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Australian fintech After pay to be acquired by Square in $29B deal

Jack Dorsey’s crypto currency-friendly digital payments firm Square is expanding competition with global payment giants like PayPal by acquiring a major Australian lending company. Square will obtain Australian fintech firm Afterpay in a $29 billion stock deal.

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Jack Dorsey’s crypto currency-friendly digital payments firm Square is expanding competition with global payment giants like PayPal by acquiring a major Australian lending company. Square will obtain Australian fintech firm Afterpay in a $29 billion stock deal.

Square announced that the firm has entered into a scheme implementation deed to acquire all of the issued shares in fintech company Afterpay in a $29 billion deal. The transaction is based on the closing price of the Square common share and is expected to be paid in all stock in the first quarter of 2022.

The acquisition enables Square to further accelerate its strategic plans for payment ecosystems as the company is looking to integrate Afterpay into its Seller and Cash App business units to enable a “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) service.

Also referred to as instalment loans, BNPL transactions allow customers to pay a bill in small portions throughout a fixed period of time and are actively pioneered by global financial firms like PayPal, Mastercard, Klarna, Citi, and others.

According to the announcement, the integration will enable small businesses to offer BNPL at checkout, allowing Afterpay consumers to manage their instalment payments directly in Cash App and discover BNPL offers directly within the app. The integration marks a new milestone for Square in meeting the growing consumer demand for shifting away from traditional credit.

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Nigerian court postpones Binance tax evasion case to end of April

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A Nigerian court has adjourned the high-profile tax evasion case against cryptocurrency exchange Binance and two of its executives to April 30, extending a legal saga that has drawn significant international attention.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) filed the charges, accusing Binance of failing to register with local tax authorities and of neglecting its obligations under Nigeria’s tax laws. The case also targets two Binance executives, including one still in custody, as part of the government’s broader crackdown on crypto-related financial activity.

The proceedings were delayed after defense lawyers requested more time to review the charges. The court granted the adjournment, with expectations that the next hearing could see more substantive arguments presented.

Binance has not publicly commented on the latest development, but the company has previously stated its intention to cooperate with Nigerian authorities. The case unfolds amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of crypto operations in the country, following concerns over illicit capital flows and economic disruption.

As the legal process continues, industry observers are closely watching the outcome, which could shape the future of crypto regulation and enforcement across Nigeria and potentially influence wider African markets.

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Spanish police arrest six over $20M AI-powered investment scam

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Spanish authorities have shut down a sophisticated investment scam that used artificial intelligence to defraud victims of more than $20 million. The operation, which spanned multiple countries, lured investors with promises of high returns through a fake AI-driven trading platform.

The National Police arrested four individuals and identified 14 others linked to the scheme, which used aggressive marketing tactics and fake online platforms to simulate trading activity. Victims were shown fabricated profits generated by what was advertised as an advanced AI algorithm capable of outperforming the market.

Once trust was established, the scammers convinced users to invest larger sums, only to block access to their funds when withdrawal requests were made. Authorities revealed that the network operated through a network of shell companies and call centers, targeting victims across Spain and other European countries.

The investigation uncovered nearly 300 victims, though officials believe the real number could be significantly higher. Spanish police worked in coordination with international agencies to trace the scam’s financial flows and dismantle its digital infrastructure.

This takedown highlights growing concerns over AI being exploited in financial frauds and the increasing need for cross-border collaboration to combat tech-enabled scams.

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Former Kraken execs acquire real state firm Janover, disclose SOL treasury plans

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Janover Inc. saw its stock price surge by more than 1,000% after announcing a bold shift into the crypto space, including the acquisition of a digital asset company and plans to add Solana (SOL) to its corporate treasury.

The fintech firm, known for its real estate capital markets platform, revealed it had acquired a crypto-native business to spearhead its entry into decentralized finance and blockchain infrastructure. The deal marks a significant pivot for Janover as it positions itself at the intersection of traditional finance and Web3 technologies.

In addition to the acquisition, the company disclosed plans to hold Solana as a treasury asset, citing the blockchain’s high-speed, low-cost architecture as an attractive alternative to more established assets like Bitcoin or Ethereum. The move follows a growing trend of public companies diversifying reserves with digital currencies.

CEO Blake Janover described the decision as part of a broader vision to integrate decentralized technologies into financial services and unlock long-term shareholder value.

The dramatic stock rally highlights investor excitement around the company’s strategic shift and signals strong market support for Janover’s embrace of the crypto ecosystem.

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