ECB to pilot blockchain-based euro settlement system by 2026

ECB to pilot blockchain-based euro settlement system by 2026

The European Central Bank will launch a blockchain settlement pilot by late 2026 under its new Pontes initiative, aiming to connect DLT platforms with the eurozone’s core payment systems. The European Central Bank (ECB) has approved a two-track plan to settle distributed ledger technology (DLT) transactions using central bank money, which could pave the way…

Read More
German data protection official wants Apple, Google to remove DeepSeek from the country’s app stores

German data protection official wants Apple, Google to remove DeepSeek from the country’s app stores

A German data protection official has reported Chinese AI app DeepSeek to Apple and Google, saying the app transfers users’ information to China illegally. Meike Kamp, Berlin’s Commissioner for data protection and freedom of information, told the companies that DeepSeek did not provide “convincing evidence” that users’ data was protected as required by EU laws….

Read More
SMB-focused Finom closes €115M as European fintech heats up

SMB-focused Finom closes €115M as European fintech heats up

While funding may be scarce for some, Europe’s fastest-growing startups still have their pick. The latest beneficiary of that investor appetite is Finom, a five-year-old, Amsterdam-based challenger bank that targets small and medium-size businesses across Europe. The company, which claims to have doubled its revenue in 2024, just closed a €115 million Series C equity…

Read More
Startups Weekly: Fast and furious

Startups Weekly: Fast and furious

Welcome to Startups Weekly — your weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Want it in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. Some startups accrued value at lightning speed this week, and we got confirmation that defense tech is red hot. Most interesting startup stories from the week Image…

Read More