# Fintech Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Fintech", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

Cross-Border Payment Giant Wise Lands on NASDAQ

Fintech company Wise has successfully listed its A-class shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker "WSE," while maintaining its secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange. This move, more of a primary listing transfer to the US than a traditional IPO, reflects Wise's strategic shift to be closer to a key growth market, attract a broader investor base, and support its business evolution. Founded in London by two Estonians to solve personal pain points with costly and opaque international bank transfers, Wise initially grew as TransferWise by offering faster, cheaper, and more transparent currency exchange and cross-border payments. It has since expanded beyond a simple transfer tool into a comprehensive global financial services platform, offering multi-currency accounts, business services, debit cards, and the Wise Platform, which provides its infrastructure to banks and other institutions. Wise's latest fiscal year data highlights its scale: $243 billion in cross-border transaction volume, $39 billion in customer balances, and nearly 19 million customers. The company continues to emphasize its low average fee of 0.52% and fast transaction speeds, with 75% of payments arriving within 20 seconds. The Nasdaq listing aligns with Wise's ambitions in the US market, where it aims to grow its consumer and business user base and, critically, deepen partnerships with American banks through Wise Platform. To further strengthen its US operations, Wise is reportedly seeking a national trust bank charter and a Federal Reserve master account to gain more direct control over USD payment flows. The transition also involved corporate governance discussions, as the move was approved alongside an extension of its dual-class share structure, which grants founders enhanced voting rights. In summary, Wise's Nasdaq debut marks its transition from a disruptive money transfer startup into a major global payments network player. Its future growth will be tested on its ability to scale its platform business, execute its US strategy, and maintain profitability and governance standards under the scrutiny of public markets.

marsbitYesterday 01:18

Cross-Border Payment Giant Wise Lands on NASDAQ

marsbitYesterday 01:18

Cross-Border Payments Giant Wise Lists on NASDAQ

Cross-border payment giant Wise has successfully transitioned its primary listing to Nasdaq (ticker: WSE), retaining a secondary listing in London. Starting trading on May 11, 2026, the company opened at $15.40, up approximately 6.21%. With a market valuation around $15.5 billion, this move signifies Wise's evolution from a low-cost international money transfer tool into a comprehensive global financial services platform. Founded by Taavet Hinrikus and Kristo Käärmann to solve personal frustrations with expensive and opaque bank fees, Wise (formerly TransferWise) pioneered transparent, low-cost foreign exchange and transfers. For its fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, Wise reported $243 billion in cross-border transaction volume, $39 billion in customer balances, $1.9 billion in transaction revenue, and $2.5 billion in net revenue, serving nearly 19 million personal and business customers. The strategic shift to a US primary listing aims to deepen investor reach, enhance liquidity, and align with the United States as a critical growth market. It supports Wise's broader business narrative, which now encompasses multi-currency accounts, business solutions, debit cards, and especially its B2B offering, Wise Platform. This platform allows banks and financial institutions like Itaú and Nubank to integrate Wise's payment infrastructure, with a long-term goal for it to drive over 50% of cross-border volume. Concurrently, Wise is strengthening its US operational capabilities, including applying for a national trust bank charter and a Federal Reserve master account to gain greater control over USD payment flows. While Wise facilitates payments into China via partners like Alipay, outbound RMB services rely on collaboration with licensed local payment institutions, adhering to regional regulations. The listing process included a controversial proposal to extend a dual-class share structure, highlighting governance challenges as the company balances founder influence with public market accountability. Moving forward, Wise must demonstrate to US investors that its low-fee model is sustainable and scalable, that Wise Platform can drive significant growth, and that its global compliance and network infrastructure can support its ambition to become an integral part of the worldwide money movement landscape.

链捕手Yesterday 01:15

Cross-Border Payments Giant Wise Lists on NASDAQ

链捕手Yesterday 01:15

Bear Market Financial Report Comparison: Pure Crypto Exchanges vs. Multi-Asset Platforms, Robinhood More Resilient Than Coinbase

Bear Market Earnings Showcase the Resilience of Multi-Asset Platforms vs. Crypto-Only Exchanges Coinbase and Robinhood's recent earnings reports, both missing expectations and erasing $12 billion in market value, highlight a core vulnerability of exchange models in a crypto downturn: heavy reliance on transaction fees. Coinbase's Q1 revenue fell 31% to $1.41 billion, with a net loss of $394 million, driven by a 40% drop in transaction revenue as spot trading volumes plummeted. While its subscription and services segment (44% of revenue) offers some buffer, key components like stablecoin revenue remain tied to trading activity. In contrast, Robinhood reported a 15% revenue increase to $1.07 billion, with net income of $350 million. Although its crypto trading revenue fell 47%, this was offset by strong growth in other areas: prediction market revenue surged 320%, stock revenue grew 46%, and options revenue rose 8%. This diversification, with transaction revenue still at 58% of the total, made Robinhood more resilient. The analysis extends to platforms like Revolut, where payments and banking are central. In 2025, Revolut's revenue grew 45% to $6.1 billion, evenly spread across segments. Its wealth segment (including crypto, stocks, and CFDs) constituted just 15% of revenue, making it far less exposed to crypto market cycles than Coinbase or even Robinhood. The key takeaway is that platforms with diversified, non-correlated revenue streams—particularly through derivatives, prediction markets, or core banking services—are better insulated during crypto bear markets. Robinhood's asset variety acts as a hedge, while Coinbase's heavier exposure to spot crypto trading leaves it more vulnerable to prolonged downturns.

marsbit05/14 10:33

Bear Market Financial Report Comparison: Pure Crypto Exchanges vs. Multi-Asset Platforms, Robinhood More Resilient Than Coinbase

marsbit05/14 10:33

Bitwise: Why Are Top-Tier Capital Giants Aggressively Betting on New Public Blockchains Like Arc, Canton, and Tempo?

Why Top Institutions Are Betting Big on New Blockchains Like Arc, Canton, and Tempo This week saw a surge of major funding announcements for new, purpose-built blockchains. Circle's Arc raised $222M at a $3B valuation from investors like BlackRock. Canton Network developer Digital Asset secured $300M led by a16z at a $2B valuation. Stripe's Tempo, already a leader, raised $500M last year and has partnered with major firms. These three chains share key traits: they are designed for stablecoins and asset tokenization, they emerged after the US passed the *Genius Act* in July 2025, they natively support private transactions crucial for enterprise adoption, and they are backed by traditional finance and tech giants—unlike the crypto-native origins of Ethereum or Solana. This trend highlights three major shifts: 1) Clear regulation (like the pending *Clarity Act*) is unlocking massive institutional capital. 2) Built-in privacy is becoming a core feature for real-world business use, addressing the limitations of fully transparent ledgers. 3) Established corporations are now directly entering the blockchain arena, bringing significant resources and execution capability, which will accelerate innovation and competition across the entire crypto ecosystem.

marsbit05/13 09:28

Bitwise: Why Are Top-Tier Capital Giants Aggressively Betting on New Public Blockchains Like Arc, Canton, and Tempo?

marsbit05/13 09:28

Banking Africa: Cantor8 Moves Deeper Into Africa’s Mobile Money Sector via Yiksi Limited

Cantor8, a leading infrastructure provider for the Canton Network, has announced exclusive agreements with Yiksi Limited to bring major African mobile money systems like M-PESA (Kenya) and EVC Plus (Somalia) onto blockchain rails. This initiative addresses the banking infrastructure gap in mobile-first economies, where traditional bank penetration is low but mobile phone usage is high. By integrating these systems via the Canton Network, the partnership aims to enhance transaction settlement speed, ensure compliant privacy, and improve interoperability across borders. The goal is to create a more efficient, interconnected pan-African digital payments ecosystem, leveraging the stability of the US Dollar and existing mobile money adoption to scale financial inclusion across the continent.

TheNewsCrypto05/12 17:37

Banking Africa: Cantor8 Moves Deeper Into Africa’s Mobile Money Sector via Yiksi Limited

TheNewsCrypto05/12 17:37

Deciphering Circle's Q1 Financial Report: After the Interest Rate Dividend Ebbs, USDC Is Planning a Grand Strategy

Circle's Q1 2026 financial report shows total revenue and reserve income of $6.94 billion, slightly below expectations, with net profit at $550 million, down 15% year-over-year. The company attributes the slowdown in revenue growth to declining reserve asset yields following a Federal Reserve rate cut. However, other revenue streams reached a record $420 million, indicating a diversification away from interest dependence. Key operational highlights include USDC's circulating supply reaching 77 billion, a 28% annual increase, while its on-chain transaction volume surged 263% to $21.5 trillion, showing significantly higher usage frequency. Circle's core RLDC Margin improved to 41%, reflecting better cost control. Looking beyond interest rate reliance, Circle is expanding into new areas. Its Arc Network completed a $2.22 billion ARC token presale at a $30 billion valuation. The company also launched Agent Stack, an infrastructure suite for AI Agent economies, and its Circle Payments Network (CPN) shows an estimated annual transaction volume of $83 billion. The report suggests Circle's strategy is evolving from merely issuing a stablecoin to building USDC into a foundational dollar network for the internet, targeting cross-border payments, enterprise settlement, and the emerging AI-driven economy.

Odaily星球日报05/11 14:31

Deciphering Circle's Q1 Financial Report: After the Interest Rate Dividend Ebbs, USDC Is Planning a Grand Strategy

Odaily星球日报05/11 14:31

AI is Triggering a Wave of Layoffs in Crypto Companies, Coinbase Says 'The Biggest Risk is Inaction'

The article reports on a wave of layoffs within the crypto and fintech industry, increasingly attributed by companies to the adoption of AI for efficiency and automation. Major firms like Coinbase, PayPal, Gemini, and Crypto.com have cut jobs, with Coinbase's CEO stating inaction is the "biggest risk" and framing a move towards a "lean, fast, AI-native" structure. This narrative gained momentum after Block (parent of Square and Cash App) announced significant cuts earlier, citing AI as part of a broader restructuring. However, critics question this "AI washing," suggesting companies may be using AI as a convenient rationale to mask layoffs driven by cooled market activity, lower trading volumes, slower growth, and over-hiring during previous boom periods. An analyst expresses skepticism, noting such cuts are not seen in currently thriving firms. An industry insider proposes a mixed reality, estimating 80% of cuts stem from genuine AI-driven efficiency gains, with 20% addressing past hiring excesses. Regardless of the primary driver, the trend indicates a fundamental restructuring of workforce needs, with operational and technical roles being consolidated and management layers flattened as automation tools replace repetitive tasks.

marsbit05/08 09:26

AI is Triggering a Wave of Layoffs in Crypto Companies, Coinbase Says 'The Biggest Risk is Inaction'

marsbit05/08 09:26

Who Exactly Is Persistently Funding the Crypto Bear Market?

Despite a significant crypto market downturn in Q1 2026, with Bitcoin falling over 25% and Ethereum down 35%, institutional investment continued to flow in. Key buyers included corporate treasuries like Strategy (MicroStrategy), which aggressively added over $10 billion in Bitcoin, sovereign wealth funds such as Mubadala, and major banks launching new crypto ETFs. Over 26 new single-asset crypto ETFs were filed or launched under new SEC rules, including products from BlackRock and Morgan Stanley. VC funding showed concentration, with total funding around $5-6.8 billion but deal count dropping 49%. Three major deals—BVNK ($1.8B), Kalshi ($1B), and Polymarket ($600M)—accounted for half the quarter’s funding. Investment shifted toward payment/stablecoin and prediction market sectors, while DeFi and NFT/gaming funding declined sharply. The market is bifurcated: long-term holders and institutions are accumulating, while tactical hedge funds and miners are selling. The U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve remains unallocated, leaving corporate and sovereign buyers as the main drivers during this bear phase.

Odaily星球日报04/25 14:56

Who Exactly Is Persistently Funding the Crypto Bear Market?

Odaily星球日报04/25 14:56

Why Hasn't the U.S. Seen the Rise of 'Huabei' or 'Jiebei'?

The article explores why the U.S. lacks large-scale consumer credit products like China's "Huabei" and "Jiebei," despite having a developed financial sector. Key reasons include: 1. **Structural Barriers**: A fragmented federal and state regulatory system, reinforced by post-2008 reforms like the Dodd-Frank Act, raises compliance costs and protects traditional banks, stifling fintech innovation. 2. **Credit Card Dominance**: Credit cards, used by 70-80% of adults, form a $1.28 trillion debt market with high APRs (avg. 22.3%). This system cross-subsidizes users who pay in full with those carrying balances, creating a predatory yet entrenched ecosystem. 3. **Data Privacy Laws**: Strict regulations (e.g., FCRA, CCPA) prevent tech giants from leveraging behavioral data for credit scoring, unlike in China where such data fuels fintech models. 4. **Capital Market Disincentives**: Wall Street penalizes tech firms entering finance due to lower valuations associated with heavy regulation and risk, as seen in Apple’s failure with Apple Card. 5. **Banking Oligopoly**: Major banks control consumer lending, leveraging lobbying power and consumer habits to maintain high-cost credit, while alternatives like payday loans (400% APR) or "unbanked" services remain niche or exploitative. Ultimately, regulatory, structural, and corporate interests collectively block the emergence of accessible, low-cost digital lending in the U.S.

Odaily星球日报04/24 04:11

Why Hasn't the U.S. Seen the Rise of 'Huabei' or 'Jiebei'?

Odaily星球日报04/24 04:11

Unicorn Report: Within an Hour's Drive of the Bay Area, 90% of the World's AI Market Value is Concentrated

The 2025 Unicorn Report by Elad Gil reveals a dramatic concentration of AI unicorn value in the San Francisco Bay Area, which now holds 91% of the global generative AI unicorn market capitalization within a one-hour drive radius. The U.S. dominates globally with 65% of all unicorn value, a significant increase from previous years. While the rate of new unicorn creation has slowed post-2022, the average valuation of existing unicorns has reached a six-year high, driven overwhelmingly by AI companies. Generative AI unicorns saw an average valuation increase of $2.2 billion, far outpacing non-AI unicorns. The data indicates a powerful clustering effect, with the Bay Area solidifying its position as the world's premier AI hub, while other U.S. cities like New York and Los Angeles specialize in fintech/crypto and aerospace/defense, respectively.

marsbit04/23 07:12

Unicorn Report: Within an Hour's Drive of the Bay Area, 90% of the World's AI Market Value is Concentrated

marsbit04/23 07:12

活动图片

Regulatory Policy