From APIs to Audiences: The Mediafication of FinTechs
Hey FinTech Fanatic!
We all know the famous line: “Every company will be a FinTech company.”
But maybe it’s time for the sequel.
Here’s mine, and mark my words: “Every FinTech company will be a Media company.”
Just look around. Robinhood bought MarketSnacks, MoneyLion acquired MALKA Media, Stripe built its own content ecosystem, and Plaid just picked up This Week in Fintech.
With CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) skyrocketing and the efficiency of traditional social ads cratering, the 'Media-First' approach is a hedge against the algorithm.
Companies are building media arms, buying audiences, and investing in storytelling because attention compounds, trust scales, and distribution wins.
So, what happens when FinTechs become the platforms that cover FinTech?
FinTechs don’t necessarily need to own media… but they do need access to distribution.
At Connecting the Dots in FinTech, we’ve been quietly building that independent distribution layer for a while. And it’s fascinating to see how this trend is unfolding.
So here’s a question for you:
If you were running a FinTech company today, would you build, buy, or partner when it comes to media and distribution?
Let me know your thoughts by replying to this email.
👇Here’s what else is moving in FinTech today. Scroll down to read on.
Cheers,
PODCAST RECOMMENDATION
🎤 The Next Generations of Cards with Pomelo. In this episode of Connecting the Dots in FinTech, Arthur Bedel speaks with Gastón Irigoyen, CEO and Co-founder of Pomelo, about the evolution of card infrastructure and why Latin America is emerging as a key hub for payments innovation, as Pomelo helps companies launch and scale modern card programs across the region. Watch the full podcast here
The Next Generations of Cards with Pomelo
INSIGHTS
🇺🇸 Verified IP Location: Know Where Your Web Traffic is Actually Coming From by Incognia. Incognia introduced Verified IP Location, a solution that provides fraud teams with accurate, real-time location intelligence for web traffic by using observed device data rather than unreliable IP assignment records. Rafael Gouveia explains that the innovation helps detect threats like VPN masking and account takeovers without adding friction for legitimate users.
FINTECH NEWS
🇬🇧 Join us on April 15th with FinTech Fringe Friends for a 5km run and post-run drinks at The Green. RSVP to take part.
🇬🇧 Maven exits AccessPay in a private equity deal, delivering 2.5x return. The deal highlights AccessPay’s growth into a global bank integration provider and underscores the strength of the UK’s regional FinTech ecosystem. Read more
PAYMENTS NEWS
🇭🇰 Checkout.com builds on APAC momentum with 71% TPV growth. Speaking at Thrive Hong Kong, Checkout.com's regional merchant summit, General Manager of APAC, Brian Sze, revealed that net revenue has increased by 50% year-over-year across the region for the third consecutive year.
🇭🇰 Mastercard completes its first live agentic transaction in Hong Kong. The transaction, conducted with HSBC and DBS Hong Kong, demonstrates how AI can help consumers complete everyday tasks securely and seamlessly, from transportation to lifestyle services.
🇺🇾 dLocal marks 10 years by backing Uruguay’s national team, reinforcing its mission to connect global businesses with emerging markets through localised payment solutions. From digital wallets and instant payment networks to mobile money and cash-based rails, dLocal makes it possible for billions of “payers” to participate in the global digital economy on their own terms.
🇸🇬 Thunes joins Swift and Visa as a global cross-border payments leader. By connecting traditional banking rails, mobile wallets, and digital assets through its Direct Global Network, Thunes provides its Members with a single entry point to 12 billion bank accounts, mobile wallets, and stablecoin wallets in 140 countries.
REGTECH NEWS
🇺🇸 Marqeta delivers AI-driven risk decisioning to enhance real-time fraud prevention. With the new integrated capabilities, Marqeta enables its customers to make smarter, data-driven risk assessments to prevent payment fraud and reduce false declines.
DIGITAL BANKING NEWS
🇺🇸 FinTech Monzo shutting down US operations to focus on the UK and Europe. The London-based digital bank will stop onboarding new customers and lay off about 50 employees. Existing customers can continue to use their accounts until June. Keep reading
🇰🇷 Toss Bank posts 96.8 billion won 2025 net profit, doubling from a year earlier. Toss Bank recorded an annual profit for the second consecutive year. The bank also said loans and deposits totalled 1.54 trillion won, while deposit balances stood at 3.01 trillion won. Customer numbers reached 14.23 million, and delinquency and capital ratios improved.
🇵🇪 Revolut obtained a license to operate as a bank in Peru. Revolut will be able to finalise its organisation as a banking entity at the local level and subsequently request an audit that will allow it to formally establish itself as an operating bank. Read more
🇮🇳 slice rolls out UPI-linked credit card to all users. By integrating credit directly into UPI flows, slice is positioning the product to align with the everyday payment behaviour of Indian consumers, characterised by small-ticket, high-frequency transactions.
🇬🇧 Plum’s Cash ISA becomes Flexible. Both existing and new customers will be able to withdraw funds and replace them within the same tax year without affecting their annual £20,000 Cash ISA allowance, soon to be £12,000 from 6 April 2027. Continue reading
BLOCKCHAIN/CRYPTO NEWS
🌍 Krak, the global money app from Kraken, launches up to 2% cashback, its first metal debit card, and an in-app Concierge, redefining global spending and rewards. By aligning rewards with customer balances, Krak delivers a simpler, more transparent, and rewarding experience that grows alongside the customer.
🇺🇸 Crypto exchange KuCoin agrees to $500K settlement, ending CFTC case. The CFTC alleged that KuCoin operated "sham" know-your-customer procedures and did not take enough action to prevent US customers from using the platform, while also charging it with failing to register as a futures commission merchant or foreign board of trade.
🇺🇸 Jack Dorsey’s Square auto-enables bitcoin payments for millions of U.S. businesses. The new rollout converts BTC to dollars by default for small businesses, aiming to embed bitcoin into everyday commerce without added friction. Keep reading
🌍 Hamilton Labs secures investment to expand USD stablecoin in Africa. The company plans to scale USDh through use cases including savings, payments and cross-border settlement, with a focus on embedding the asset within existing financial platforms.
PARTNERSHIPS
🇸🇱 Orange Money launches Mastercard in Sierra Leone with Zenith Bank and Mastercard partnership. The new solution introduces a virtual Mastercard linked directly to Orange Money wallets, allowing customers to make secure online payments, access international digital services, and carry out global transactions using their mobile accounts.
🌍 Veem expands partnership with Visa to launch global virtual accounts for businesses. By leveraging Visa Direct's global money movement network, Veem is launching a new virtual accounts solution that enables businesses to collect, hold, and disburse funds across key geographies, including the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Europe.
DONEDEAL FUNDING NEWS
🇧🇪 Keyrock secures Series C funding from SC Ventures. The funding will be used to strengthen Keyrock’s balance sheet, continue to innovate across its services, and seek new acquisitions. Continue reading
🇺🇸 9fin raises $170M Series C at $1.3B valuation to scale AI platform for debt markets. The funding will accelerate the development of 9fin's AI capabilities, expand its proprietary dataset, and support continued growth in the United States. The company has now raised more than $250 million to date.
🇺🇸 FX payments startup OpenFX raises $94 million amid cross-border stablecoin push. The capital raise comes amid growing interest in using stablecoins to modernise cross-border payments and overcome high costs and transfer delays. Read more
🇮🇳 FinTech Bachatt raises $12 million in Series A round led by Accel. The fresh capital will allow the company to scale its existing savings solution. It plans to build new artificial intelligence (AI)-led wealth and credit solutions for its user base. Keep reading
🇦🇪 PB FinTech invests ₹313.84 million in Genesis Group. This investment aligns with the company’s strategic objective to expand its presence outside India, specifically in the UAE market. Read more
🇺🇸 Cross River raises $50 million to expand further into AI and Crypto. The funding will help accelerate product launches, deepen partnerships and expand internationally, building on growth across payments, capital markets and lending over the past year.
M&A
🇺🇸 REPAY announces agreement to acquire KUBRA. The transaction strengthens two complementary, vertical-leading businesses combining REPAY’s extensive payment expertise and technology platform with KUBRA’s attractive verticals, partnerships, and go-to-market approach.
🇨🇱 Chilean FinTech Blanco closes US$1.7M funding round through the Broota platform to scale its factoring business. The FinTech company, created by former founders of Xepelin, hopes to alleviate a pain point for SMEs across the region, focusing on factoring, but with artificial intelligence as a key ingredient.
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