In today’s top Europe, Middle East and Africa news, Robinhood takes a step toward European expansion by acquiring crypto platform Ziglu. Plus, online fraud prevention platform SEON raised $94 million to boost its global presence.
Robinhood Adding Crypto Asset Platform Ziglu
Ziglu, a U.K.-based electronic money institution and cryptocurrency asset firm, has been acquired by stock and cryptocurrency exchange Robinhood.
Earlier this year, Robinhood announced plans to open its cryptocurrency platform to customers around the world. Robinhood plans to integrate Ziglu into its platform in the long term, bringing Robinhood’s brand overseas and expanding across Europe.
Société Généralee Launches Startup Accelerator
French multinational investment bank Société Générale has launched the “Payment & Transaction Banking Accelerator.”
According to the company, this program follows its past Global Markets Incubator initiatives — four projects designed to help startups to emerge and develop in partnership with Société Générale.
Fraud Prevention Firm SEON Raises $94M
SEON, a British-Hungarian online prevention firm, has raised $94 million in Series B funding to boost its presence in North America, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition to its expansion, the company hopes to build partnerships with eCommerce platforms, “heighten product functionality, and integrate additional data sources to help customers better fight fraud.”
French Court Fines Deliveroo, Challenging Gig Work Status
Two Deliveroo executives received suspended one-year prison sentences and were fined €30,000 ($32,380) by a French court for abusing the freelance status of Deliveroo workers.
Deliveroo itself was fined the maximum penalty of €375,000 ($405,000) and ordered to publish the ruling on its French home page for one month. This decision could also have an impact on the gig economy as a whole and reshape working conditions.