Fintech

Portuguese Development Bank Distributes €72 Million in Advance Payments to Over 1,100 Companies

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Banco Português de Fomento made advance payments of 72 million euros to 1,113 companies under the IFIC program covering reindustrialization, defense and security, and AI sectors. This represents 30% of approved support, with remaining 70% to be paid upon validation of expenses during investment execution. The bank has approved projects for nearly 3,000 companies totaling over 2.2 billion euros in investment, with approximately 1,500 contracts currently in execution representing 436 million euros in eligible investment.

Portuguese Executive Pedro Penalva Named CEO of Aon’s Latin America Region

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Aon, the world’s second largest insurance broker, appointed Portuguese executive Pedro Penalva as CEO of its Latin America region, effective July 1, 2026. Penalva previously served as CEO of Enterprise Clients for EMEA and brings over 15 years of experience at Aon, having held positions including CEO for Iberia, Africa, and Israel, and CEO of Aon Portugal.

European Banking Consortium Expands Qivalis to 37 Members Ahead of Euro Stablecoin Launch

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Qivalis, a consortium of European banks based in Amsterdam, has expanded to 37 member institutions from 15 countries to develop a euro-denominated stablecoin as an alternative to dollar-dominated stablecoins. The initiative plans to launch a regulated stablecoin in the second half of 2024, subject to regulatory approval. Portuguese banks are notably absent from the project so far, though it includes major banks from Spain, France, Italy, and Nordic countries.

London Payments Platform Primer Secures $100m Series C to Expand AI Capabilities and US Market Presence

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London-based payments infrastructure provider Primer raised $100m in Series C funding led by Sofina. The company, founded in 2020 by ex-PayPal employees, provides a platform allowing large e-commerce merchants to connect their entire payments stack and manage multiple payment service providers. Primer will use the funding to expand AI capabilities of its Primer Companion agent and accelerate US expansion, targeting US revenue to exceed one-third of total business by 2028.

RemotePass Secures $17.4 Million Series B to Expand Global Employment Platform Across Europe and US

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RemotePass, a global employment, payroll, and spend platform founded in 2021, raised $17.4 million in Series B funding. The company provides solutions for hiring, paying, and supporting workers across borders, covering EOR, contractor management, payroll, compliance, and fintech services. The platform recently launched SpendCards for corporate expenses and AI agents for workflow automation. RemotePass reached profitability in early 2025 and serves major clients including Logitech, Tata Group, InDrive, and Careem.

Euronext Reports Strong Q1 2026 Results With 16.7% Profit Growth Across European Exchanges

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Euronext, Europe’s leading continental stock exchange operator, reported strong Q1 2026 results with 16.7% net profit growth to 192.3 million euros and 15.3% revenue growth to 528.5 million euros. Equity market revenues surged 28.1% to 138.9 million euros, driven by high volatility and strong ETF growth, including contributions from the recently completed Athens Stock Exchange acquisition completed in late 2025. The company also noted benefits from the largest defense IPO in history (Czech Republic’s Czechoslovak Group) in January 2026.

Monzo hits £1bn gross profit milestone as UK digital bank accelerates European expansion into Spain

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Monzo, the London-based digital bank, has achieved £1bn in gross profit for the first time and announced its third consecutive year of profitability with a 20% rise in adjusted profit before tax to £172.6m. The fintech is expanding aggressively across Europe, having launched in Ireland in April with 100k customers on the waitlist and announcing Spain as its next market with offices in Barcelona and Madrid. The bank recorded 3m new customers this year and saw business banking customers grow 45% to over 905k.

Commerzbank Board Rejects UniCredit’s €39 Billion Takeover Bid, Urges Shareholders to Decline

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Commerzbank formally rejected UniCredit’s takeover bid valued at €39 billion, claiming it undervalues the bank by 5.6% and carries significant risks. The board recommended shareholders reject the stock exchange proposal, citing vague integration plans and unrealistic synergy estimates. Commerzbank is promoting its independent ‘Momentum 2030’ strategy instead.

Portuguese Bank Launches First Homegrown Stablecoin Compliant with EU Crypto Rules

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Bison Bank, a Portuguese bank specializing in investment banking, custodial services, corporate advisory and cryptocurrency services, launched the first Portuguese stablecoin with two versions indexed to the euro and US dollar. The stablecoin was designed to enable fast, secure and transparent international payments and transfers in compliance with the EU’s MiCA regulation.