Publisher’s Note: This week we’re introducing a refreshed format for The Week in Digital Wealth, organizing the industry’s most important developments into clear category blocks—Wealthtech, Fintech, Payments, Digital Assets, and more. This streamlined structure makes it easier for readers to follow the rapid evolution of platforms, products, and regulations across the digital wealth ecosystem. CLT
The wealthtech ecosystem is closing out the year with a burst of strategic activity. Trading-data alliances are tightening analytics pipelines for advisors, UMA platforms are expanding with more flexible portfolio construction tools, payments providers are rolling out faster settlement and embedded-finance capabilities, and digital ID initiatives are accelerating across financial services. Together, these shifts signal a market leaning hard into infrastructure upgrades and smarter workflows as we head into 2026.
WEALTHTECH, REGTECH & MARKET DATA
Wealthy — Mass-Affluent Wealthtech Expansion
Indian wealthtech platform Wealthy raised fresh Series B capital to grow its hybrid advisory and digital investing stack. The firm plans to scale advisor automation, broaden product access, and expand into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as India’s mass-affluent segment accelerates.
STAMP — AI-Driven Compliance Automation
Saudi regtech startup STAMP secured new funding to automate compliance workflows for banks and fintechs. Its AI system supports real-time monitoring and documentation—reflecting the Gulf region’s push to modernize oversight for open-finance and digital-asset activities.
RBI — Updated Digital Engagement Norms
India’s central bank issued revised guidelines for digital product presentation and customer onboarding. The rules ease some earlier restrictions while preserving tight consent and disclosure standards, balancing consumer protection with fast-scaling digital lending and collections ecosystems.
CRYPTO, BLOCKCHAIN & DIGITAL ASSETS
Klarna — Stablecoin Pilot for Payments
Klarna confirmed early testing of KlarnaUSD, a fully reserved stablecoin designed for everyday payments and cross-border commerce. A wider rollout is expected in 2026, signaling accelerating adoption of tokenized cash by mainstream consumer fintechs.
WhiteBIT — Regional Licensing Momentum
European exchange WhiteBIT secured a virtual-asset service provider license in Argentina and indicated expansion plans for Brazil. The approvals position the firm competitively as Latin American nations formalize licensing, custody, and AML frameworks.
Ondo & Figure — Expansion of Tokenized Treasuries
Ondo Finance and Figure extended access to tokenized U.S. Treasuries through a structure designed for cross-chain movement and DeFi integration. The initiative strengthens the bridge between traditional yield products and on-chain liquidity venues.
FINTECH, APPS & PERSONAL FINANCE
Revolut — Secondary Transaction Resets Valuation
A recent share sale reportedly valued Revolut at approximately $75 billion—below earlier highs but still among global fintech leaders. The transaction highlights investor preference for diversified platforms spanning payments, wealth, trading, and SME finance.
FinReach — MSME Credit-Guarantee Marketplace
FinReach raised new capital to expand its credit-guarantee infrastructure supporting micro and small businesses. By connecting lenders and guarantors through a shared analytics layer, the platform aims to widen access to formal credit for underserved sectors.
LendPilot — AI Tools for SME Liquidity Forecasting
Startup LendPilot gained attention for its AI-based cash-flow forecasting engine built for small businesses. The system analyzes accounting, payments, and receivables data to flag liquidity gaps early and surface financing options before bottlenecks occur.
BANKING, PAYMENTS & INFRASTRUCTURE
Pepkor — Retail Giant Transitions Toward Banking
African retail conglomerate Pepkor received approval to pursue a banking license, leveraging its large store network and mobile-first customer base. The move enables integrated deposits, payments, and micro-credit offerings targeting underserved segments.
GoTyme & Wise — Embedded Cross-Border Transfers
Philippines digital bank GoTyme integrated Wise’s remittance rails into its mobile app, offering users transparent pricing and faster settlement. The collaboration strengthens GoTyme’s value proposition for households reliant on overseas income.
HDFC Bank — Enforcement Action Over Operational Gaps
The Reserve Bank of India fined HDFC Bank for deficiencies in KYC controls and compliance reporting. The action underscores rising regulatory expectations for robust data governance across large digital-engagement models.
RETECH, INSURTECH & INVESTING
RentRedi — Recognition in Property-Management Tech
RentRedi received industry awards for its end-to-end rental-management platform, which centralizes tenant screening, applications, payments, and maintenance workflows. The win reflects a broader shift toward digitized infrastructure for independent landlords and small-portfolio investors.
Pibit.AI — Underwriting Automation Platform
Insurtech Pibit.AI raised new capital to expand its AI-powered underwriting workbench for carriers and MGAs. The solution automates submission intake, document analysis, and risk data enrichment, accelerating underwriting cycles and improving decision quality.
