Turtlemint Files for IPO; Toss expands to Australia | TWIF - 14th Sep, 2025

Turtlemint, an insurance distribution startup, filed confidential Initial Public Offering (IPO) documents with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Sundaram Home Financelaunched 8-10 emerging business branches in smaller Karnataka towns in first expansion phase.

SWIFTengaged with India's finance ministry and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to accelerate cross-border payment speeds, targeting G20's goal of completing 75% of transactions within one hour by 2027.

Temasek-backed Fullerton Financialincreased investment in Lendingkart Finance by INR 2,000cr ($231M) planning to disburse secured loans from its own balance sheet in fiscal year FY26.

Gold ETFs in India reported INR 2,189cr ($250M) in August inflows, representing 74% MoM growth and 36% YoY increase, driven by portfolio diversification and global economic uncertainties.

ICICI Bankopened a specialised branch in Bengaluru targeting startups, offering comprehensive digital and personal banking services with dedicated relationship management.

Life insurance industry in India reported 6.2% YoY growth in new business premiums from INR 1.54 lakh crore ($17bn) to INR 1.63 lakh crore ($19bn), driven by private sector's 10% premium increase despite 8.87% decline in policy volumes.

Bajaj Finance is targeting INR 10 lakh crore ($113bn) loan book by FY2029.

Indifi Technologies, a small business finance startup, reported INR 360cr ($41M) revenue in FY25, growing 22% YoY with EBITDA of INR 107cr ($12M).

HDFC Bankpartnered withINDmoney to enable seamless trading, instant savings accounts, and unified customer journeys through native API-based collaboration.

PhonePepartnered with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to offer digital Udyam Assist Platform registration for micro enterprises, enabling access to government schemes and digital payments ecosystem.

JioBlackRock Mutual Fundlaunched FlexiCap Fund on Sep 23, using BlackRock's Systematic Active Equity platform with 95% technology-driven investment process.

Viyona Fintechreceived NPCI approval to operate as Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP), enabling UPI services through GraamPay platform targeting farmers and local merchants

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) updated Angel Investment Fund (AIF) Regulations, providing new compliance guidelines for angel investors.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) considered giving lenders permission to remotely lock mobile phones purchased on credit if borrowers defaulted on small loans below INR 100,000 ($1,133).

GrowXCD Finance, a small business finance startup, raised INR 200 Cr ($23M).

OneAssist, a post-sales device service startup, raised INR 108 Cr ($12.3M) in a mixed debt and equity funding.

Presolv360, an Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) startup, raised INR 41 crore ($4.7M).

AutoDukan, an automobile aftermarket and financing startup, raised $100K.

Toss, a South Korean fintech unicorn, launched its finance super-app in Australia and will explore won-based stablecoin by end of 2025.

Siam Validus, a joint venture between Validus Group and SCG Distribution, joined Thailand's National Credit Bureau (NCB), enabling near-instant loan approvals for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and improving credit data transparency.

JCBlaunched new brand identity in Vietnam, incorporating Dong Ho folk art and weekend discounts at multiple merchants, targeting deeper market engagement.

LemFipartnered withGCash to enable instant, zero-fee money transfers to 94M Filipino mobile wallet users in North America, United Kingdom, and Europe.

Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke urgedHong Kong to view ASEAN as a unified bloc of 700M people, highlighting potential for fintech, green finance, and logistics innovation across 10 member states.

Singaporeregistered 207% YoY rise in identity fraud in 2024, with AI-generated scams becoming increasingly sophisticated and deepfake attacks growing 240% in the Asia-Pacific region.

Fireblocksintroduced global payments network supporting stablecoin transactions across 100+ countries, connecting local payment rails and processing over $10tn in digital asset transfers.

Naver Financial, KakaoPay and Toss and South Korea turned profitable and accelerated global market expansion strategies in Q2 2025.

Ant International's Bettr launched an AI-driven accounts receivable financing solution for online sellers, offering rapid working capital access through advanced credit risk assessment.

StripelaunchedStripe Capital in Australia, offering fast financing to Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) using payment processing data, targeting businesses experiencing growth challenges.

Experian in Singapore launched a Perpetual Monitoring solution to support Know Your Customer (KYC) checks, enabling continuous customer data monitoring and risk flagging for financial institutions.

State Bank of Pakistanstarted CBDC research to develop digital currency alternative to physical cash, targeting improved financial inclusion and transaction traceability.

Vietnaminitiated a five-year cryptocurrency trading pilot program to explore regulatory frameworks and support regional fintech innovation.

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) launched Green Investments Partnership (GIP), raising $510M from public, private, and philanthropic investors to support sustainable infrastructure projects across Southeast and South Asia.

Recoveris, a Swiss blockchain intelligence firm, raised CHF 1M ($1.1M) from Singapore-based VerifyVasp to develop AI-driven blockchain investigation platform.

Send Payments, a Sydney-based cross-border payments startup, raised $5M.