The Monday Roundup: what we are watching this week | July 21st

By Puja Sharma

The Monday Roundup sets the scene for the week’s biggest news stories, industry deals, and upcoming events. For Prime subscribers only.

Inclusive lending pushes

Airwallex has entered a multi-year global partnership with Arsenal FC, becoming the club’s Official Finance Software Partner. As part of the deal, Airwallex will also be the Presenting Partner for Arsenal’s men’s pre-season tour in Singapore and Hong Kong, managing the club’s payment infrastructure during the tour. The collaboration aims to enhance Arsenal’s financial operations, including payment gateways, while also offering fan engagement through exclusive content and branded experiences at Emirates Stadium. Both organisations emphasised shared values of innovation and global reach, with Airwallex viewing the partnership as a strategic step in expanding its presence in international sports, following its ongoing alliance with McLaren Racing.

Viva Finance, a U.S.-based credit provider, has secured over $220 million in funding—primarily through a debt facility from Community Investment Management and equity investments from unnamed investors—to expand its lending operations nationwide. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Atlanta, the company focuses on offering personal loans of up to $10,000 to underserved Americans, using employment data rather than traditional credit scores for underwriting. Since launching its platform in 2020, Viva has originated over $250 million in payroll-deducted loans to tens of thousands of borrowers. The new capital will support nationwide expansion, product development, and growth in employer partnerships.

Bank-led acquisitions and cross-border payment plays

Lloyds Banking Group is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire London-based FinTech Curve for approximately £120 million, with the deal potentially closing by the end of September. Curve, founded in 2015, offers a digital wallet that consolidates multiple payment cards into a single smart card and supports payment wearables, such as rings and bracelets. The company serves over six million users globally and recently raised £37 million in funding. This acquisition would bolster Lloyd’s digital payments infrastructure as part of its broader FinTech strategy.

Paddle, a merchant of record (MoR) platform that supports over 6,000 SaaS, AI, and app companies, has raised $25 million in funding led by CIBC Innovation Banking. This investment will fuel Paddle’s global expansion and enhance its product capabilities. As a MoR, Paddle offers a unified solution that simplifies complex payment infrastructures by managing payments, refunds, compliance, taxes, fraud prevention, and customer billing. The funding aims to help digital product businesses operate seamlessly across borders without the burden of navigating multiple payment systems.

What is the buzz

India and Singapore have expanded their cross-border payment system by linking the UPI (Unified Payments Interface) with PayNow, enabling instant and low-cost remittances between the two countries. With 13 more Indian banks joining the platform—bringing the total to 19—users can now send and receive money using mobile numbers or virtual payment addresses through apps like BHIM, Google Pay, and PhonePe. The service is supported in Singapore by DBS Bank and Liquid Group, and UPI is also accepted at select merchants via QR codes. This initiative aims to strengthen financial connectivity and benefit the Indian diaspora in Singapore.