Why APAC expansion plans often fail due to payments

💡 Behind Every Great Tech… Is a Human Decision. We live in an age where technology is often celebrated as the ultimate problem-solver. Algorithms predict, machines automate, systems scale — and everything seems fast, efficient, and intelligent. But here’s the truth we often forget: technology itself doesn’t decide anything. It executes what humans envision. Every line of code, every product design, every platform that transforms industries — all of it starts with a human decision. Think about it. It wasn’t the machine that decided to revolutionize payments, logistics, or commerce. It was people — with ambition, creativity, and courage — who built the frameworks and systems that turned complexity into convenience. Technology is a tool, not the driver. The driver is always us. And this is exactly why the future of fintech, payments, and innovation belongs not to the most advanced technology… but to the most human-centered visionaries. The ones who understand people first, then build tech around their needs. In high-risk industries, in complex global markets, and in fast-evolving ecosystems, human judgment shapes how technology solves problems. It determines whether a platform empowers or limits, whether a solution connects or isolates. When a payment gateway makes transactions seamless across borders… When a risk model prevents fraud in milliseconds… When automation unlocks business scale for merchants… — behind every single one of those achievements is a team of thinkers, builders, dreamers, and doers. So let’s shift the narrative. Instead of glorifying the tools alone, let’s celebrate the human minds that power them. Let’s recognize the founders who take bold decisions, the engineers who build smarter, the analysts who see what others don’t, and the leaders who create impact through vision — not just code. 🚀 Because technology doesn’t transform industries. People do. #TechWithPurpose #HumanCenteredInnovation #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #Fintech #Innovation #GrowthMindset #FutureOfWork #FintechCommunity #Vision #DecisionMakers #InnovationStrategy #HighRiskIndustry #BusinessGrowth #Teamwork #Inspiration #TechnologyAndPeople

Swedish fintech company Klarna is trying to course-correct as its chief executive officer admitted that the firm may have gone too fast on its adoption of artificial intelligence. Klarna has operated an AI-first strategy that CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski previously said was able to drive "exceptional returns." https://lnkd.in/gFs6DRrr

Big signals from Finch Capital’s State of European FinTech 2025 Europe's FinTech is becoming more mature : smaller number of deals, larger amounts, €3.6 billions was invested in H1 2025 while deal count dropped dramatically ! 👉 Funding concentration: the top 20 rounds by value now correspond to ~73%, the money is going to the companies that have already established themselves rather than the ones that are unknown.  👉 AI is everywhere but still at an early stage : ~21% of the deals are AI, led while the value of those deals represents only ~7% of the total, volume without (yet) large cheque sizes. 👉Payments at a crossroads: stablecoins (Circle), agentic payments and virtual cards are real trends, infrastructure and trust remain the bottleneck. Nowadays, if you are involved in the payments or fintech strategy, just choose one of two options : Become a leader of a niche product or a platform scale !! Both will bring success, however, money, talent and regulation are currently favoring the winners. Read the short report👇and decide: which one would you support in 2026 ?

The UK is stepping into the spotlight as Europe’s frontrunner in AI-powered fintech. With increased capital investments and an evolving regulatory landscape, London continues to set standards for innovative, sustainable financial technology. As sector leaders embrace AI for underwriting, wealth management, and operational efficiency, the future of fintech looks smarter, faster, and more resilient. Read more: https://heyor.ca/kXZ2C0 #AIPoweredFintech #FinancialTechnology

The UK is stepping into the spotlight as Europe’s frontrunner in AI-powered fintech. With increased capital investments and an evolving regulatory landscape, London continues to set standards for innovative, sustainable financial technology. As sector leaders embrace AI for underwriting, wealth management, and operational efficiency, the future of fintech looks smarter, faster, and more resilient. Read more: https://heyor.ca/kXZ2C0 #AIPoweredFintech #FinancialTechnology

Fresh funding rounds for cars and credit cards as well as AI company recognition and partnerships! ICYMI: The latest from our portfolio this last month 📸 L-R, T-B: 1️⃣ Carro, Southeast Asia's largest used-car online marketplace, has raised $60 million in a funding round led by Japan sovereign wealth fund Cool Japan Fund クールジャパン機構. The investment will go towards promoting Japanese cars across the Asia-Pacific region. 2️⃣ Indonesian credit credit card issuer Honest has closed a new funding round led by Orico, to expand its flagship Honest Card into corporate and co-branded cards. 3️⃣ fileAI is recognised in the NextGen Tech 30, a list of growth-stage companies transforming the regional economy. This comes as the platform continues to launch new features, like upgraded cross-file referencing, and CEO Christian Schneider heads to Las Vegas for Money20/20. Check out where to find him and the team here: file.ai/money2020-2025 4️⃣ WIZ.AI becomes the AI Partner of ePLDT to help Philippine enterprises harness hyper-localized conversational AI solutions for the latter's digital business transformation goals for the country More in our upcoming newsletter! Sign up to get a copy in your inbox: insignia.vc/newsletter #funding #fintech #AI #money2020 #nextgen30

The Swedish fintech company Vilja secures 40 SEK million in new capital to accelerate its international expansion outside the Nordics and secure long-term growth. At the same time, the company is establishing its own AI development center in Kuala Lumpur.

What if the next big wave in fintech isn’t a new app, but the financial infrastructure powering SaaS platforms themselves? Nik Milanović sits down with Natalie Moreno Wexler, VP Platform Offering Strategy at Adyen, and Jamey Kennedy, Payments Manager at Jackrabbit Technologies, to explore how embedded finance is transforming small business growth. They unpack how SaaS platforms are using embedded lending and capital products to diversify revenue streams, improve customer experiences, and unlock a $185 billion market opportunity. The conversation also dives into how AI and stablecoins could shape the next phase of payments innovation. Catch the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/dcBshkHu

Digitalization has transformed how businesses operate, how governments deliver public services, and how consumers engage in markets. No longer confined to back-office efficiency improvements, digital technologies now enable entirely new forms of value creation. For instance, cross-border e-commerce allows small enterprises to access international markets with minimal entry barriers; fintech innovations have reshaped financial inclusion by providing digital payments, peer-to-peer lending, and micro-insurance; and artificial intelligence (AI) has redefined decision-making processes across manufacturing, healthcare, and education Read full article at : https://lnkd.in/gyKwjTEy #Globalfinance #Digital #Innovative #technology #BusinessDigital #DigitalBusinessEthics #DigitalBusinessPractice #Knowledge #DigitalEcosystem #DigitalBusinesscapability

AI-focused deals in payments and fintech nearly doubled in YTD 2025 (vs 2024). We explore emerging trends in fintech dealmaking for AI-native and AI-enabled companies, especially across fraud prevention, B2B payments, and infrastructure, and what they mean for investors and sellers. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e_5cZHpZ #Fintech #AI #Payments #Investors #AgenticAI