Fintech Weekly Digest: Sept 24, 2025 — AI Partnerships, $11M Exploit, and New Digital Lending Launches

The fintech sector continues to move at full speed, blending rapid innovation with rising cyber risk. From bold product launches and new funding rounds to escalating security challenges and regulatory pressure, this week’s highlights show just how dynamic the industry remains. Below you’ll find the key developments shaping the future of finance — across innovation, cybersecurity, and platform growth.

Trends & Innovation

• FIS acquires Amount to bolster digital banking stack. Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) agreed to acquire Chicago-based fintech Amount, which offers deposit and loan origination software, to strengthen its modular banking infrastructure offering. Payments Dive
• Google & PayPal partner on AI-infused fintech features. PayPal is teaming up with Google to layer AI capabilities (using Vertex AI, Duet AI) across both platforms—optimizing internal operations and customer-facing features. The Times of India
• Stablecore joins American Fintech Council to drive digital assets in banking. Stablecore, a platform enabling banks and credit unions to offer stablecoins and tokenized deposits without overhauling core systems, joined the American Fintech Council. Fintech Council
• Cardless raises $60M Series C for embedded credit infrastructure. The fintech platform Cardless, which helps product-led companies launch and manage their own credit card offerings, secured fresh capital to expand globally. Fintech Global
• Visa & Pismo back challenger card for Gen Z via BUUT. Visa and Pismo have teamed with ABN AMRO to power “BUUT,” a card designed for Gen Z users. The integration showcases how established payments players are backing niche, user-centric fintech products.  Morning Star

Security & Cyber Threat

• UXLINK suffers $11M exploit via multi-sig vulnerability. Attackers leveraged a “delegateCall” flaw in UXLink’s multi-signature wallet, minted tokens, and drained assets worth ~$11.3M (including ETH, stablecoins). AInvest
• Hackers steal ₹1.39 crore from Hyderabad fintech via whitelisted IP trick. A fintech in Hyderabad lost funds when attackers compromised servers and used a whitelisted IP to bypass security filters, initiating fraudulent fund transfers. The Times of India
• Rise in supply-chain attacks on third-party suppliers. Cybersecurity reports warn that attacks on third-party vendors doubled in 2024, and this vector is expected to become a more prominent threat in 2025. PYMNTS.com
• 48% of security leads haven’t reported material breaches. A survey from VikingCloud reveals nearly half of cybersecurity heads admitted to not reporting serious data breaches to leadership—highlighting governance risks. Tech.co
• Scattered Spider hacking group resurfaces, targets U.S. banking & fintech firms. The notorious hacking consortium Scattered Spider, previously believed to have “gone dark,” has re-emerged with fresh attacks on financial institutions in the U.S. Security researchers report the group used social engineering (vishing), compromised Azure AD password-reset flows, and deployed lookalike phishing domains tied to Okta and Salesforce to steal credentials and bypass MFA. TechRadar

Product & Platform Launches

• Theta Lake releases AI-governance enhancement suite. Theta Lake launched over 150 new compliance features tailored for AI and digital governance, catering to fintechs navigating regulatory complexity. Fintech Global
• Fabrix Security raises $8M to roll out AI-native identity platform. The startup plans to use the funding to launch an identity and access management (IAM) platform built from the ground up for AI-native systems. Fintech Global
• Mastercard reveals new cohort for its Start Path program. Eleven fintechs were selected into Mastercard’s Start Path program, covering areas like open finance, blockchain, small business, and digital commerce. FinTech Futures
• MNT-Halan launches Egypt’s first secured digital lending product. The fintech introduced a feature allowing users to unlock credit against their investments, with interest rates lower than typical credit lines, all through a digital-first journey. TechAfrica News
• ShopBack appoints new U.S. GM amid U.S. expansion. ShopBack named Carolina Paradas as its General Manager for North America as it pushes further into the U.S. rewards and cashback space, following its first profitable quarter. PR Newswire

Final Words

As fintech companies race to innovate, the importance of trust, resilience, and security has never been greater. Whether through strategic partnerships, AI-driven solutions, or enhanced compliance, firms are laying the groundwork for sustainable growth in an increasingly complex environment. Stay tuned for next week’s digest, where we’ll continue tracking the breakthroughs and threats defining the future of financial technology.