EMEA Daily: Spanish Startup Vivla Raises $29.7M

In today’s top Europe, Middle East and Africa news, Spain’s Vivla has raised nearly $30 million to support home ownership in Europe, and African FinTech Flutterwave has won approval from the Bank of Tanzania to launch its service.

Plus, British automotive market Auto Trader is poised to acquire U.K. auto leasing market Autorama, the founder of ChronoPay has been charged with money laundering, and Global Processing Services has partnered with Mastercard to launch FinTech card programs in Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Spanish Property Tech Startup Vivla Raises $29.7M

Spain’s Vivla, a property tech startup, has raised €27 million ($29.7 million) in a funding round led by Samaipata. With the new funding, Vivla has become the highest-funded home ownership startup in Europe, per a EU-Startups report.

While millions of Europeans are seeking homes for long term stays, in southern Europe, 18 million homes are occupied only 15% of the time. Fractional homeownership could be the perfect solution for them, as the trend has seen massive growth recently, appealing to a new generation of homeowners.

FinTech Flutterwave Debuts in Tanzania

Flutterwave, an African FinTech, has been granted approval from the Bank of Tanzania to launch its service in the East African nation. The firm said it will open offices in Dar, the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania, and drive digital payments by enabling merchants and customers to trade through its platform.

UK’s Auto Trader Acquires Leasing Market Autorama

British automotive market Auto Trader is set to acquire U.K. auto leasing market Autorama, the company announced Tuesday (March 22).

Under its “Vanarama” brand, Autorama aggregates leasing deals from multiple funders and original equipment manufacturers. The company expects this acquisition to accelerate Vanarama’s recent expansion by accessing the Auto Trader brand.

ChronoPay Founder Charged with Payment Scam in Russia

The founder of Russian payment technology company ChronoPay, Pavel Vrublevsky, has been charged with money laundering by Russian authorities.

Brian Krebs, a journalist who has covered Vrublevsky, wrote the businessman is accused of operating a number of fraudulent SMS-based payment schemes, while also facilitating money laundering for Hydra, Russia’s largest darknet marketplace.

Mastercard, Global Processing Services Team on FinTech Payments Tech

Global Processing Services (GPS), a global payment technology platform, has partnered with Mastercard to launch card programs for FinTechs in Europe and Asia-Pacific, including Revolut, Starling Bank and Curve.

GPS secured more than $400 million in capital from investors, including Advent International, Singapore global investment platform Temasek and U.S.-based growth equity firm MissionOG.

EU Lawmaker: Europe Should Benefit From AI Rules

European Parliament member Svenja Hahn told Reuters this week that Europe’s proposed artificial intelligence rules should try to benefit from the technology instead of hindering it.

“There should be a general positive approach towards artificial intelligence,” Hahn said.

Gemini Payments Granted Digital Money License in Ireland

Gemini Payments has been granted a license to issue digital money in Ireland, The Irish Times reported Tuesday (March 22).

The affiliate of the New York-based crypto exchange Gemini Trust Co. was founded by billionaire investor twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and the digital money approval was issued by the Central Bank of Ireland.

8 Things Tech Firms Should Know About EU’s Digital Markets Act

When the European Commission revealed its proposal for a Digital Markets Act (DMA) in 2020, Big Tech knew that this legislation could affect the way they operate.

Despite lobbying to limit the legislation, the proposed bill is essentially the same — the few changes added during the negotiations among the European institutions didn’t alter its scope.

UK Payment Regulator Says Card Payments, Open Banking, Big Tech on 2022 Agenda

In the U.K., the Payment System Regulator (PSR) is a fundamental piece of the regulatory payment landscape. It holds the power to set standards, impose requirements regarding system rules, require operators to provide direct access to payment systems and even investigate companies’ practices.

Andrew Self, senior policy manager at the PSR, told PYMNTS the regulator’s priorities include monitoring the development of a New Payment Architecture, continuing looking into card payments and exploring the role of Big Tech and data in payments.

D2C FoodTech Startup KoRo Raises €50M to Launch New Products

KoRo, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) food technology startup, has raised €50 million ($55 million) in a Series B funding round led by HV Capital, with participation from new investors Five Seasons Ventures and Partech.

Tech Funding reported the fresh capital will be used to expand the company’s suite of products, develop new marketing streams, broaden its workforce and grow its international footprint to Greece and the Czech Republic.