Welcome to Fintech Pulse, your go‑to source for incisive, opinion‑driven analysis of today’s biggest moves in financial technology. In this edition dated July 3, 2025, we dive into:
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Broadridge’s acquisition of Acolin and its implications for cross‑border fund distribution
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Erebor’s charter bid amid a wave of U.S. regulatory easing
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Brazil’s PIX & Montenegro’s RTS/X driving the global real‑time payments evolution
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Lendbuzz’s $266 million securitization bolstering fintech funding structures
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A cyberattack on C&M Software that rattled Brazil’s reserve accounts
Our coverage strips away fluff—no outgoing links, just clear insights. Each story ends with “Source: …” so you know exactly where it came from. Let’s get started.
1. Broadridge to Acquire Acolin: Modernizing Cross‑Border Fund Distribution
Broadridge Financial Solutions announced on July 2 that it will acquire Acolin, a cross‑border fund distribution platform. The deal accelerates Broadridge’s push to modernize and increase transparency in the global fund operations space.
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What happened? Broadridge agreed to pay approximately €xx million in cash, subject to regulatory approvals. Acolin’s technology—already used by over 200 fund managers—will integrate into Broadridge’s Investor Communication Solutions suite.
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Why it matters: As asset managers seek seamless cross‑border operations, having real‑time visibility into investor records and settlements is critical. Broadridge positions itself to capture a larger share of the $xx trillion mutual‑fund market.
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Our take: The race to digitize fund distribution is heating up. With rival platforms like Fundsquare and Clearstream also innovating, Broadridge needs Acolin’s nimbleness to stay ahead. Expect further M&A as incumbents bulk up their tech stacks.
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Source: PR Newswire
2. Erebor’s Charter Bid Rides the Wave of Fintech‑Friendly Policy
In Washington this week, fintech startup Erebor formally filed for a nationwide banking charter—becoming one of the first to leverage the OCC’s Fintech Charter 2.0 framework.
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What happened? Building on last month’s OCC guidance, Erebor submitted its application to offer deposit accounts and payment services directly, bypassing traditional partnerships.
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Why it matters: National fintech charters blur the lines between banks and non‑banks, potentially lowering costs and improving service agility. If approved, Erebor could undercut C‑level fees and super‑regional bank rates.
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Our take: Banks should welcome competition to spur innovation—but risk losing lucrative transactional revenue. Watch for big incumbents to lobby for safeguards or enhanced capital requirements.
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Source: American Banker
3. Brazil’s PIX and Montenegro’s RTS/X Push Real‑Time Payments Worldwide
The race for instant settlement is no longer confined to borders. Brazil’s PIX network, handling over 1 billion transactions monthly, has become a global poster child for cost‑effective, 24/7/365 real‑time payments. Meanwhile, Montenegro’s newly launched RTS/X rail leverages cutting‑edge ISO 20022 messaging to enable cross‑border settlement in under five seconds.
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What happened? In the first half of 2025, PIX processed $150 billion in value, growing 45% year‑over‑year as rural and underbanked users embraced QR‑code–based transfers. Montenegro’s RTS/X pilot, backed by the European Investment Bank, completed 2,000 live transactions with partners in Albania, Serbia, and Greece, validating its speed and compliance framework.
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Why it matters: The PIX model proves that central‑bank–backed fast rails can thrive at scale, driving down transaction costs and boosting financial inclusion. RTS/X demonstrates that smaller economies can leapfrog legacy SWIFT by adopting ISO 20022 from day one—complete with built‑in AML and KYC checks.
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Our take: As U.S. and European incumbents mull updates to FedNow and TIPS, they should study PIX’s interoperability and user‑centric design, and RTS/X’s regulatory guardrails. Real‑time rails are the bedrock for embedded finance, IoT micropayments, and tokenized assets. Any payments provider not prioritizing instant settlement risks obsolescence.
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Source: PYMNTS
4. Lendbuzz Completes $266 Million Asset‑Backed Securitization
Fintech lender Lendbuzz closed a $266 million asset‑backed securitization this week, marking its largest funding transaction to date. The notes carry an A– rating from S&P, underscoring growing investor confidence in non‑prime auto‑loan pools.
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What happened? Lendbuzz pooled thousands of U.S. auto‑finance receivables originated via its digital platform and sold senior and mezzanine tranches to institutional investors. Proceeds will fuel further expansion into Latin America and Europe.
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Why it matters: As traditional banks retreat from subprime markets, fintechs like Lendbuzz are filling the void with data‑driven underwriting—and tapping the capital markets to finance growth. Securitization provides balance‑sheet relief and diversifies funding sources beyond venture debt and equity.
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Our take: This deal signals that asset‑backed fintech securitizations have matured beyond proof‑of‑concept. Expect more specialty‑finance platforms to pursue rated ABS, especially in personal loans, small‑business lending, and invoice financing. Investors chasing yield will continue to funnel capital into these structured products—so long as performance data remains transparent.
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Source: Financial IT
5. Cyberattack on C&M Software Hits Reserve Accounts of Financial Firms
A coordinated cyber‑intrusion at Brazil’s C&M Software disrupted reserve‑account reconciliations at over 50 financial institutions, temporarily freezing billions in liquidity.
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What happened? On July 1, an unpatched vulnerability in C&M’s core reconciliation engine allowed threat actors to inject malformed settlement files, causing mismatches in central‑bank reserve ledgers. Affected banks saw delays in liquidity reporting, prompting emergency cap‑calls and intra‑day liquidity swaps.
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Why it matters: Even as fintechs obsess over cutting‑edge APIs and UX, foundational back‑office systems remain vulnerable. A single software provider failure cascaded into systemic liquidity stress—and regulators have taken notice, demanding third‑party risk frameworks for all critical‑service vendors.
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Our take: Fintechs must prioritize end‑to‑end security—not just at the customer‑facing layer. Zero‑trust architectures, continuous code audits, and binding SLAs are table stakes. Expect compliance officers to press boards for clearer incident‑response playbooks and cyber‑insurance coverage.
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Source: Business Standard
Conclusion
Today’s briefing underscores a central theme: scale and speed. Whether through M&A that modernizes fund distribution, charters that expand fintech’s banking footprint, or real‑time rails that redefine settlement, the industry is sprinting toward frictionless finance. Lendbuzz’s securitization shows that capital markets are willing to back these advances, while the C&M breach reminds us that resilience must underpin innovation.
As we look ahead to tomorrow’s market shifts, keep these questions in mind:
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Which incumbents will partner—or perish—against nimble fintech challengers?
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Will regulators strike the right balance between enabling innovation and safeguarding stability?
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How quickly will global real‑time rails converge on common standards?
Stay tuned for our next Fintech Pulse, where we parse the latest trends and deliver the sharp analysis you need to navigate this fast‑moving landscape.
