SpaceX is now valued at over $2 trillion after its stock rallied on the first day of trade.

Flying private is no longer reserved for rock stars and Fortune 500 executives. Across Australia, private jet charter has become a practical, increasingly accessible option for business travellers, families, sports teams, and anyone who values time, comfort, and flexibility above all else. If you have never chartered a private jet before, the…Read the full article on TechBullion.

After a public listing last year, eToro (Nasdaq: ETOR) is now considering multiple acquisitions in the wealth-tech space, its co-founder and CEO, Yoni Assia, confirmed. It is already in talks with two firms, one in the United States and the other elsewhere, and is working with investment bankers to seal the deals.The company also confirmed to Finance Magnates that it is considering several potential deals. However, it did not share any specifics, saying "it's too early."“We Have a Number of Potential Deals”“We are very acquisitive — it is part of the reason why we listed,” Assia told the Financial Times. “We have a number of potential deals we are looking at, including businesses that would help us grow our wealth offering. We remain committed to growing our global footprint, including expanding in the US market.”However, he did not elaborate on the size of these acquisitions.Read more: eToro Assets Reclaim $20 Billion in May as Crypto Trading Keeps SlidingAnother area where the Nasdaq-listed broker is considering expanding is traditional payments. It could now also apply for banking licences. Revolut and Brazilian giant Nubank are among other fintechs to apply for banking charters.“The key is diversification into more payment services,” Assia continued, “and that could see us consider applying for banking licences in the future, or buying a bank.”He, however, stressed that eToro's focus would be more on payments than on lending. The move would also help the firm hedge against asset movements.Positioning as a Broad FintecheToro currently offers trading with a massive portfolio of assets, including stocks, cryptocurrencies and contracts for differences (CFDs). The company, meanwhile, is positioning itself as a fintech with a multi-asset offering rather than just another broker.In the first three months of 2026, the company generated a net income of $82 million on revenue of $258 million. Although commodities trading accounted for about 60 per cent of trading commissions, with volumes nearly quadrupling year over year, crypto volume on the platform declined.Founded in 2007, eToro has also completed half a dozen acquisitions. Most of its acquisitions were before its public listing, with only the purchase of Zengo, a self-custodial crypto wallet provider, taking place earlier this year.“There is going to be a big wave of consolidation,” Assia said. “Not all businesses will be able to exist as independent public businesses.” This article was written by Arnab Shome at www.financemagnates.com.

Qorelo, an AI startup focused on enterprise resource planning (ERP) transformations, has raised $3.5 million in seed funding just five months after launching. The round was co-led by HPI Ventures and Caesar Ventures, with participation from 10x Founders, Antler, Adesso Ventures, and Angel Invest. Founded in late 2025, Qorelo has built an AI-powered intelligence layer designed to automate and simplify ERP upgrade and migration projects based on SAP software. The platform focuses on reducing the complexity of large-scale enterprise transformations by automating functional delivery workstreams, helping organisations complete projects more efficiently and with fewer resource constraints. The company is targeting a growing challenge facing SAP customers worldwide. As businesses prepare to migrate to SAP S/4HANA before the 2027 deadline, demand for specialised delivery expertise is increasing, placing further strain on already complex and costly ERP modernisation projects. Qorelo aims to address this bottleneck by automating parts of the ERP delivery process, which it says can reduce project timelines by up to 45 per cent. The platform also serves as a continuous system of record for ERP delivery, helping organisations maintain operational data that is ready for future AI applications and ongoing optimisation. Nicholas Torabi, co-founder of Qorelo, said: Large enterprises are facing an unprecedented race against time to modernise their digital backbones before the 2027 deadline, but the industry simply lacks the human delivery capacity to make it happen. At Qorelo, we have built an elegant solution that automates the repetitive functional workstreams of these massive transformations. The company is already working with enterprise customers in the DACH region, including a major German automotive company that is using the platform for its SAP transformation programme and subsequent operational processes. The new funding will be used to accelerate product development and expand the company's team across engineering, SAP expertise, and enterprise sales as it looks to capture growing demand for ERP transformation solutions.

This week’s edition of Finovate Global features recent fintech developments from Egypt. MNT-Halan Achieves $1.4 Billion Valuation with Latest Investment An investment from Al Ahly Capital, the investment arm of the National Bank of Egypt, has boosted the valuation of Egyptian fintech MNT-Halan to $1.4 billion. The investment represents the first closing of a new round for the firm; a second closing is expected as part of the ongoing funding. Reports indicate that the company has received an initial infusion of $30 million out of what will be a $70 million-plus funding round. In any event, MNT-Halan noted that the capital will help the company expand its operations in Egypt, as well as support growth in the region. Currently operating in Egypt, Turkey, and the UAE, as well as in Pakistan, where it owns a bank that serves micro and small businesses, MNT-Halan offers a range of digital financial services including both consumer and business lending, payments, e-wallets, savings, investments, and e-commerce tools. The company achieved unicorn status in 2023, becoming the first Egyptian fintech to earn a valuation above $1 billion. “While we have partnered with more than 30 Egyptian banks and financial institutions, this is the first time a commercial bank has become an equity partner in our journey, making this a particularly important milestone for us,” MNT-Halan Founder and Chairman Mounir Nakhla said. “Together, we will redefine access to financial services for small and micro businesses, as well as people living in remote towns and villages across Egypt who have historically been underserved.” Headquartered in Giza, MNT-Halan has more than 1.5 million quarterly active users. The firm has disbursed more than $15.5 billion in loans and served more than eight million customers globally since its founding in 2018. Telda and Mastercard Team Up on New Integrated Payments Offering A partnership between Mastercard and Cairo-based financial brand Telda will bring a new integrated financial services solution to consumers in Egypt. The new offering will seamlessly connect everyday payments and investment wallets within the Telda app for an experience that is inclusive, accessible, and integrated. “By embedding Mastercard’s digital capabilities within Telda’s platform, we are creating a seamless bridge between everyday payments and investment opportunities, empowering users to manage, grow, and access their wealth instantly,” Mastercard Country Manager for Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria Mohamed Assem said. “Together, we are redefining financial inclusion and supporting Egypt’s vision for a fully digital, unified financial ecosystem.” Designed for Millennials and GenZ consumers, Telda offers an app that enables users to send and request money as easily as sending a text message. The company’s Telda Mastercard can be used online or in-store, as well as to withdraw cash from any ATM worldwide. Telda offers instant payment notifications to keep users apprised of transactions, and spend categorization functionality to help users understand their spending habits better. “Telda was founded with a bold vision to redefine the financial services experience,” Telda CEO Ahmed Sabbah said. “Today, the integration of daily payments and the investment wallet within a single app through our collaboration with Mastercard marks a significant leap forward, giving individuals immediate control over their money.” Blnk Secures $37 Million in Funding Egyptian Buy Now, Pay Later outfit Blnk has raised $37 million in combined debt and equity. The equity component, led by Algebra Ventures and featuring participation from SANAD Fund for MSME, Endeavor Catalyst, and Emirates International Investment Company, amounted to $12.5 million. Debt facilities from local banks, totaling $24.6 million, completed the round. “This new round of funding positions us to strengthen our profitability—expanding our reach, diversifying our offerings and doubling down on our commitment to unlocking financial access for millions of consumers in Egypt and beyond,” Blnk Co-founder and CEO Amr Sultan said. Blnk offers inclusive financing programs for all Egyptians, less than 4% of whom have access to credit cards. This means that many Egyptians can only afford to buy products with cash or after borrowing money from hard money lenders at high interest rates. In response to this, Blnk’s point-of-sale financing options offer instant approvals in minutes and allow borrowers to apply with just their National ID and mobile phone number at the stores they are already shopping at. “Since our seed round in 2022,” the company noted on its LinkedIn page earlier this week, “Blnk has grown to serve more than one million customers, built a loan portfolio exceeding EGP 1 billion, and reached profitability in 2025. Today, 75% of our customers were previously unbanked or underserved, while more than 35% are women.” Blnk’s approach to financial risk assessment relies on dynamic, data-driven risk maps. The company’s proprietary AI analyzes hyper-local variables to identify patterns that guide precise credit decisioning. Blnk also leverages specialized machine learning models to provide real-time, precise Probability of Default (PD) predictions which support instant credit decisions with risk-based pricing. Founded in 2020, Blnk is headquartered in Giza. Here is our look at fintech innovation around the world. Latin America and the Caribbean Montevideo, Uruguay-based cross-border payment company Bamboo teamed up with Swedish payment network Centiglobe to streamline cross-border B2B and B2C payments throughout Latin America. Mexican fintech Clip unveiled its digital wallet ecosystem Mi Clip. The Fintech Times looked at the current fintech landscape in Costa Rica. Asia-Pacific Singapore-based payments and treasury management platform Sunrate introduced Sunrate.AI, a new category of AI-native global payment infrastructure for complex enterprise workflows. Three Japanese banks—MUFC, Mizuho, and Sumitomo Mitsui Bank—announced plans to issue a Yen-backed stablecoin in 2026. XTransfer, a cross-border financial and risk management service company based in Shanghai, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Societe Generale. Sub-Saharan Africa South Africa-based payments service provider (PSP) Kwik Payments has gone live on the ACI Payments Orchestration Platform. MTN Group Fintech, the fintech arm of African telecom MTN Group, announced a strategic partnership with Ant International to enhance mobile money services. A new proposal from Kenya’s legislature, Finance Bill 2026, could bring additional tax reporting and compliance requirements for virtual asset providers and digital payment platforms. Central and Eastern Europe Estonian white-label banking platform Wallester has been granted a license from the FCA to enable the firm to expand to the UK. Lloyds Banking Group secured approval from the Bank of Lithuania to acquire electronic money institution Curve Europe. The Fintech Latvia Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK’s Innovate Finance to foster knowledge exchange and joint business initiatives. Middle East and Northern Africa Securities finance technology company EquiLend partnered with Saudi Arabia’s alrajhi capital. The Times of Israel looked into reports that Canadian paytech Nuvei is considering a $2.7 billion acquisition of Israel-based Payoneer. Abu Dhabi-based Deem Finance formed a strategic partnership with embedded finance firm Yusr. Central and Southern Asia India’s PhonePe launched SmartPages, an AI-powered payment page creator. Crowdfund Insider looked at the importance of regulatory clarity in supporting fintech innovation in Pakistan. US-based P2P payments service Zelle announced plans to expand to India. Photo by Roaming Pictures on Unsplash The post Finovate Global Egypt: Investing in Unicorns and Point of Sale Financing Startups appeared first on Finovate.       

Behind the glow of a Telegram chat window, a victim lured by a fake job offer and trafficked into a Southeast Asian scam compound is coerced under violence, running romance scams against strangers half a world away. The wallet collecting the proceeds lies on a public blockchain, and this is just one of the many Southeast Asia crypto scams happening today. This is also one of the uncomfortable intersections Chainalysis maps out in its 2026 Crypto Crime Report. Its data indicates that cryptocurrency flows to suspected human trafficking services reached hundreds of millions of dollars in 2025, an 85% YoY growth. The growth is tracked to the expansion of Southeast Asia’s illicit ecosystem. It’s the very region where scam compounds, online casinos and gambling sites, and Chinese-language money-laundering and guarantee networks, operating primarily over Telegram, feed off each other in an accelerating regional underworld with global reach. A Human-Trafficking/Crypto Trade That Runs Like a Business Chainalysis tracked four categories of suspected cryptocurrency-facilitated trafficking: Telegram-based “international escort” services suspected of trafficking in people, “labour placement” agents that facilitate kidnapping and forced labour for scam compounds, suspected exploitative prostitution networks, and vendors of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Source: Chainalysis Escort and Prostitution Networks Run Almost Entirely on Stablecoins Nearly half (48.8%) of transfers linked to “international escort” services exceeded US$10,000, a concentration the report says points to organised criminal enterprises operating at scale. “International escort” services and prostitution networks operated on an almost exclusive level via stablecoins. This seemed to suggest that they emphasised payment stability and ease of conversion over the risks of these assets being frozen by centralised issuers. Services were found to be closely tied to Chinese-language money laundering networks, which rapidly enable the conversion of USD stablecoins into local currencies. In doing so, these entities potentially blunt the risk that assets held in stablecoins might be frozen, the report indicated. Scam Compound Recruitment Leaves a Traceable Trail “Labour placement” agent scam operations, especially pig butchering schemes, are deeply intertwined with human trafficking. Victims are lured with fraudulent job offers, then trafficked to scam compounds across Southeast Asia, where they are forced to run romance and investment scams under the threat of violence. Blockchain analysis reveals that recruitment payments typically fall between $1,000 and $10,000, consistent with advertised pricing tiers. This creates identifiable transaction patterns that can be used to detect suspicious activity at scale. These agents also spread their presence across multiple guarantee platforms to maximise reach, with some operating through mainstream cryptocurrency exchanges. CSAM Vendors Turn to Monero and Instant Exchangers Child sexual abuse material vendors, meanwhile, had a tendency to collect payments in mainstream cryptocurrencies. Chainalysis observed that they started using Monero more to launder their proceeds. Instant exchangers, services that allow fast, anonymous crypto swaps with no KYC checks, became a key tool in this process. SEA Trafficking Networks Go Global on Cryptocurrency In 2025, mapping where “international escort” services operate shows that Southeast Asian services, particularly those run in the Chinese language, have expanded worldwide by using cryptocurrency. Based on Chainalysis’ data, Chinese-language services operating across mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and several Southeast Asian countries have built advanced payment systems and a wide international presence. Source: Chainalysis Large-scale cryptocurrency transactions come in from countries like Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Australia. The wide range of countries involved suggests these networks have built the infrastructure needed to operate on a global scale.” As blockchain technology is transparent by nature, this makes it a useful tool for detecting and stopping these activities. Compliance teams and law enforcement can watch for certain warning signs for Southeast Asia crypto scams, such as high-volume transactions through guarantee platforms, wallet clusters linked to multiple types of illicit services, recurring patterns of converting funds to stablecoins, and connections to Telegram channels used for recruitment. Featured image edited by Fintech News Singapore based on an image by kues1 on Magnific The post Crypto Flows to Suspected Human Trafficking Surge 85% YoY, Chainalysis finds appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

Europe leads the world in cross-border payment interoperability as overarching regulations create coordinated governance frameworks that enable the implementation of unified policies across the region and allow for consistent improvements, according to new research by Thunes. However, success remains largely insular, with inefficiencies emerging when transactions extend beyond the EU. These findings come from the newly released Thunes Cross-Border Payments Interoperability Index, which uses proprietary survey data and established benchmarks, including the World Bank Global Findex Database 2025 and World Bank remittance cost data, to evaluate 50 markets. The index ranks these jurisdictions by overall score across five pillars: Economic Health, which assesses a country’s macroeconomic environment, as well as the human and social experiences of living within it; Digital Infrastructure, which measures how connected citizens are to the Internet and digital payment penetration; Financial Inclusion, which tracks wealth inequality, access to bank branches, and account penetration; Cross-Border Connectivity, which measures factors such as the cost of sending and receiving remittances, the use of instant payments, and and overall cross-border payment market development; and Market Dynamics and Progress, which measures the progress of various regulatory and government mandates to improve the money transfer market. Eight European countries rank among the world’s top 10 countries in the 2026 Thunes Cross-Border Payments Interoperability Index, powered by the integrated Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) network. SEPA processes cross-border euro transfers within 10 seconds across more than 40 participating countries. Denmark ranks first globally with a score of 8.8, leading across Financial Inclusion (9.5), Digital Infrastructure (9.5), and Economic Health (8.8). Denmark boasts an advanced domestic payment infrastructure, strong integration with European payment systems, and regional cooperation across the Nordics. Organizations such as the Nordic Payments Council, and initiatives like Vipps MobilePay exemplify this collaboration. Vipps MobilePay is a digital payment company owned by a consortium of Norwegian banks and Danske Bank from Denmark that provides a payment platform, enabling consumers and merchants to make seamless, near-instant payments, including cross-border transactions, across Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. Norway ranks third globally with an overall score of 8.2, leading in Cross-Border Friction (9.2) and excelling in Economic Health (8.5). Norway is followed by Spain, the Netherlands, and Sweden at 8 each. Switzerland places eighth with a score of 7.7, performing notably well in Cross-Border Friction (8.3) and Financial Inclusion (8.2). The Thunes Payments Interoperability Index 2026, Source: Thunes and Juniper, Jun 2026 While Europe dominates the top 10 in the 2026 Thunes Cross-Border Payments Interoperability Index this friction-free experience with SEPA remains largely insular to the Eurozone. When transactions extend beyond the European Union (EU), interoperability often breaks down. According to 2024 research by the World Bank, it costs a business approximately 12 times more to transfer EUR 5,000 and 15 times more to transfer EUR 20,000 from the EU to the Western Balkans than among the EU countries. This creates a two-tier system where users experience instant, cheap payments domestically and regionally, but face inefficiencies and high costs when moving money internationally. Emerging markets redefine financial inclusion Beyond SEPA-driven interoperability, the Thunes report also emphasizes how emerging markets with low bank penetration are leveraging mobile and Internet adoption to introduce innovative solutions like mobile money accounts and regionally tailored digital wallets, allowing users to transact seamlessly without relying on legacy banking systems. Markets like Brazil and India exemplify this shift. These markets are not constrained by legacy payment infrastructure, allowing them to leapfrog countries with entrenched payment networks by building modern, real-time payment ecosystems from the ground up. A study conducted by Juniper Research in April 2026 as part of the Thunes report polled more than 6,700 respondents across ten markets across the world. It found that Brazil has one of the highest usages of bank transfers across the surveyed countries, second only to India. Notably, 59% of those in Brazil use bank transfers daily or weekly. This success in A2A payments in Brazil is attributable to the launch of Pix by Banco Central do Brasil (BCB) in 2020. Pix is a real-time payments system offered by almost every financial institution and fintech in the country, allowing users to transfer money instantly using Pix keys, or QR codes at checkout, eliminating the need for card detail entry and card fees. According to BCB’s Deputy Governor for Licensing and Resolution, Renato Dias de Brito Gomes, about 170 million people use Pix in Brazil, or nearly every adult. The platform has reached more than 20 million businesses using the service. Similarly, India operates its own real-time payment system. Launched in 2016, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) facilitates inter-bank peer-to-peer (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions. UPI is widely popular across the country, processing more than US$300 billion monthly, and leading retail payments by accounting for 85.5% of all digital transactions. The UPI ecosystem spans nearly 700 banks and serves 491 million individuals and 65 million merchants, making it one of the world’s largest real-time payment systems in terms of volume. Despite their domestic innovations, both Brazil and India face challenges in cross-border connectivity. In the 2026 Thunes Cross-Border Payments Interoperability Index, Brazil ranks 24th and India ranks 30th. ASEAN economies are also highlighted for their cross-border payment interoperability efforts. These economies are at the forefront of multiple cross-border fast payment system linkages, with Singapore being a particular forerunner. The Monetary Authority of Singapore has been involved with multiple bilateral linkages, allowing users in Singapore to transfer funds directly to the bank account or digital wallet of another user in a different jurisdiction, using just a mobile number or QR code. For example, Singapore’s PayNow system links with India’s UPI, Indonesia’s and the Philippines’ respective QR payments systems, Malaysia’s DuitNow network, and Thailand’s PromptPay system. This is in addition to its involvement in Project Nexus, an initiative led by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) that aims to develop a standardized and multilateral network to accommodate the different instant payment systems around the world and enable instant cross-border payments. Globally, Singapore ranks second in the 2026 Thunes Cross-Border Payments Interoperability Index, scoring a perfect 10 score on Market Dynamics and Progress, alongside Brazil. These two jurisdictions are recognized for launching new payment rails, and spearheaded multilateral payment linkage projects. Cross-border initiatives in ASEAN countries, Source: Thunes and Juniper, Jun 2026   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by arslantanoli via Magnific The post Denmark and Singapore Top the 2026 Global Ranking for Cross‑Border Payment Interoperability appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Fintech users often contact support when payments or connections fail. Plaid Link now offers an AI tool to address these problems right away. The Fin AI Agent steps in to guide users through fixes. Table of Contents Key Facts Simple Breakdown Why This Matters What's Next Key Facts The Fin AI Agent is now part of Plaid Link. It helps when users report issues with connections or payments. Most support questions involve things not working as expected. The tool aims to speed up responses for fintech customers. Plaid focuses on open banking links between banks and apps. Simple Breakdown Plaid Link lets apps connect to bank accounts safely. This is key for open banking and Digital Payments. The new AI agent acts like a smart helper. It answers questions about errors or failed links. Users get quick tips without waiting for a person. The system spots common problems in real time. Why This Matters Support teams handle many calls about broken links or payment fails. This AI tool cuts wait times for answers. It lets human staff focus on hard cases. Fintech apps can keep users happy with faster help. Better support builds trust in digital payments and embedded finance tools. What's Next More fintech firms may add similar AI helpers soon. The tool could grow to cover more payment types. Users might see even quicker fixes as the AI learns. Watch for updates in open banking services over the coming months. ⚡ Key Takeaways Plaid Link now has an AI agent for support tasks. The tool targets common issues like failed connections. It reduces time spent on basic support questions. Fintech users gain faster help with payments. The change supports open banking and digital finance. Teams can handle more complex problems with AI aid. Expect similar tools in other payment platforms. FAQ What does the Fin AI Agent do in Plaid Link? It helps users fix issues like failed bank links or payment errors. Why add AI to fintech support? AI handles simple questions fast so staff can focus on tough cases. Is this change only for US users? The update applies to Plaid Link users in supported regions. How soon can users try the AI agent? It is now live in Plaid Link for immediate access. Conclusion The Fin AI Agent marks a step toward quicker help in payments. Fintech firms will likely build on this idea. Users should see smoother experiences ahead. Sources Finextra (2026-06-04)

A new era is on the way for Apple as Tim Cook plans to step down from his CEO role in September, handing the reins to hardware chief John Ternus.   Ternus may be inheriting one of the most durable businesses in tech, but he’s also stepping into a very different ecosystem than the one Cook spent decades shaping. The App […]