Grayscale, Starling, and Figure Line Up for IPOs (TWIF 7/20)

Grayscale, a crypto asset manager known for its Bitcoin Trust and digital currency investment products, filed confidentially for a U.S. IPO to transition into a publicly traded company.

Figure Technologies, a blockchain-based lending and financial services platform, plans an IPO to capitalize on public market interest in fintech and digital assets.

Starling Bank, a UK-based digital bank serving consumers and SMEs, is eyeing a potential listing on the NYSE as it explores global expansion.

Ageras, a fintech providing financial tools for small businesses, made its 8th acquisition by buying Danish payroll company Salary to expand its accounting suite.

Lloyds Banking Group, one of the UK’s largest retail and commercial banks, entered talks to acquire Curve, a digital wallet startup known for consolidating multiple cards into one platform.

Doorvest, a platform for real estate investing and property management, acquiredWreno, a real estate operations platform, to enhance its infrastructure and pursue further acquisitions in the property management space.

DealMaker, the $2 billion retail capital-raising platform, acquiredRally On, the video creative agency that has driven $250 million in online investments

Elliott Management, an activist investor is building a stake in Global Payments, signaling potential takeover or board attempt.

Computershareemerged as a potential buyer for equity platform PrimaryBid.

Wagestreamacquired pension technology provider Zippen to expand its financial wellbeing offerings.

Codasigned a definitive agreement to acquire Clearword, aiming to enhance AI-powered meeting and documentation capabilities.

Talos, an institutional crypto trading platform, acquired blockchain analytics firm Coin Metrics to bolster its data capabilities; the deal involved backing from a16z, General Atlantic, and Coinbase.

Citadel SecuritiesboughtMorgan Stanley’s electronic options market making business, underscoring how high-frequency trading firms now dominate an industry once ruled by Wall Street banks.

Huntington Bancshares, a U.S. regional bank, announced its acquisition of Capstone Partners, a middle-market investment bank, to expand its advisory and capital markets services.