Latest news headlines: Finextra Research

FCA sets up 'Supercharged Sandbox' for AI experimentation

The UK's Financial Conduct Authority is to set up a 'Supercharged Sandbox' to help firms experiment with innovative AI applications.

09 June 2025

/payments

Worldpay scores new business distribution channel with Santander UK

Santander UK has joined forces with Worldpay to offer e-commerce and POS technology to its business banking and corporate clients.

09 June 2025

/startups

JPMorgan opens Fintech Forward programme in the UK

JPMorgan has opened applications for a new fintech accelerater programme for startups and business founders in the UK.

09 June 2025

/markets

PitchBook: AI disruption rises, VC optimism cools in H1 2025

The latest PitchBook survey finds that venture capital investors are making "strategic adjustments as they navigate geopolitical uncertainty and technological transition."

06 June 2025

/crypto

Keeta, Solo partner on blockchain-native credit bureau

Keeta Network, a high-performance blockchain that connects Web3 and traditional financial systems, aims to be a real-world tokenisation and financial interoperability frontrunner by working with Solo. Solo turns data into reusable, verified credentials, enabling banks, fintech firms and cryptocurrency platforms to make smarter, faster decisions, without compromising privacy.

06 June 2025

/retail

Regulators pull the plug on rogue 'finfluencers'

As described by the UK's FCA, finfluencers are "social media personalities who use their platform to promote financial products and share insights and advice with their followers."

06 June 2025

/payments

Fiserv to acquire AIB Merchant Services

Founded in 2007 as a joint venture between AIB and Fiserv, AIB Merchant Services (AIBMS) is one of Ireland’s largest payment solution providers and one of Europe’s largest e-commerce acquirers, providing businesses with the ability to accept card payments from their customers.

06 June 2025

/retail

LHV survey: Digital banks should pass savings from not operating physical branches to consumers

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, new research from LHV Bank reveals that 46% of UK adults are struggling to save regularly, despite reported income increases for nearly a third of the population.

06 June 2025

/markets

Circle shares soar on Nyse debut

Shares in stablecoin issuer Circle soared by more than 150% on its New York Stock Exchange debut.

06 June 2025

/ai

Meta taps Klarna for 'Play Now, Pay Later' headset offer

Meta has teamed up with BNPL firm Klarna to launch a 'Play Now, Pay Later' bundle for its mixed reality headsets in the UK.

06 June 2025

/ai

Bank of England tests AI to spot real-time payment fraud

A project by the Bank of England and the London BIS Innovation Hub to use AI to spot unfolding and novel financial crime patterns in real-time retail payment systems showed promise but threw up a number of limitations to its efficacy.

06 June 2025

/markets

Money 20/20: A spotlight on the fintech reopening access to African markets

At the start of Covid, large Fortune 500 companies began to leave the African financial markets, citing too much illiquidity and uncertainty. One Ireland-based startup, featured on this year’s Money 20/20 ‘Startup Spotlight’ session, built a solution.

05 June 2025