Financial Services

New unicorn Zopa gives itself 10 weeks to become profitable: The UK neobank’s CEO set this ambitious target after it bagged new funding and crossed the $1B valuation mark. Its decision to differentiate its product focus from other neobanks seems to be working.

Pismo emerges as a strong potential tech provider for Brazilian banks: Its customer base and the $108M that it raised from Amazon and Softbank, among others, warrant consideration from banking players seeking to keep up with challenger juggernaut Nubank.

The carmarker, which has a history of rushing solutions to market, launched coverage that uses software still in beta to evaluate real-time driving behavior.

TD Bank funds robo-advisor and financial advisor hiring push: The bank’s fully automated and hybrid robo-advisors and its plans to triple its headcount of human advisors help it tap into the retail investing boom and build customer loyalty.

The German neobank will pursue growth in established markets and make a push into Eastern Europe. This prioritization clarifies its strategy and is in line with other big challengers.

Whether you visit a branch or digital property, TD Bank is reevaluating traditional banking’s communication methods. Watch Industry Voices: Spotlight on Financial Services with TD Bank’s Lee Lai, senior vice president and head of customer and retail distribution marketing, to hear why maintaining local human interactions across channels is a top priority.

TradingView raised $298M as new investors flocked to its platform which combines trading tools with a social network. Adding social media components is key to keeping retail investors engaged.

Fiserv’s lending product gives banks complete control over the lending process: With a fintech, the banking technology company is rolling out a digital offering that could help banks cultivate loyalty among small to medium-sized business (SMB) borrowers.

Nubank’s first H1 profit in Brazil vindicates its growth strategy: The neobanking giant reached first-half profitability at home—and its payment volume and loan book surged. Overseas expansion and a new paid account could continue this momentum.

Atom Bank climbs to £1B SMB-lending mark: The UK neobank’s success at hitting milestones, including a first-ever monthly operating profit, demonstrates it’s a formidable player in the SMB neobanking market.

Slowing global retail volume will push digital brokers to seek new ways to attract new users and keep the ones they’ve got.