Tinkoff has been recognised for its innovative banking solutions as the Most Innovative Digital Bank in Central and Eastern Europe at Global Finance magazine’s 2021 World’s Best Digital Banks awards. In 2020, Tinkoff unveiled its AI Banking strategy that aims to transform its customer offering through personalisation with the help of artificial intelligence across all products …
A Russian neobank called TalkBank has neither physical branches, nor call centers, nor even a mobile app. Its principle consists in offering “a bank in messengers,” i.e. Telegram, Facebook, WhatsApp or Viber. “Digital financial assistance” is provided by a smart bot that “understands banking commands in natural language.” Thus customers will be able to better plan their budget and …
Moscow-based TalkBank raises $3 million to develop “bank in messengers” Read More
Russian banks may be blocked from using SWIFT, a payment system that enables reliable and secure financial transactions, as part of restrictions against Moscow, in what one official has called a potential “spiral of sanctions.” “It’s no secret that there are threats, primarily from the United States, to disconnect Russia from the SWIFT system,” said Dmitry …
Sber and VTB, two leading, state-controlled financial institutions in Russia, are not willing to move into the cryptocurrency market in the near future as their CEOs believe that crypto is either too risky or fake money. Sber CEO Herman Gref said that cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are probably the riskiest type of investment alongside the equity …
Two acquisitions were announced yesterday in the Russian fintech space. Yandex, the NASDAQ-listed digital major, agreed to fully purchase Acropol Bank. The deal, which is still subject to regulatory approval, amounts to 1.1 billion rubles (approximately $14.7 million). “The strategic rationale for the transaction is to obtain a banking license required to develop the Yandex fintech vertical and launch comprehensive …
In a meeting with EU foreign ministers, Ukraine’s top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba joined the chorus of voices calling for Russia to be disconnected from SWIFT — the financial messaging network that underpins the global banking system. The proposal — long popular among those who favor slapping hard-hitting sanctions on Russia — has picked up new …
Should Russian banks be scared of SWIFT disconnection? Read More
Ozon, a NASDAQ-listed Russian e-commerce major, announced today an agreement with Sovcombank to acquire Oney Bank. This cash transaction is still subject to regulatory approval; its exact amount , which should “not exceed $10 million,” will be determined at closing, Through this deal, Ozon is acquiring the licenses required to develop its offering of financial services around its marketplace. …
Ozon to acquire Oney Bank to enhance financial service offerings Read More
Alfa-Bank is in the process of acquiring Netmonet, a startup that uses QR codes to automate tips in restaurants, cafés and beauty salons. In an agreement signed last month, the Russian lender is committed to acquire the company fully for an undisclosed amount. Forbes Russia has estimated Netmonet’s valuation at approximately $4 million — a sizeable amount …
Russian tip automation startup acquired by major bank 18 months after launch Read More
Russia’s digital banking leader Tinkoff announced today the launch of an online and offline payment service for legal entities. Dubbed ‘Tinkoff Checkout,’ the service will operate “as a one-stop shop [for] companies to take care of all of their online and offline financial needs in one place.” The service will allow businesses to accept online payments, provide …
Yandex plans to launch a contactless payment service, challenging Apple Pay, the leader on the Russian market in this segment, as reported by VTimes. According to an internal document seen by VTimes, the users of ‘Yandex Pay’ will be able to save their bank details in the system to settle purchases. In an exchange with …
A challenge to Apple Pay: Yandex reportedly developing contactless payment service Read More
An award-winning fintech startup from Moscow, APIBank, has attracted 120 million rubles in Russia (some $1.6 million at the current exchange rate) from the Russian-Belarusian Investment Fund (RBF Ventures). As reported by CNews.ru, this is the first external capital infusion — in the form of a convertible loan — in this startup launched in 2018. The money will be used “to develop products for payment aggregators and marketplaces, and …
Open banking startup secures $1.6 million from Russian-Belarusian state-backed fund Read More
Moscow Metro has partnered with VTB, a leading Russian financial institution, and Google to launch a new payment service. Users with the Google Pay payment service and a Mastercard card can now instantly pay for their metro ride: they just need to hold their smartphone above the reader at the turnstiles. In the near future, the new …
