#’We want to pay it forward’: Funding Societies raises M to boost capital for SMEs in Southeast Asia

#’We want to pay it forward’: Funding Societies raises $25M to boost capital for SMEs in Southeast Asia

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for nearly 50% of Southeast Asia’s GDP, contributing to job creation, innovation, and overall economic expansion. Nevertheless, as in other parts of the world, SMEs in Southeast Asia face challenges when it comes to sufficient working capital. In a nutshell, SMEs are typically deemed too risky for traditional banks…

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#Remote enables USDC crypto payouts for contractors

#Remote enables USDC crypto payouts for contractors

Getting paid in cryptocurrencies may sound like a bad idea, but this could be an actually useful feature for international contractors. Remote, the company that lets you hire people and manage contractors all around the world, is introducing crypto payouts on Tuesday. Companies based in the U.S. can start paying their contractors with stablecoins in…

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#HongShan, Peak XV back stablecoin-powered neobank KAST

#HongShan, Peak XV back stablecoin-powered neobank KAST

Peak XV and HongShan, the Indian and Chinese investment firms that split from powerhouse Sequoia last year, have co-led a $10 million seed investment in KAST, a dollar-denominated neobank-like platform that lets customers hold and spend stablecoins through traditional payment avenues.  Kast also issues credit cards that work with standard merchant networks, enabling users to…

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#MobiKwik downsizes its IPO for the third time

#MobiKwik downsizes its IPO for the third time

MobiKwik, an Indian financial services startup, has cut the size of its planned IPO for the third time, setting a price band of ₹265-₹279 ($3.1-$3.3) that values it at $250 million — down sharply from its last private valuation of $924 million in 2021. The Gurugram-based fintech, backed by Peak XV and ADIA, is seeking…

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