The Weekly Wrap: all you need to know by Friday COB | Aug 8th

By Puja Sharma

The Weekly Wrap is published every Friday and recaps the week’s main stories and deals, as well as upcoming events and announcements for Prime subscribers only.

The Big Story

The Trump-era tariffs, though primarily targeting goods, indirectly impact Indian FinTechs by disrupting sectors they serve. With labour-intensive exports like textiles and gems facing steep tariffs, SMEs in these industries may experience reduced revenues and credit demand, affecting FinTech lending platforms.

Cross-border payment FinTechs could see slower growth due to reduced trade volumes. However, key export sectors like IT services and pharma remain unaffected, preserving stability for FinTechs tied to these industries. The broader economic ripple, a potential 0.5% GDP dip, could tighten investor sentiment and funding for startups. Yet, this disruption also presents an opportunity: FinTechs can support diversification efforts by enabling digital trade finance, expanding into new markets, and enhancing supply chain transparency. As India pivots toward value-led exports and resilient infrastructure, FinTechs are poised to play a catalytic role, provided regulatory and financial rails evolve to support their scale and innovation.

This moment also opens strategic opportunities. As India diversifies exports toward the EU, UK, and Southeast Asia, FinTechs can facilitate cross-border transactions, offer dynamic FX solutions, and digitise trade finance. Government initiatives like PLI schemes and GST rationalisation can further empower FinTechs to support MSMEs in adapting to new markets. With the proper regulatory and digital infrastructure, FinTechs can become enablers of India’s export reset, driving inclusion, innovation, and resilience.

Deals of the week

• Alaan raises $48m to fuel GCC FinTech expansion
• Volante processes $1.4tn transactions on Fedwire for faster payments
• Fibe raises $27m to boost digital credit access
• Uzum raises $70m to scale across Central Asia
• LoanTube brings real-time SME loans to Push Group users
• KAF Digital Bank secures BNM approval for public launch
• Bank Albilad taps Intellect to boost wholesale banking
• ONE App launches BNPL, boosting digital retail in Bahrain

Be on the lookout for

Nominate Now!!

The IBSi Global FinTech Innovation Awards 2025, set to take place on 21st November in Mumbai, will once again spotlight the most disruptive and transformative achievements in banking and financial technology. Now in its seventh year, the awards honour innovation across high-impact categories such as Core Banking, Digital Lending, AI/ML, and GenAI.

After a record-breaking 2024 edition—which drew 400+ submissions from 155 banks and 90 tech vendors—the upcoming awards are poised to set an even higher benchmark. Expect broader global participation, richer insights into bank–tech collaboration, and a data-driven judging process powered by IBS Intelligence’s proprietary research and analytics.

Beyond trophies, winners benefit from year-long visibility through editorial features, thought leadership opportunities, and industry event integrations—making this a platform not just for recognition, but for continued growth and influence.

Whether you’re a startup reimagining digital onboarding or an established bank modernising at scale, GFIA 2025 offers the stage to showcase your innovation, impact, and scalability to the global FinTech community.