry-service intersection.

“Scaling our offerings and footprint by uniting with Grant Thornton UAE underscores our focus on advancing a combined platform, with multinational experience and exemplary quality,” said Peko.

Hisham Farouk said: “The unification marks an exciting new chapter for Grant Thornton UAE, designed to enhance our capabilities and solidify our position as a leading advisor in a dynamic market.”

“The expansion of our platform with firms that have shared ambitions and complementary talents supports our strategic focus,” said Steve Tennant, Managing Partner, Grant Thornton Ireland, who spearheaded the acquisitions on behalf of Grant Thornton Advisors

“This platform is unlike any other in the accounting and consulting industry — delivering a singular experience and exceptional quality,” said Andre Moura, Managing Director, New Mountain Capital.

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“With nearly six decades in the UAE, becoming part of this multinational platform signifies a crucial advancement in Grant Thornton UAE’s quest for innovation, collaboration, and global influence, charting a new course in our journey,” said Farouk Mohamed, Founder & Chairman, Grant Thornton UAE.

Lumina Capital Advisers Limited served as sole financial adviser to Grant Thornton UAE; Taylor Wessing LLP acted as Grant Thornton UAE’s legal adviser in relation to the transaction.

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