Hey FinTech Fanatic!
Last week in Europe, I covered how Payments and banking infrastructure continue to evolve through steady, coordinated moves rather than sudden disruption. From countries joining shared payment networks to fintechs strengthening their operational foundations, the focus was clearly on scale, resilience, and trust.
That showed up as Wero moved one step closer to launching in Luxembourg, reinforcing Europe’s push for a continent-wide payments alternative. I also followed Volt partnering with ClearBank to upgrade merchant account capabilities, Form3 expanding its client base with Mollie, and Revolut continuing its strong growth in Germany while expanding its mortgage offering.
Here’s what stood out in Europe last week. 👇
Cheers,
Luxembourg is expected to join the Wero network in June 2026, with five major retail banks: Spuerkeess, BGL BNP Paribas, Banque Internationale à Luxembourg, Post Luxembourg, and Banque Raiffeisen. Wero is Europe’s attempt to build a continent-wide alternative to dominant global payment platforms.
NOW, ON TO THE SUMMARY OF LAST WEEK’S NEWS
⭐️ Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham is tied up in the collapse of FX Broker Argentex. The club used Argentex for basic FX services and didn’t have any derivatives with the firm, and administrators overseeing the wind-down are confident that customers in Wrexham’s category will be repaid.
⭐️ Volt partners with ClearBank to power the latest generation of merchant account capabilities. The collaboration enables Volt to offer critical enhancements to its account-based cash management capabilities in the UK and Europe, moving open banking payments a step closer to realising their full operational potential.
⭐️ Form3 expands growing client base with European FinTech Mollie. The implementation enables Mollie to meet European VoP requirements and better protect its customers from misdirected payments and authorised push payment fraud.
⭐️ Revolut reaches 3 million customers in Germany. The country remains one of Revolut’s fastest-growing markets in Europe. A key driver of this growth is Revolut’s product offering tailored to the German market. Also, Revolut Bank is to start issuing mortgage loans in Lithuania. The bank will also finance the purchase of a home, complementing the previously launched mortgage refinancing service, according to a press release.
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eToro adds DKK accounts in Denmark after expanding Nasdaq Nordic data. The company said Danish users can now deposit, hold, withdraw, and invest directly in DKK. Users can choose whether to fund trades using their DKK or USD balance, rather than converting to USD by default.
Nik Storonsky strikes back. Nik Storonsky, CEO of Revolut, addressed speculation about relocating to the UAE after registry filings, noting he continues to split his time between London and other key markets, with company records still listing him as a UK resident.
UK FinTech Guavapay enters compulsory liquidation following winding up petition by Mastercard. The petition alleged that Guavapay had failed to pay Mastercard a debt of £10.8 million, made up of a principal amount of $10 million and fees, charges, and penalties totalling around $800,000.
Block announces the opening of a strategic European Hub in Dublin. The strategic move marks a significant milestone in Block's European presence and reflects the company's commitment to investing in talent, innovation, and community development across the region.
BBVA México rolls out pago directo for in-app payments. Developed in collaboration with Conekta, the tool allows users to authorize purchases directly within the bank’s mobile app without sharing card details with third-party merchants.
Sumsub's AI Agent Verification introduces agent-to-human binding to establish human accountability in AI. Sumsub's AI Agent Verification enables businesses to separate lawful, human-driven automation from malicious agent attacks by linking all activity to a verified human identity.
EPC launches FRIDA RFI as EU rules push tougher fraud sharing. Under the proposals, Payment Service Providers would be responsible for transaction monitoring and for sharing fraud information with other PSPs to help prevent and address payment fraud, including provisions set out in Article 83 on transaction monitoring mechanisms and Article 83a on fraud data sharing.
Saxo Bank was fined around $50m by the Danish FSA. In a translated statement, the regulator says: "The administrative fine is based on the company's failure to comply with the requirements for obtaining information regarding the purpose and intended nature of some customer relationships".
Nu secures approval to establish US National Bank. Once fully approved, the national bank charter will allow Nu to operate under a comprehensive federal framework, facilitating the launch of deposit accounts, credit cards, lending, and digital asset custody.
Lloyds Banking Group expects over £100 million in value from next‑generation AI in 2026. The group will scale agentic AI across the bank, maximising today’s tools and launching many more use cases, including significant strategic investments in agentic AI, to deliver faster, more seamless experiences for its 28 million customers.
Swiss Digital Bank Sygnum raises 750 Bitcoin ($65M) for BTC Alpha Fund. Swiss-Singaporean banking group Sygnum and Starboard Digital secured 750 BTC ($65M) in seed funding for their actively managed Bitcoin yield fund, delivering 8.9% annualized returns despite market volatility.
Plum introduces Worldwide Travel Protection powered by Qover. Customers and their travelling family members are protected for medical emergencies, lost baggage, delays and cancellations. All information is accessible from the Plum app, where customers can view their cover, download travel certificates and manage claims through a simple digital journey.
Viva.com extends BLIK code payments to in-store checkout via tap on any device, covering online and in-person payments across Poland. The new functionality allows BLIK 6-digit code payments to be accepted, quickly and securely, on any device - from smartphones and tablets to kiosks and vending machines.
Archax and OpenPayd partner to streamline multi-currency settlement for digital asset trading. Archax will use OpenPayd’s regulated financial infrastructure to facilitate instant GBP, EUR and USD fiat settlement, with flows moving primarily between Archax and its network of institutional liquidity partners.
heyData raises $16.5m to unify security and compliance. The funding will support three strategic areas: the expansion of united security and compliance features on a modular platform, the addition of more compliance frameworks and deeper integrations to automate work.
Shares enters into exclusive negotiations with Société Générale for the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of its subsidiary, Treezor. By combining its investment solutions with Treezor’s embedded finance offering, Shares aims to build a comprehensive, fully digital financial services platform to support the modernisation of financial institutions.
Crypto payments firm BCB Group appoints Tim Renew as CEO in leadership reshuffle. Co-founder Oliver Tonkin will move into the role of president, where he will continue to focus on strategy, culture, and long-term development at the London-based company.
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