This Week in Aussie & Indian Fintech

Pull up a chair. Here’s what went down in the world of startups, bills, and big money moves.

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Australia: Fintech freeze? The Aussie startup scene is feeling the chill — funding’s down 48% YoY. But the smart ones aren’t slowing down, they’re just burning smarter. It’s not winter, it’s pruning season.

CBA’s BNPL pivot: CommBank is reshuffling its StepPay BNPL offering. When the big four adjust their sails, you know the wind’s shifting. Hint: flexibility and trust are the new currency.

Tap and gone: Contactless payments now make up over 90% of in-store transactions. ⸻

India: Razorpay’s RBI re-entry: The payments unicorn is finally back in action for onboarding new merchants after months of regulatory limbo. Compliance may be painful, but trust is compounding.

PhonePe launches Indus Appstore: Watch out, Google. India’s own app store is here, and it’s gunning for developers tired of 30% cuts. Decentralised distribution might just be the new frontier.

Neo-bank blues: Some Indian neobanks are quietly bleeding — aggressive cashbacks, low margins, and no moat. Turns out, banking without the bank is cool… until your burn rate says otherwise.

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Bonus Byte: OpenAI just raised $40B. Yep, billion with a B — led by SoftBank, putting them at a $300B valuation. While most of us are juggling almond milk budgets and Zepto fees, Sam Altman’s out here raising GDPs. But hey — they’re not just building an app, they’re building the operating system of the future.

Big numbers. Bigger vision. And a reminder that thinking massive still matters.

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Whether you’re fine-tuning your fintech idea or just decoding the money maze over your third flat white — stay sharp, stay curious, and don’t let the bills boss you around.

Catch ya next Sunday.

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