Wirecard HQ

Wirecard: Germany’s financial crime unit failed to pass on reports of suspicious trading

Roger Baird

Germany’s financial crime unit handed police “only two” of a 1,000 reports it had about suspicious trading activity at Wirecard before the payments firm collapsed in June. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) passed on only a couple of reports about the former fintech champion before June, according to the Munich public prosecutor on Tuesday. Wirecard…

UK challenger bank Monzo launches premium and free business accounts

Monzo sees losses double, pandemic raises ‘going concern’ doubts 

Roger Baird

Monzo said its annual losses doubled and added the coronavirus pandemic raised concerns about the digital bank’s ability to continue as a “going concern”. The fintech posted an annual post-tax loss of £113.8m in its 2020 accounts, up from the £47.1m of losses it posted last year, as it hired new staff and launched in…

On-the-run Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek used Bitcoin to fund his escape to Russia where he is under security service protection.  

Wirecard executive used Bitcoin to flee to Russian hideout

Roger Baird

On-the-run Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek (pictured) used Bitcoin to fund his escape to Russia where he is under security service protection. Marsalek is a central figure in the collapse of the German fintech payments company, which filed for insolvency last month with debts of €4bn, after the discovery a €1.9bn accounting black hole that auditor…

Wirecard chief operating officer Jan Marsalek

On-the-run Wirecard executive holed up in Belarus, says report

Roger Baird

Secretive former Wirecard chief operating officer Jan Marsalek (pictured, far right) has made his way to Belarus or Russia. Marsalek is a central figure in the collapse of the German fintech payments company, which filed for insolvency last month with debts of €4bn, after the discovery a €1.9bn accounting black hole that auditor EY said…

Monzo Plus

Monzo relaunches £5-a-month premium account to boost revenues

Roger Baird

Monzo has relaunched its premium account as digital banks look for new ways to boost revenue. The UK lender has revamped its Monzo Plus account, which costs £5 ($6.30) a month and comes with perks including 1% interest on balances of up to £2000 and a holographic bank card. The bank pulled its first Plus…

Revolut adds silver trading to commodities services

Roger Baird

Revolut has launched a silver trading operation as part of the digital bank’s plans to broaden its fee-paying services to its large customer base. The London-based lender said on Tuesday it will sell silver to account holders in the commodities tab in the wealth section of its app. The feature has an auto-exchange option, which…

Wirecard chief executive Markus Braun

Hedge funds pocket $1.7bn betting on Wirecard collapse

Galina Mikova

Ten hedge funds including Coatue Management have likely benefited from the collapse Wirecard this week. The companies are estimated to have made are more than  €1.5bn ($1.7bn) from bets against the German payments firm. Right before Wirecard fired for insolvency on Thursday, its shares crashed to  €,2.5 from  €,104.5 a week ago, before the company…

Wirecard files for insolvency, black hole widens to $4bn

Mohit Oberoi

German payments firm Wirecard filed for insolvency on Thursday as it was revealed the black hole in its accounts means it owes creditors almost $4bn. The national fintech champion was worth $28bn after it was admitted to the DAX stock index two years ago, but now becomes the first company to the admitted to the…

Former Wirecard boss released on bail in missing €2bn case

Galina Mikova

The former boss of Wirecard, the German payments firm where almost €2bn has gone missing, has been released on bail by the police. Markus Braun (pictured) posted €5m set by a Munich court and walked free one day after turning himself in on Monday evening and being arrested by police, his lawyer Alfred Dierlamm told…

P2P lender Zopa launches digital bank

Roger Baird

The world’s oldest peer-to-peer lender Zopa launched its bank on Wednesday, offering a market-leading savings account in a bid to tempt customers. The UK fintech is offering a fixed-term savings account over one to five years, at interest rates ranging from 1.10% to 1.60%, at a time when the Bank of England rate is 0.1%….