Fintech, Finance, Technology, Banking Highlights – 16 May 2018

Paya Partners with CardFlight to Offer SwipeSimple Payment Solutions to Its Merchants

Paya, a provider of simple, secure technology that enables fast and efficient payments for all businesses, and CardFlight, the leading mobile POS and SaaS payment technology company, announced that Paya is now offering CardFlight’s SwipeSimple payment acceptance solutions to its merchants.

The SwipeSimple product suite provides the right tools for small merchant payment acceptance needs, including:

  • Bluetooth Low Energy or audio jack EMV Quick Chip, NFC contactless-enabled card readers, compatible with virtually any mobile device
  • Mobile and web apps for merchants to accept payments in-store or on the go
  • Merchant portal for business management, reporting, business optimization, and more
  • Virtual Terminal for merchants who want to take card not present transactions using any device

“Paya is constantly looking for ways to innovate and provide our merchants what they need to grow their business and optimize their performance,” said Greg Cohen, President at Paya. “CardFlight’s SwipeSimple offering is a perfect fit with our leading-edge payment services. This collaboration allows us to offer our customers an advanced, secure mobile payment solution that helps answer many of their everyday business needs.”

Derek Webster, CEO at CardFlight, added “Paya is one of the leading merchant service providers in the United States because of their commitment to arming their merchants with quality solutions and service. As the leader in EMV enabled card readers and payment acceptance solutions, CardFlight is happy to collaborate with Paya and provide SwipeSimple to their merchants.”


Investment app Freetrade has launched a Crowdcube campaign

A next-generation investment app providing users with free stock trading has launched a Crowdcube campaign in a bid to raise over £1 million. In the past year, interest in Freetrade has skyrocketed with the app’s waiting list growing from 4,000 to 34,000 people.

The funding will be used by Freetrade to support its next phase of rapid expansion, including the growth of its customer service, product and engineering teams, expansion into EU markets, and to support the development of an Android app.

The London-based company is no stranger to crowdfunding campaigns, having previously launched two earlier funding rounds pre-product in which they overfunded and raised close to £1.3 million via the UK’s leading crowdfunding platform, Crowdcube. The last funding round had to be closed early after their goal of £300,000 was overfunded by £800,000.

Freetrade’s larger investors include managers of some of the world’s most successful funds, technology entrepreneurs with nine-figure exits under their belts, and City professionals from top tier law, consulting and accounting firms. Meanwhile, their smaller investors are ambitious up-and-comers who want to gain access to innovative, high growth companies.

Adam Dodds, CEO and Founder of Freetrade, said: “The best decision I’ve made as CEO was to crowdfund our initial capital on Crowdcube. It set the stage for everything that came after.

“But it was never just about raising capital to take our business to the next level. Each funding round provides an opportunity to bring in thousands more passionate shareholders who want to chage the rules of investing – just like we do.”


Wirecard Joins Forces With Garmin to Provide Garmin Smartwatch Owners a Fully Digital Payment Experience Through Its Flagship Product boon

Wirecard, the leading specialist for digital financial technology, has partnered with Garmin, the GPS technology company, to offer fully digital contactless payments. In the coming weeks, all customers of Garmin Pay in Europe will benefit from easy and secure mobile payments via boon at the point of sale.

boon by Wirecard is the industry’s first mobile payment solution that works completely independent of banks and network operators. In September 2017, Garmin entered the payments market with the vívoactive 3 smartwatch. As of now, users in France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK will be able to add their digital boon cards to Garmin Pay and make secure purchases with their Garmin vívoactive 3 or Garmin Forerunner 645 smartwatches anywhere Mastercard Contactless is accepted.