The large story at the moment is that Elon Musk’s Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has bought $1.5 billion in Bitcoin. The knowledge was disclosed in a 10-Okay submitting with the Securities and Alternate Fee. Whereas the precise timing of the acquisition was not disclosed, Tesla is most actually within the black on the acquisition because the information has pushed Bitcoin to new all-time highs.

Tesla is just not the primary publicly traded firm to buy Bitcoin. Fintechs like Sq. and PayPal made waves after they did the identical. Different traded companies have additionally made bulletins they’ve bought Bitcoin both as a hedge in opposition to inflation or just as diversifying into a brand new asset class. Bitcoin is continuously described as digital gold – restricted in provide and considerably resistant to being deflated. As Crowdfund Insider reported earlier at the moment, some crypto trade insiders consider that Tesla’s transfer will compel different companies to purchase Bitcoin and maybe different digital belongings.

So may Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) be the subsequent large company to purchase into the world’s hottest cryptocurrency? Maybe. Or possibly it is going to present a crypto service for its tons of of thousands and thousands of customers.

Apple, the biggest firm on the earth, is already shifting within the route of including extra monetary companies to its portfolio. Actually, it’s a part of a lobbying group that advocates on behalf of Large Tech in Fintech. It already powers its Apple Pay platform, digital pockets, and in style Apple Card (in partnership with Goldman Sachs). As reported by Bloomberg, one securities analyst at RBC Capital Markets, Mitch Steves, believes that Apple ought to comply with Tesla and transfer into crypto however not by shopping for BTC however by launching a crypto alternate.

And whereas regulatory questions are at all times a priority, Apple may outsource the operation of any crypto choices to one among plenty of institutionally centered companies offering back-end companies to monetary companies companies including crypto to their platforms. Similar to it does with its Apple Card.

Talking on CNBC, Steves mentioned a crypto alternate is a multi-billion alternative for Apple and a comparatively easy job. Steves has an outperform goal on Apple with a $171 value goal so he’s already bullish on shares within the firm. In fact, if Apple made an announcement like this, shares in Apple would undoubtedly transfer increased as would Bitcoin.

Is that this fully outdoors the realm of risk? No, in truth, a while in the past in 2019 an Apple govt mentioned they have been watching cryptocurrency.

“We expect it’s fascinating. We expect it has fascinating long-term potential.”

However this contrasts with a separate report the place Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner mentioned that they had little interest in cryptocurrency – extra particularly with reference to pursuing one thing akin to Fb’s try to create a worldwide non-sovereign digital forex. However that may be a bit completely different than permitting its customers to maneuver cash from {dollars} (or one other fiat forex) into BTC. Whereas I might not maintain my breath you need to anticipate that Apple, at a minimal, has mentioned the professionals and cons of Bitcoin and enabling crypto in its digital pockets internally.

FINTECH.TV, a U.S.-based fintech specialised in impression investing and digital asset media community for broadcast, over-the-top (OTT), and digital distribution, introduced on Monday it lately closed a multimillion-dollar (USD) strategic funding spherical, which was led by strategic funding arm for India-based Bennett Coleman & CO., Model Capital Worldwide.

Based in 2013 and launched in 2019 by media and content material enterprise Molinari Media, FINTECH.TV was created to ship the most recent information and rising tendencies from NYSE, NASDAQ, LSEG, and alternate studios around the globe that covers finance, enterprise, digital property, expertise, and sustainable funding information.

“FINTECH.TV affords two devoted channels – the Digital Asset Report (DAR) and TheIMPACT – with further content material and options being introduced over the approaching months with first-rate companions. This international footprint with trade veterans has created essentially the most credible media platform for broadcast information, interviews, and in-depth protection as humanity experiences unprecedented disruption in finance, enterprise, and expertise.”

FINTECH.TV additionally revealed that the funding spherical’s funds shall be used to help its international enlargement throughout Africa, Center East, the Nordics, and India. Vince Molinari, CEO of FINTECH.TV, said:

“The continuation of world validation of our core perception at FINTECH.TV to amplify voices of subsequent era from sustainability to digital infrastructure whereas serving to capital markets to create  and engineer the worth aligned product has been very humbling, particularly this early in our journey. We’re thrilled by this partnership and capital infusion from The Instances of India Group, and consider this may spur distribution, thus increasing our viewership and company footprint.”

Full particulars concerning the funding spherical haven’t been disclosed presently.

InvestX, a U.S.-based non-public fairness market, lately introduced the launch of its new buying and selling platform, GEM. Based on InvestX, GEM delivers entry to “Pre-IPO Giants” by permitting broker-dealers to simply transact in non-public fairness by means of an intuitive, dependable, and clear know-how answer. The GEM acronym is consultant of the high-growth business, Progress Fairness Market.

“InvestX GEM was designed to ship broader entry, liquidity, and innovation by means of real-time info, price-discovery and know-how. GEM eliminates the standard lengthy holds of personal investing and permits for block and single share buying and selling. The platform is a cloud-based answer that may be related by way of a web-based login or a FIX protocol, which integrates immediately with the back-end methods of broker-dealers, additional facilitating the digital buying and selling of personal securities.”

Whereas sharing extra particulars in regards to the platform, Marcus New, CEO and Chief Entrepreneur of InvestX, said:

“As this asset class continues to blow up, we’re excited to introduce a subsequent technology digital platform to extra simply facilitate non-public market transactions. We proceed to work to democratize investing in non-public fairness, and our market does simply that by creating new alternatives for accessing and buying and selling within the as soon as elusive non-public markets.”

InvestX added that GEM connects broker-dealers with entry to shares of personal billion-dollar know-how firms and provides them a platform to commerce these shares.

Based in 2014, InvestX states it delivers entry, liquidity, and innovation to the non-public fairness asset class by means of investments in pre-IPO giants on a buying and selling platform. The corporate additionally empowers broker-dealers and advisors with a market, know-how, and insights for investing and buying and selling in institutional-quality non-public fairness with out conventional multimillion-dollar funding minimums.

UK-based self-proclaimed Airbnb for boats, Borrow A Boat, is about to shut its newest fairness crowdfunding marketing campaign on Seedrs with practically £500,000 in funding. The funding spherical, which launched final month initially searching for £250,000, has attracted greater than 370 traders.

As beforehand reported, the Borrow A Boat platform was launched by boat lovers and is described as a market for boat constitution worldwide that options peer-to-peer listings.

“Borrow A Boat’s boat constitution market lets you guide boats of every type on-line for constitution – whether or not a brief discover request for day rent, a protracted weekend on board, or a 7-14 day boating journey to your summer season vacation. With entry to over 35,000 boats listed in 65+ nations, we perceive Borrow A Boat to be the UK’s main boat constitution market – and was the headline sponsor of the UK’s largest boat present in 2019 – the Southampton Worldwide Boat Present powered by Borrow A Boat.”

With worldwide enlargement on the agenda, Borrow A Boat reported it goals to launch into eight new nations in 2021 because it lays the inspiration for the subsequent stage of progress.

“Borrow A Boat makes it free for boat house owners and boat constitution fleets to listing their boats on the platform and earns a fee on each reserving – between 15% and 20% of each reserving relying, with charges various by area and boat sort.”

Funds from the Seedrs spherical will probably be used to proceed the expansion and improvement of the Borrow a Boat program.

Saudi Arabia’s enterprise capital funds are more and more seeking to faucet into Fintech, digital commerce, and healthcare segments this 12 months.

VC exercise has elevated significantly within the MENA area together with Saudi Arabia through the previous few years, with native startups recording a 55% year-over-year development in funds raised in 2020, in accordance to a report from Arab Information which cited estimates from MAGNiTT.

In a post-COVID world, there are just a few sectors in Saudi Arabia which have emerged pretty much as good candidates for VC funding because the pandemic has accelerated the shift in the direction of all-digital providers and applied sciences.

In statements shared with Argaam, Philip Bahoshy, CEO at MAGNiTT, famous:

“Startups in Saudi Arabia noticed an elevated inflow of capital in the direction of industries that witnessed a surge in demand through the pandemic, like Fintech and e-commerce.”

Fund of Funds Co. (Jada), which is part of the Public Funding Fund (PIF), has reportedly invested SR 1 billion (appr. $266.6 million) in 14 personal fairness and enterprise capital funds primarily based in Saudi Arabia. Firm CEO Adel Al Ateeq mentioned that with extra enterprise capital funds and angel investor exercise within the Center East, the Saudi Kingdom is now witnessing a substantial enhance within the total high quality and amount in deal stream for Fintech and e-commerce companies (amongst different initiatives).

Al Ateeq added:

“Driving this shift are the sectors, that are capable of leverage on upscaling by rising fourth industrial revolution applied sciences by design, together with these in Fintech, training, healthcare, gaming, logistics and e-commerce.”

He additionally talked about that these startups have seen an unbelievable 2020 due to speedy digital transformation of many sectors because of the COVID outbreak. Al Ateeq believes we should always see much more of the identical this 12 months.

Wassim Basrawi, MD) of Wa’ed, the entrepreneurship division of Saudi Aramco, mentioned that extra funding for firms or companies that can assist digital transformation ought to be anticipated.

Basrawi added that his agency expects to see “robust curiosity” this 12 months within the well being tech, Fintech, and digital commerce area. The Coronavirus disaster hasn’t actually impacted as many early-stage ventures as a result of they normally present distant options which can be capable of reduce bodily contact, Basrawi defined. He additionally talked about that they count on this pattern to “outlast the virus.”

The Dhahran-headquartered initiative has managed to triple the quantity of funds it loaned to native startups final 12 months, and it additionally financed different revolutionary initiatives with enterprise capital.

Within the MENA area, investor curiosity for bigger investments in mature companies has additionally seen a gentle enhance in demand as a consequence of COVID and the ensuing socioeconomic uncertainty.

Ali Abussaud, the Managing Accomplice at Hala Ventures, said that VCs at the moment are much more cautious earlier than they determine to offer funding. For instance, they’ll carefully take a look at the staff’s expertise, their enterprise technique, and their cash-flow.

Abussaud remarked:

“Enterprise fashions that had been confirmed weak through the pandemic won’t be a goal marketplace for VCs anymore. Most startups that did not survive the pandemic will be unable to boost funds simply with an exception for robust founder/s who had been capable of pivot into a brand new enterprise mannequin and make a optimistic turnaround.”

As coated just lately, UAE primarily based funding advisory agency Sarwa has acquired an experimental Fintech allow to supply providers in Saudi Arabia.

As reported in December 2020, many extra customers within the Saudi Kingdom at the moment are utilizing on-line platforms following the COVID outbreak. Additionally in December, it was reported that the nation has seen an “explosion” of Fintech companies due to assist from the nation’s authorities.

The Governor of the Saudi Arabian Financial Authority has additionally emphasised the significance of Fintech innovation whereas supporting aggressive companies. The Saudi capital of Riyadh and Bahrain had been named as the highest regional Fintech ecosystems to observe carefully final 12 months.