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Is Kazakhstan The Next Hot Spot for Fintech?

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Over the past years, venture capital (VC) funding in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) has increased substantially, growing by more than fivefold between 2018 and 2023, a new report produced by RISE Research in cooperation with EA Group and BGlobal Ventures, as well as Crunchbase, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, and KPMG Caucasus and Central Asia, says. Across the region, fintech has risen to prominence, becoming one of CCA’s investors preferred investment targets.

The “Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023” report, released in March 2024, provides an overview of the VC landscape across the CCA region, outlining emerging trends and favored sectors in 2023.

According to the report, VC funding in CCA reached US$110 million in 2023, up by 450% from a mere US$20 million in 2018. This growth has been driven by the region’s expanding startup ecosystem, which saw its number of tech startups grow sixfold while the number of active VC investors in the region increased by nearly threefold during the period, data from the report show.

The VC ecosystem in the CCA region over the past five years, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

The VC ecosystem in the CCA region over the past five years, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

Fintech Kazakhstan on the Rise

In 2023, fintech emerged as one of the most prominent sectors in the region. Though the report doesn’t share specific amounts, data show that fintech was the top startup sector in most of the countries across the region, and most particularly in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two of CCA’s largest VC markets.

In 2023, Kazakhstan secured US$80 million in VC funding, accounting for nearly 73% of all VC funding in CCA. Of that amount, about 40% was raised by fintech startups, making the segment the favorite of investors in the country.

VC deals in Kazakhstan by sectors, 2023, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

VC deals in Kazakhstan by sectors, 2023, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

Fintech Among Investor’s Favourite in Central Asia

A similar trend was observed in Uzbekistan where fintech startups secured a total of US$2.75 million through 12 deals in 2022 and 2023, making fintech the most prevalent among sectors in the domestic startup scene.

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Uzbek startups secured a total of US$6.3 million in VC funding in 2023, a sum that makes Uzbekistan the third biggest market in CCA in terms of VC funding.

Uzbek VC deals by sectors, 2022-2023, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

Uzbek VC deals by sectors, 2022-2023, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

Fintech was also the preferred investment target in Tajikistan where the sector secured much of the US$3.1 million VC funding raised by the country’s tech startups in 2022 and 2023. Zypl.ai, an early-stage startup that develops a credit scoring tool powered by artificial intelligence, accounted for nearly all of disclosed VC investments in Tajikistan in 2022 and 2023, raising US$1.1 million in a pre-seed round in September 2022, and US$2 million in December 2023, the data show.

Tajikistani VC funding in 2022 and 2023, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

Tajikistani VC funding in 2022 and 2023, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

Georgia, the second largest VC market in CCA, also recorded strong interest in fintech last year, with some of the country’s biggest rounds being secured by companies in the sector. Pave Bank, a new digital bank, raised US$5.2 million in December 2023; Hexacore, a blockchain and Web 3.0 publisher, secured US$3.5 million in seed funding in August 2023; and CityPay.io, a digital currency payment solution, raised US$2 million in August 2023.

Together these four rounds secured US$10.7 million, representing nearly half of what was raised in Georgia last year.

Georgian VC funding in 2022 and 2023, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

Georgian VC funding in 2022 and 2023, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

VC funding in Caucasus and Central Asia

Data from the report reveal that Kazakhstan currently stands as the biggest market for VC funding in CCA and the most developed startup ecosystem. Since 2018, the country’s VC market has increased considerably, growing by 6.6 times to US$80 million in 2023. Meanwhile, average deal size grew 3.8 times to amount to US$1 million in 2023, an indication of the maturing of the Kazakh startup ecosystem.

However, the Kazakh tech startup ecosystem remains nascent with the bulk of 2023’s VC deals being pre-Seed (52%) and Seed (38%) rounds. Series A and B rounds accounted for 10% of the total number of deals in 2023 and Series C rounds were non-existent.

Kazakhstan VC volume, 2018 - 2023, US$ million, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

Kazakhstan VC volume, 2018 – 2023, US$ million, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024

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The relatively low levels of investments in CCA imply that plenty opportunities still exist for investors alike.

A survey of more than 100 startups in the region and insights drawn from interviews with over 30 markets leaders reveal that industry participants are bullish on the growth prospect of VC funding in CCA.

40% of the investors polled expect significant growth in VC investment in 2024. This growth will be driven by the launch of new venture funds and the emergence of new business angels, with 60% of respondents expecting the investor pool in the region to grow significantly in 2024.

Investors cited fintech as the most promising sector for VC investments in CCA in the near future (30%), followed by e-commerce (15%), agrotech (15%) and medtech (10%).

Results of the CCA survey, Source: Venture Capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus 2023, Mar 2024
Source: fintechnews.sg

The post Is Kazakhstan The Next Hot Spot for Fintech? appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

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Fintech

Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief (Pennant Technologies, MogoPlus, Stash, Kennel Connection, RedRover)

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As the fintech world evolves, emerging technologies, strategic collaborations, and industry shifts continue to shape the financial landscape. Today’s briefing covers the intensifying AI race between fintechs and banks, transformative partnerships, executive changes, and industry-wide innovations, highlighting the crucial role of fintech in reshaping the future of finance.

The AI Race: Fintechs vs. Traditional Banks

The competition between fintech firms and traditional banks to dominate AI integration is heating up. Fintech companies are leveraging AI to enhance customer experience and streamline operations, whereas banks are adopting AI cautiously, balancing innovation with regulatory compliance. The dynamic is reshaping customer expectations, with fintechs pushing the envelope in personalization, risk assessment, and fraud prevention. Traditional institutions are adopting fintech-style agility to stay competitive.

Source: Yahoo Finance, Fintech Futures, Cointelegraph


Collaborations for Enhanced Services

Pennant Technologies and MogoPlus have joined forces in Australia to revolutionize the lending process. By integrating their technologies, they aim to streamline the value chain in lending, offering enhanced speed and efficiency to both institutions and borrowers. This partnership reflects a growing trend of fintechs collaborating to offer comprehensive solutions, expanding their reach and impact within traditional financial sectors.

Source: Fintech Futures


Leadership Shifts and Layoffs: Stash’s Turbulent Turn

Stash, a major player in the fintech space, is undergoing significant leadership changes and layoffs amidst acquisition speculations. The fintech industry is experiencing a wave of strategic realignments, with several firms reevaluating their business models in response to market pressures and investor demands. This reflects broader industry concerns about sustainability and scaling in a competitive, innovation-driven market.

Source: Fortune


Fintech Meets Pet Care: A Unique Philanthropic Move

Kennel Connection has made waves by contributing $5,000 to RedRover on Giving Tuesday, an amount doubled through impact matching. This innovative use of fintech in pet care philanthropy highlights how financial technology can facilitate social impact, offering seamless donation solutions and promoting corporate responsibility in niche markets.

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Source: PR Newswire

 

The post Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief (Pennant Technologies, MogoPlus, Stash, Kennel Connection, RedRover) appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.

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Fintech

Revolutionizing Rewards: How ZBD and Finfare Connect Are Bringing Bitcoin to Everyday Spending

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ZBD, a pioneer in merging gaming and payments through Bitcoin rewards, is taking a bold step beyond gaming with its new partnership with Finfare Connect. By offering instant Bitcoin cashback for everyday purchases at major retailers like Nike, Adidas, and Best Buy, ZBD is transforming how users engage with rewards. In this interview, Ben Cousens, CSO of ZBD, shares insights on the partnership, its impact on user loyalty, and how it’s shaping the future of Bitcoin adoption through seamless, real-world applications.

Q: ZBD has been a key player in merging gaming and payments through Bitcoin rewards. How does this new partnership with Finfare Connect enhance ZBD’s existing offerings, and what excites you most about giving users more ways to earn Bitcoin through everyday purchases?

Ben: The ZBD app has been used by millions of players to earn rewards instantly within games; a process made possible through our payments system.  We’re constantly looking to provide new ways for users to earn rewards within the ZBD app, building upon the credibility and growth we’ve seen in the games industry. Our partnership with Finfare provides instant cashback through the ZBD app to customers in the USA, as they shop at brands and retailers like Nike, Adidas, and BestBuy. What’s exciting to me is we get to flex the power of our payment system even more – instant payments with no minimums are an amazing cashback mechanic.

Q: With the ability for ZBD users to link payment cards and accounts to earn Bitcoin rewards from brands like Nike, Adidas, and Best Buy, how do you see this partnership impacting user engagement and loyalty within your platform?

Ben: I see audiences behaving in two ways. The first are users who may come to the shopping section of the app often to check available deals, and purchase accordingly to take advantage of the discounts offered.

At the same time, other users will just link their accounts, shop as they normally would, and automatically receive rewards in the ZBD app without even thinking about it. I actually find this second segment more exciting, as it just seems such a seamless and, from a payments point of view, pretty futuristic solution.

We are doing this to provide a valuable service and delight our users. If we can succeed in that, which so far seems to be the case, then engagement and loyalty will increase. It’s about fulfilling the promise of being the best place for rewards with real value, paid out instantly and available for people to use instantly.

Q: ZBD is known for integrating Bitcoin rewards with gaming and social experiences. How do you envision this partnership with Finfare Connect helping ZBD extend its appeal beyond gaming and into more mainstream shopping and daily transactions?

Ben: Providing more use cases outside of gaming fits with our ethos of being a tech-first company focused on revolutionizing online payments. Once payment accounts are linked to Finfare, ZBD seamlessly provides cashback with no input required from the user. This perfectly aligns with why users come to ZBD – we are using payments to make digital experiences more rewarding.

We believe the partnership allows us to bring our users a feature they will love, but it might also bring a different type of user to ZBD: one that comes primarily for the shopping aspects and sees the gaming and entertainment features as less important. This is something the market will show us and we’ll adapt based on the users and usage we see, but it’s certainly exciting.

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Q: The collaboration with Finfare Connect seems to make Bitcoin rewards more accessible for everyday users. How important is this accessibility to ZBD’s strategy, and how do you see it contributing to broader Bitcoin adoption in the long term?

Ben: ZBD is a payments company that plays heavily in the rewards space and the way we revolutionize payments is by using the Bitcoin lightning network as our underlying rail. This isn’t about pushing Bitcoin or making users aware of it, though I won’t lie, it can make user acquisition easier. It’s about laying groundwork and building out meaningful steps forward in online payment experiences, starting with rewards, and then going beyond.

It’s always our goal to make everything we do accessible to everyday users with no Bitcoin knowledge. We want the experience to be simpler, more seamless and faster than any other type of financial technology. The majority of our users are new to Bitcoin and find us through games. Our goal is to educate them a bit, but mostly to just give them products they can use intuitively and get value from even if they aren’t at all interested in Bitcoin. Now, we’re bringing this approach to shopping rewards.

Bitcoin adoption will happen if Bitcoin is used by a wide range of people as part of their everyday lives. Bitcoin will be used if it is useful, simple and solves a problem. So we aren’t ever thinking about Bitcoin adoption. We’re just doing what we do the best we can and adoption will take care of itself.

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Fintech

Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief (Axos Bank, Global Trading Network, Fonepay, Compass Plus Technologies, Instacoins)

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Axos Bank Partners with Way.com to Address Rising Car Costs

Axos Bank has teamed up with Way.com to help customers mitigate increasing car expenses. This partnership focuses on vehicle refinancing and aims to offer savings through integrated digital solutions. By combining Way.com’s auto services with Axos’ financial products, users can streamline their vehicle-related expenses, from insurance to payments. This move reflects Axos’ strategy to enhance its consumer offerings by leveraging partnerships in niche sectors.

Source: Axos Bank.

Brazil’s Largest Drug Gang Under Investigation for Fintech Infiltration

Brazilian authorities are probing the country’s largest drug gang for using fintech platforms to launder money. This investigation highlights concerns over the growing use of digital financial tools by organized crime. The gang allegedly exploited fintech’s lack of stringent oversight compared to traditional banking, raising red flags about regulatory gaps in the digital financial landscape.

Source: Bloomberg.

GTN Appoints New CEO to Drive European Expansion

Global Trading Network (GTN) has appointed Christopher Gregory as CEO for Europe, marking a pivotal step in its strategic expansion across the continent. Gregory, known for his expertise in fintech and capital markets, is expected to lead GTN’s efforts in diversifying its product offerings and enhancing its market presence. This leadership shift underscores GTN’s commitment to capitalizing on Europe’s burgeoning fintech market.

Source: PR Newswire.

Fonepay and Compass Plus Launch Nepal’s First Virtual Credit Card

Nepal’s digital payments ecosystem takes a leap forward with Fonepay partnering with Compass Plus Technologies to introduce the nation’s first virtual credit card. This innovation aims to promote cashless transactions and enhance financial inclusion by offering secure, contactless payment options. This development aligns with Nepal’s digital transformation goals and is set to redefine consumer payment experiences in the region.

Source: Fintech Futures.

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Instacoins Partners with Luxury Brands for Digital Payments

Instacoins is expanding its footprint in the luxury market by partnering with high-end brands to enable cryptocurrency payments. This initiative is designed to offer affluent customers a seamless digital payment option, blending traditional luxury shopping with modern fintech solutions. The partnership also reflects the increasing adoption of cryptocurrency in mainstream commerce.

Source: PR Newswire.

The post Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief (Axos Bank, Global Trading Network, Fonepay, Compass Plus Technologies, Instacoins) appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.

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