Tom Matsuda

London

Fintech Reporter at Sifted

fintech reporter @siftedeu | @jschofieldtrust fellow '24 | words in The Block, Business Insider, Japan Times, Al Jazeera

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Articles

Klarna CEO dials down AI ambitions with human hiring push

5 days ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski is reportedly rolling back the Swedish fintech’s reliance on AI in a new recruiting drive. Founded in 2005, Klarna helped BNPL (buy now, pay later) checkout options go mainstream, and came close to going public on the New York Stock Exchange earlier this year.
Qonto power players: the leadership team behind the French fintech unicorn

1 week ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

French fintech Qonto is one of Europe’s top fintechs in the business banking space. Founded in 2016 by Alexandre Prot and Steve Anavi, Qonto provides banking and financial services to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and freelancers. The company has raised over $600m in funding from investors to date, including Valar Ventures, Tiger Global and DST Global and last raised a Series D funding round in 2022 at a €4.4bn valuation.
Revolut and N26 want to disrupt the telecoms industry. Can they succeed?

1 week ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

European neobanks Revolut and N26 are gearing up to enter the telecoms market, both companies announced earlier this week. Over the past decade, Europe’s fast-growing neobanks largely acted as branchless payment platforms, but soon expanded into a range of services — from business banking to travel insurance, savings accounts and stock trading. Now they’re looking to disrupt another industry: Europe’s €500bn telecommunications market.
Revolut to take on telecom industry with mobile plan push

2 weeks ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

Revolut will soon offer mobile plans in the UK and Germany in a move that will see it take on some of the continent’s largest telecom operators. Founded by Nikolay Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko in 2015 as a financial travel app, Revolut has since expanded into various services, including business banking, travel insurance, savings and stock trading. Since February last year, it’s also offered an eSim product, which enables users to access data without the need for a physical SIM card.
Exclusive: UK payments fintech Navro raises $41m to fuel global expansion

2 weeks ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

Navro, a London-based payments fintech, has raised $41m in funding, which it will use to expand globally and fund an upcoming crypto product. Founded by Aran Brown and Eddie Harrison in 2022, Navro creates application programming interfaces (APIs) — tools enabling different software to interact — allowing international businesses to send and receive international payments with a variety of payment options.
London IPO market could benefit from ‘Americans shooting themselves in the foot’, says former UK finance minister

2 weeks ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

Former UK finance minister Philip Hammond says the market volatility unleashed by US President Donald Trump’s recent barrage of tariffs could prompt more British fintechs to list in their home country. London raised just $1bn from IPOs last year, pushing UK capital markets to 20th place in a ranking of global IPO venues compiled by Bloomberg. Spain, Turkey and Oman were among the venues to have outperformed the UK capital.
Exclusive: Coinbase and Founders Factory to launch UK crypto and AI accelerator

2 weeks ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

US crypto giant Coinbase has unveiled plans for a new crypto and AI accelerator in the UK, even as some in the digital asset industry withdraw from the country. The accelerator will see Coinbase partner with UK venture studio Founders Factory and crypto investors Animoca Brands and Fabric Ventures to create a 16-week program for founders building in the blockchain and AI space.
Inside Revolut’s boardroom as the UK’s biggest fintech reports record profits

2 weeks ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

Revolut is one of Europe’s most valuable companies. Founded in 2015 by Nik Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko as a financial travel app, it’s since expanded into various verticals including business banking, travel insurance, savings and stock trading. The neobank has also raised more than $1.5bn in primary funding from investors such as Balderton and Lakestar and last August minted a $45bn valuation in an employee share sale.
European crypto firm RockawayX closes $125m fund amid renewed interest in digital assets

2 weeks ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

RockawayX, a European crypto VC firm founded in Prague, has closed a $125m fund amid renewed interest in blockchain technology. Following a bruising crypto winter that saw VC investment plunge from $21.2bn in 2022 to $4.1bn in 2023 globally, regulatory changes in Europe and friendly policies pursued by Donald Trump have provided respite for those interested in the asset class.
Revolut reports £1bn in profits as it plots UK banking service rollout

2 weeks ago | sifted.eu | Tom Matsuda

Profits at Revolut have surged to over £1bn as the UK financial super app prepares to roll out its UK banking services in 2025. Founded by Nikolay Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko in 2015 as a financial travel app, Revolut has since expanded into various services, including business banking, travel insurance, savings and stock trading. Revolut posted £1.1bn in pre-tax profit according to financial results covering the year of 2024 released today, compared to the £438m the year before.