Fintech Focus For May 5, 2021

Quote To Start The Day: Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood.

Source: George Orwell

One Big Thing In Fintech: S&P Dow Jones Indices, the firm behind the ubiquitous S&P 500, announced Tuesday the launch of three new crypto indexes. The launches lay the foundation of a business that can touch a wide range of financial services companies.

Source: The Block

Other Key Fintech Developments:

• Capital One exec launches a fintech.
• Cboe expanded product suite, reach.
• Liberty selected Alkami for bank tech.
• Fiserv bought Pineapple fintech firm.
• HoneyBook passed a $1B valuation.
• Vlad Tenev on speeding settlement.
• Refinitiv, FinTech Studios teamed up.
• AccessFintech, SIX partner on data.
• Fidelity Investments intros Sherlock.
• Francisco creates investing platform.
• ex-CFTC chair joined Fidelity fintech.
• CrossTower reports record volumes.
• Formations taps Xero for accounting.
• WallStreetBets intros blockchain tech.
• METACO adds Tezos staking ability.
• Brazil-based alt.bank raises Series A.

Watch Out For This: The coronavirus wave that plunged India into the world’s biggest health crisis has the potential to worsen in the coming weeks, with some research models projecting that the death toll could more than double from current levels.

Source: Bloomberg

Interesting Reads:

• Burger King packaging going green.
• SpaceX launching Starlink satellites.
• The impact of capital gains changes.
• YouTube improves the ad experience.
• The booming US recovery is uneven.
• Twitter bought reading service Scroll.

Market Moving Headline: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Tuesday afternoon she wasn’t forecasting interest-rate increases to rein in any inflation spurred by President Joe Biden’s proposed spending, clarifying comments that ruffled financial markets a few hours earlier.

“It’s not something I’m predicting or recommending,” Yellen, a former Federal Reserve chair, said during an online event hosted by the Wall Street Journal. “If anyone appreciates the independence of the Federal Reserve, I think that person is me.”

Source: Bloomberg