Finance, Banking & Insurance

Singapore – September 21, 2026 -- 01F Group has made an investment in DANA, Indonesia's leading digital e-wallet and financial services platform, through its growth-stage fintech private equity arm, 01Fintech. The deal deepens 01F Group's exposure to Southeast Asia's fintech sector as Indonesia's digital payments market is projected to approach USD 1 trillion by 2030.

DANA's platform reaches millions of users across Tier 2 to Tier 4 regions

DANA operates an integrated digital financial ecosystem serving consumers, merchants and financial institutions, with particular penetration among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) outside Indonesia's major metropolitan centers. Founded in 2018, the platform combines digital payments, QRIS transactions, money transfers and AI-powered financial tools.

Urbandale, Iowa – September 21, 2026 -- Small businesses in the Des Moines metro should secure general liability insurance first, followed by property coverage and workers' compensation, according to insights from Ben Buenzow, an insurance expert at Buenzow Insurance Group, featured in a HelloNation article.

General liability insurance forms the first line of financial defense for small operators

The coverage protects companies against claims of bodily injury or property damage stemming from business operations, addressing risks from customers, vendors, or visitors. Legal costs and settlements tied to such claims can be significant enough to threaten a small firm's cash flow without this protection in place.

New York – September 21, 2026 -- Haymaker Acquisition Corp V raised $287.5 million in gross proceeds after closing its initial public offering of 28,750,000 units, including the full exercise of a 3,750,000-unit over-allotment option by underwriters.

Units Begin Trading on NYSE Under Ticker HYACU

The blank-check company priced its offering at $10.00 per unit, with shares beginning trading on the New York Stock Exchange on September 21, 2026. Each unit comprises one Class A ordinary share and one-third of a redeemable warrant, exercisable at $11.50 per share. Once separated, the Class A shares and warrants are expected to list under the symbols HYAC and HYACW.

Vilnius, Lithuania – September 21, 2026 -- SDK.finance has expanded its core platform strategy to help retailers, marketplaces, and telecom operators build native financial products, betting that established consumer brands rather than fintech startups will drive the next wave of payment innovation.

SDK.finance shifts platform focus toward non-financial consumer brands

The Vilnius-based software provider, which builds ready-made infrastructure for wallets and payments, said companies that already hold customer relationships and transaction data are better positioned to embed financial services than new fintech entrants. "None of these companies set out to be a bank, but all of them are moving money," said Pavlo Sidelov, CEO at SDK.finance.

Purchase, N.Y. – September 21, 2026 -- Alpine Saxon Woods, a Purchase, NY-based investment firm managing over $890 million in assets, has been named to the PSN Top Guns List for Q2 2026, earning 4-, 5-, and 6-Star ratings in the All-Cap Value Universe for its Dividend strategy.

PSN awards Top Guns status across six performance-based star categories in over 75 universes

The Alpine Saxon Woods Dividend strategy qualified for the 4-, 5-, and 6-Star categories after posting an r-squared of 0.80 or greater against PSN's style benchmark over the trailing five-year period and exceeding that benchmark across the three latest three-year rolling periods. The strategy also ranked among the top ten returns in its PSN peer group for the latest three-year period.

Chicago and Des Moines – September 20, 2026 -- Cerity Partners will merge with Gilbert & Cook effective at the end of September 2026, adding approximately $2 billion in assets under management and marking the firm's first entry into the Iowa market.

Gilbert & Cook brings $2 billion in AUM and 30 years of client relationships to the deal

Founded in 1993 and based in West Des Moines, Iowa, Gilbert & Cook has built a national reputation advising individuals, families and business owners on integrated financial planning and investment management. Following the merger, the firm will operate under the Cerity Partners name, giving its clients access to an expanded suite of services including business owner advisory, multigenerational estate planning, private family office services, divorce financial planning and private markets investing.

Frederick, Md. – September 20, 2026 -- Woodsboro Bank has appointed Mindy Kurz as Branch Manager of its new Mt. Airy branch, tapping a 30-year banking veteran to lead the community lender's expansion into Frederick County's Mt. Airy market.

Kurz brings three decades of branch leadership to the new post

Kurz most recently served as a Universal Banker, where she took on branch leadership duties while serving both consumer and business clients. Her background includes leading branch operations, developing teams, and building partnerships aimed at long-term community growth.

Atlanta – September 20, 2026 -- Merit Financial Advisors has acquired the practice of veteran advisor Tim Brennan, adding approximately $888 million in client assets and more than 1,000 households to the Georgia-based wealth manager's book. The deal, effective September 20, 2026, marks Merit's eleventh acquisition of the year and its 62nd since inception, pushing firm-wide assets to more than $32.92 billion across over 70 offices nationwide.

Brennan exits nearly 27-year Commonwealth affiliation for Merit platform

Brennan, who spent 37 years in financial services, previously operated through a firm affiliated with Commonwealth Financial Network for close to 27 years before joining Merit. His Deerfield, Illinois-based practice focuses on business owners and high-net-worth families, built almost entirely through referrals.

Nicosia – September 20, 2026 -- Xryma Plc reported a 99.8% collapse in first-half profit to €0.03 million, down from €12.3 million a year earlier, as the Cyprus-based banktech group front-loaded spending on infrastructure ahead of a planned 2027 revenue ramp.

Client Revenue drops 39% as Xryma prioritizes strategic build-out over near-term sales

Client Revenue fell to €16.9 million in H1 2026 from €27.7 million in H1 2025. Management attributed the decline to a deliberate deferral of complementary product enhancements while resources were redirected toward the group's strategic investment programme.

Technology Services revenue jumps 77% on SaaS and consulting demand

Technology Services revenue, covering SaaS, Banking Platform and higher-value consulting and bespoke development work, rose to €1.65 million from €0.93 million a year earlier, providing a recurring income base alongside the group's core banking activities.

Stockholm – September 20, 2026 -- Svalner Atlas | Advisors secured three Firm of the Year titles at the ITR Europe Tax Awards 2026, held at The Londoner in London on September 20, 2026.

Svalner Atlas sweeps three national categories across two regions

The firm was named Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year in Finland, Tax Advisory Firm of the Year in the Netherlands, and Tax Advisory Firm of the Year in Sweden. The International Tax Review awards assess firms on significant client matters, innovation, complexity, scale and impact, backed by independent market research and client feedback.