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Senators urge owners, partners and venture capitalists of fintech Synapse to restore customers’ access to their money

FinCrypt Staff

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US trustee wants troubled fintech Synapse liquidated via Chapter 7 bankruptcy, cites 'serious mismanagement'

A group of senators have joined together to urge Synapse’s owners and banking and fintech partners to “immediately restore Customers’ access to their money.” As part of their demands, the senators implicated both the company’s shareholders and investors as responsible for the loss of customer funds.

In a letter shared publicly On Monday, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, joined by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and John Fetterman (D-PA) in pointing out that customers of companies that have partnered with banking startup Synapse have been unable to access their money since mid-May.

The letter was addressed to W. Scott Stafford, chairman and CEO of Evolve Bank & Trust, but was also sent to Synapse’s top investors, as well as the firm’s flagship bank and fintech partners. Recipients include former Synapse CEO Sankaet Pathak; venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz, Core Innovation Capital, and Trinity Ventures; American Bank; AMG National Trust; Trust and Lineage Bank; and fintech firms Copper, Juno, Mercury, Yieldstreet, and Yotta.

San Francisco-based Synapse operated a service that allowed others (mostly fintechs) to integrate banking services into their offerings. For example, a software provider specializing in payroll for businesses with a large number of 1099 contractors used Synapse to provide an instant payment feature; others used it to offer specialized credit/debit cards. Until last year, it provided those types of services as an intermediary between banking partner Evolve Bank & Trust and business banking startup Mercury, until Evolve and Mercury decided work directly with each other and exclude Synapse from the role of intermediary.

Synapse has raised a total of just over $50 million in venture capital over its lifetime, including a 2019 $33M Series B Fundraise led by Angela Strange of Andreessen Horowitz. The startup staggered into 2023 with layoffs AND filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April of this year, hoping to sell its assets in a $9.7 million fire sale to another fintech, TabaPay. But TabaPay has walked. It’s not entirely clear why. Synapse has placed a lot of the blame on Evolve and Mercury, both of which have raised their hands and told TechCrunch they aren’t responsible. Synapse CEO and co-founder Sankaet Pathak is no longer responding to requests for comment.

As a result, Synapse was forced to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in May, completely liquidating its business. Customers have been cut off ever since.

Government officials have not gone easy on fintech partners, holding them responsible for their role in the situation.

In their letter, the senators said it was the responsibility of all the various actors, including the VCs that had backed them, “to ensure the safety and accessibility of end-user funds.”

They urged them all to work together to immediately make available all customer deposits currently frozen due to the Synapse bankruptcy.

Specifically, they wrote: “You are each responsible for the customers who were locked out of their accounts. Consumer-facing fintech companies marketed their products to the public as safe and reliable alternatives to banks. Thanks to these promises, consumers adopted their products and made deposits through their apps and websites. Venture capital firms funded Synapse without insisting on adequate controls to protect consumers. They were able to profit while Synapse presented itself as a trusted financial infrastructure provider. But they failed to ensure that Synapse could deliver on its commitments. Banks joined Synapse in an effort to find new revenue streams. These partnerships further enabled Synapse to market services ultimately provided by banks.”

The senators also expressed concern and upset about “the potential $65-$96 million gap between what is owed to consumers and the funds held on their behalf by Synapse’s partner banks,” calling it “deeply troubling and completely unacceptable.”

They added: “In due course we will find out who is truly responsible for this mess, but in the meantime the priority must be to restore consumers’ access to all their money.”

In their letter, the senators also attacked the banking-as-a-service model as a whole, saying that Synapse’s failure “exposed the inherent weaknesses of this three-way business model and left American workers and small businesses without access to their money.”

The past week has been full of drama in the world of banking-as-a-service. On June 26, Evolve Bank announced that it had been the victim of a cyber attack and a data breach which could have had repercussions on its partner companies as well. The incident, according to the companyinvolved “the personal data and information of certain customers of retail bank Evolve and customers of financial technology partners” such as Affirm, Mercury, Bilt, Alloy and Stripe. On June 29, fintech company Wise announced that some of its customers’ personal data it may have been stolen in the data breach. Also last week, Thread Bank, a popular partner for BaaS startups like Unit – had hit with coercive measures by the FDIC. In particular, the order issued to Thread, as a publication Payments he stressed, “it is unique in that it explicitly calls upon the bank’s Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) and Loan-as-a-Service (LaaS) programs.”

TechCrunch reached out to both Evolve Bank and former Synapse CEO Sankaet Pathak for comment. Evolve declined to comment.

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We are the editorial team of FinCrypt, where seriousness meets clarity in cryptocurrency analysis. With a robust team of finance and blockchain technology experts, we are dedicated to meticulously exploring complex crypto markets with detailed assessments and an unbiased approach. Our mission is to democratize access to knowledge of emerging financial technologies, ensuring they are understandable and accessible to all. In every article on FinCrypt, we strive to provide content that not only educates, but also empowers our readers, facilitating their integration into the financial digital age.

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Fintech

US Agencies Request Information on Bank-Fintech Dealings

FinCrypt Staff

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Summer Trading Network 2016

Federal banking regulators have issued a statement reminding banks of the potential risks associated with third-party arrangements to provide bank deposit products and services.

The agencies support responsible innovation and banks that engage in these arrangements in a safe and fair manner and in compliance with applicable law. While these arrangements may offer benefits, supervisory experience has identified a number of safety and soundness, compliance, and consumer concerns with the management of these arrangements. The statement details potential risks and provides examples of effective risk management practices for these arrangements. Additionally, the statement reminds banks of existing legal requirements, guidance, and related resources and provides insights that the agencies have gained through their oversight. The statement does not establish new supervisory expectations.

Separately, the agencies requested additional information on a broad range of arrangements between banks and fintechs, including for deposit, payment, and lending products and services. The agencies are seeking input on the nature and implications of arrangements between banks and fintechs and effective risk management practices.

The agencies are considering whether to take additional steps to ensure that banks effectively manage the risks associated with these different types of arrangements.

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What changes in financial regulation have impacted the development of financial technology?

FinCrypt Staff

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Block Telegraph Staff

Exploring the complex landscape of global financial regulation, we gather insights from leading fintech leaders, including CEOs and finance experts. From the game-changing impact of PSD2 to the significant role of GDPR in data security, explore the four key regulatory changes that have reshaped fintech development, answering the question: “What changes in financial regulation have impacted fintech development?”

  • PSD2 revolutionizes access to financial technology
  • GDPR Improves Fintech Data Privacy
  • Regulatory Sandboxes Drive Fintech Innovation
  • GDPR Impacts Fintech Data Security

PSD2 revolutionizes access to financial technology

When it comes to regulatory impact on fintech development, nothing comes close to PSD2. This EU regulation has created a new level playing field for market players of all sizes, from fintech startups to established banks. It has had a ripple effect on other markets around the world, inspiring similar regulatory frameworks and driving global innovation in fintech.

The Payment Services Directive (PSD2), the EU law in force since 2018, has revolutionized the fintech industry by requiring banks to provide third-party payment providers (TPPs) with access to payment services and customer account information via open APIs. This has democratized access to financial data, fostering the development of personalized financial instruments and seamless payment solutions. Advanced security measures such as Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) have increased consumer trust, pushing both fintech companies and traditional banks to innovate and collaborate more effectively, resulting in a dynamic and consumer-friendly financial ecosystem.

The impact of PSD2 has extended beyond the EU, inspiring similar regulations around the world. Countries such as the UK, Australia and Canada have launched their own open banking initiatives, spurred by the benefits seen in the EU. PSD2 has highlighted the benefits of open banking, also prompting US financial institutions and fintech companies to explore similar initiatives voluntarily.

This has led to a global wave of fintech innovation, with financial institutions and fintech companies offering more integrated, personalized and secure services. The EU’s leadership in open banking through PSD2 has set a global standard, promoting regulatory harmonization and fostering an interconnected and innovative global financial ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the EU’s PSD3 proposals and Financial Data Access (FIDA) regulations promise to further advance open banking. PSD3 aims to refine and build on PSD2, with a focus on improving transaction security, fraud prevention, and integration between banks and TPPs. FIDA will expand data sharing beyond payment accounts to include areas such as insurance and investments, paving the way for more comprehensive financial products and services.

These developments are set to further enhance connectivity, efficiency and innovation in financial services, cementing open banking as a key component of the global financial infrastructure.

Sebastian Malczyk

General Manager, Technology and Product Consultant Fintech, Insurtech, Miquido

GDPR Improves Fintech Data Privacy

Privacy and data protection have been taken to another level by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), forcing fintech companies to tighten their data management. In compliance with the GDPR, organizations must ensure that personal data is processed fairly, transparently, and securely.

This has led to increased innovation in fintech towards technologies such as encryption and anonymization for data protection. GDPR was described as a top priority in the data protection strategies of 92% of US-based companies surveyed by PwC.

Arid Islam

Financial Expert, Sterlinx Global

Regulatory Sandboxes Drive Fintech Innovation

Since the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) pioneered sandbox regulatory frameworks in 2016 to enable fintech startups to explore new products and services, similar frameworks have been introduced in other countries.

This has reduced the “crippling effect on innovation” caused by a “one size fits all” regulatory approach, which would also require machines to be built to complete regulatory compliance before any testing. Successful applications within sandboxes give regulators the confidence to move forward and address gaps in laws, regulations, or supervisory approaches. This has led to widespread adoption of new technologies and business models and helped channel private sector dynamism, while keeping consumers protected and imposing appropriate regulatory requirements.

George Blandford

Co-founder, UK Linkology

GDPR Impacts Fintech Data Security

A big change in financial regulations that has had a real impact on fintech is the 2018 EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). I have seen how GDPR has pushed us to focus more on user privacy and data security.

GDPR means we have to handle personal data much more carefully. At Leverage, we have had to step up our game to meet these new rules. We have improved our data encryption and started doing regular security audits. It was a little tricky at first, but it has made our systems much more secure.

For example, we’ve added features that give users more control over their data, like simple consent tools and clear privacy notices. These changes have helped us comply with GDPR and made our customers feel more confident in how we handle their information.

I believe that GDPR has made fintech companies, including us at Leverage, more transparent and secure. It has helped build trust with our users, showing them that we take data protection seriously.

Dr. Rhett Stubbendeck

CEO & Co-Founder, Leverage Planning

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M2P Fintech About to Raise $80M

FinCrypt Staff

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M2P Fintech About to Raise $80M

Application Programming Interface (API) Infrastructure Platform M2P Financial Technology has reached the final round to raise $80 million, at a valuation of $900 million.

Specifically, M2P Fintech, formerly known as Yap, is closing a new funding round involving new and existing investors, according to entrackr.com. The India-based company, which last raised funding two and a half years ago, previously secured $56 million in a round led by Insight Partners, earning a post-money valuation of $650 million.

A source indicated that M2P Fintech is ready to raise $80 million in this new funding round, led by a new investor. Existing backers, including Insight Partners, are also expected to participate. The new funding is expected to go toward enhancing the company’s technology infrastructure and driving growth in domestic and international markets.

What does M2P Fintech do?

M2P Fintech’s API platform enables businesses to provide branded financial services through partnerships with fintech companies while maintaining regulatory compliance. In addition to its operations in India, the company is active in Nepal, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Bahrain, Egypt, and many other countries.

Another source revealed that M2P Fintech’s valuation in this funding round is expected to be between USD 880 million and USD 900 million (post-money). The company has reportedly received a term sheet and the deal is expected to be publicly announced soon. The Tiger Global-backed company has acquired six companies to date, including Goals101, Syntizen, and BSG ITSOFT, to enhance its service offerings.

According to TheKredible, Beenext is the company’s largest shareholder with over 13% ownership, while the co-founders collectively own 34% of the company. Although M2P Fintech has yet to release its FY24 financials, it has reported a significant increase in operating revenue. However, this growth has also been accompanied by a substantial increase in losses.

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Scottish financial technology firm Aveni secures £11m to expand AI offering

FinCrypt Staff

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Aveni, Investment Management, AI, NLP, UK

By Gloria Methri

Today

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  • Aveni Assistance
  • Aveni Detection

Artificial intelligence Financial Technology Aveni has announced one of the largest Series A investments in a Scottish company this year, amounting to £11 million. The investment is led by Puma Private Equity with participation from Par Equity, Lloyds Banking Group and Nationwide.

Aveni combines AI expertise with extensive financial services experience to create large language models (LLMs) and AI products designed specifically for the financial services industry. It is trusted by some of the UK’s leading financial services firms. It has seen significant business growth over the past two years through its conformity and productivity solutions, Aveni Detect and Aveni Assist.

This investment will enable Aveni to build on the success of its existing products, further consolidate its presence in the sector and introduce advanced technologies through FinLLM, a large-scale language model specifically for financial services.

FinLLM is being developed in partnership with new investors Lloyds Banking Group and Nationwide. It is a large, industry-aligned language model that aims to set the standard for transparent, responsible and ethical adoption of generative AI in UK financial services.

Following the investment, the team developing the FinLLM will be based at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, in a state-of-the-art facility.

Joseph Twigg, CEO of Aveniexplained, “The financial services industry doesn’t need AI models that can quote Shakespeare; it needs AI models that deliver transparency, trust, and most importantly, fairness. The way to achieve this is to develop small, highly tuned language models, trained on financial services data, and reviewed by financial services experts for specific financial services use cases. Generative AI is the most significant technological evolution of our generation, and we are in the early stages of adoption. This represents a significant opportunity for Aveni and our partners. The goal with FinLLM is to set a new standard for the controlled, responsible, and ethical adoption of generative AI, outperforming all other generic models in our select financial services use cases.”

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