Barclays snaps up US personal loans fintech for $800m October 28, 2025 Barclays is set to take control of a US personal loans fintech in a deal that the lending giant hopes will beef up its loans package for its investment bank clients. The FTSE 100 bank said it would use consumer loan platform Best Egg as an “origination engine” after snapping the firm up for $800m [...]
JP Morgan set to loosen crypto rules allowing Bitcoin as collateral October 24, 2025 JP Morgan is set to shake up its crypto rules with plans to allow institutional clients to use Bitcoin and Ether holdings as lending collateral. The new scheme will work with a third party to safeguard the crypto assets and follows the banking giant’s delving deeper into the world of digital assets. The US lender [...]
Issa brothers finally repay EG Group loan used to buy private jet October 14, 2025 The Issa brothers have finally repaid the huge loan they borrowed from their own forecourt and retail empire to buy a private jet, Morning Wire can reveal. The billionaire duo had owed as much as $41m (£31m) to EG Group via an Isle of Man-based company they controlled called Clear Sky 2, which was used [...]
Zilch lands £30m debt facility from US Bank ahead of ‘next phase of growth’ September 22, 2025 Zilch has secured a fresh loan facility in signs the London fintech is opting for debt-fuelled over equity-led expansion. The Victoria-based business has agreed the £30m facility with New York-based US Bank, according to documents filed with Companies House. The agreement marks the largest financing deal the fintech has struck since its £150m debt facility [...]
Co-op Insurance expands into loans in partnership with ClearScore September 16, 2025 The insurance arm of the Co-op Group is expanding its presence in the financial services market by offering personal loans, in partnership with ClearScore. As part of the collaboration, ClearScore’s credit matching platform will be available to Co-op members and customers, offering personalised credit services. Its member-owners and customers will be able to access unsecured [...]
Kensington Roof Gardens plunges to £26m loss August 13, 2025 The company behind the revamped Kensington Roof Gardens suffered a £26m loss after the venue reopened as a private members’ club, its latest accounts reveal. The grade-II listed former nightclub, situated on London’s swanky Kensington High Street, unveiled plans to launch as a members’ club in February last year, offering annual memberships of up to [...]
Bank of England interest rate cut offers modest boost for UK SMEs August 11, 2025 The Bank of England’s recent decision to reduce its base interest rate from 4.25 per cent to four per cent marks the first time borrowing costs have fallen to this level since March 2023, offering a modest reprieve for UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) after two years of elevated rates. According to new analysis [...]
Shawbrook expands loan book ahead of mooted London float August 7, 2025 Specialist lender Shawbrook expanded its loan book in the first half of the year helping profit soar. The bank – which is owned by private equity firm Pollen Street Capital – recorded a 35 per cent jump in profit before tax to £168.6m as its loan book grew 14 per cent to £17bn. Deposits were [...]
Zopa: Fintech bank takes on HSBC and Lloyds with current account June 24, 2025 Digital bank Zopa is parking its tanks on the lawns of the UK’s top lenders – with a new high interest current account. The London-based fintech has launched “Biscuit,” which it said will allow customers to make £256 in cashback and interest per year. The current account offers two per cent AER interest on balances, [...]
High street banks’ SME lending comeback won’t rattle challengers June 20, 2025 High street banks are flocking back to small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) lending but face a battle against fintechs which have captured their spot. The Big Four banks have shed their market stronghold in SME lending. Research from the British Business Bank in March revealed challenger banks make up around 60 per cent of gross [...]