Paytm’s miserable year is about to get worse

Good morning and welcome to TechCrunch AM for February 13, 2024. Do you have an Android smartphone? Well, you should be aware of the risks posed by the TheTruthSpy spyware, and Zack Whittaker shows how you can find out if your device has been compromised.

Today, we’re also looking at the teflon-like nature of fintech fundraising, an AI acquisition, bitcoin price spikes, regulatory news from the EU, and Dark Brandon.

– Alex

TechCrunch Top 3

1. Apple’s iMessage, Microsoft’s Bing dodge extra EU regulatory scrutiny: European Union lawmakers have decided that several prominent technology services do not meet “the bar for designation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA),” Natasha Lomas reports. This means iMessage won’t have to play nice with Whatsapp, and Microsoft’s Bing, Edge and other advertising products won’t be considered “core platform services” in the DMA’s view. Some 22 core services were demarcated as such by the EU last year.
2. Finom raises €50M for small-biz neobank: We might be entering the post-post-fintech boom. Finom, a challenger bank, has raised a big amount, indicating that while funding to fintech companies has pulled back from prior highs, some of the business models that rose to absurd heights in 2021 have legs regardless of the economic climate. The neobank’s focus on small businesses is not unique per se, but its growth implies that there is ample room left in the market for tailored fintech solutions.
3. TheTruthSpy security flaw exploited again: Consumer-grade spyware service TheTruthSpy poses an “ongoing security and privacy risk to thousands” of Android users, and two hacking groups have found and exploited a flaw that “allows the mass access of victims’ stolen mobile devices,” writes our security expert, Zack Whittaker. TechCrunch has verified the breach data, which includes device identifiers through December 2023, and our spyware lookup tool now has about 50K new identifiers.

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Bitcoin’s price appreciation linked to ETF inflows: The price of digital asset bitcoin crossed the $50,000 mark recently, a notable milestone for the cryptocurrency that saw its value plunge in the wake of the 2021-era technology and asset boom. What’s driving its recent price appreciation? Stronger-than-anticipated inflows to the new bitcoin spot ETFs could be part of the answer.

Zendesk snaps up Estonian startup Klaus: Back in 2022, Klaus raised a €12 million Series A led by Acton Capital. Now, it’s joining the Zendesk family. Given how long it’s been since Klaus’ last round, it’s not out of the realm of reason to infer that the company was faced with a choice between raising new capital or finding a corporate parent. The AI-infused customer support software startup chose the latter. Zendesk went private back in 2022 in a $10.2 billion deal, and purchased Tymeshift last year.

EU to mark most AI apps ‘low risk’: It may have been a bit premature to worry that the European Union would regulate AI tech too harshly. The European Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees have endorsed a “risk-based framework” for regulating AI, Natasha Lomas reports. The good news? After some tussling between different ideological camps, the EU’s proposed regulations don’t seem as onerous as some feared.

Expensya shows the power of capital recycling: One way that startup markets build momentum and sustain it is by recycling capital — money invested in startups eventually turns into big returns that can then be reinvested into newer tech companies. It’s part of how Silicon Valley has managed to stay so globally relevant for as long as it has. TechCrunch examined Expensya, an expense management startup with roots in both Paris and Tunis, which exited in 2023, to better understand how money flows into and out of startups.

FCC commissioner not happy with Apple’s anti-Beeper moves: Beeper Mini was a neat product that brought iMessage capabilities to Android. But Apple, which builds and maintains iMessage for its iOS devices, was not enthused, and the project was abandoned after a bit of cat-and-mouse with Cupertino. Now, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is calling for an investigation into Apple’s decision to block Beeper Mini under the lens of the FCC’s Part 14 rules, which call for communications services to be accessible by people with disabilities.

Paytm’s troubles are far from over: Australian bank Macquarie has cut its price target for Indian fintech Paytm, which is currently suffering from a bruising regulatory scrap with the Reserve Bank of India. New regulations have hurt Paytm’s Payments Bank, which processes all Paytm transactions. A massive loss of customers could follow, leading to lower revenues and thus a lower share price, Macquarie argues.

Also from India: How does a government combat payment concentration? India’s National Payments Corporation wants no single payments provider to control more than 30% of transactions that pass through the country’s popular UPI system. Walmart’s PhonePe and Alphabet’s GPay hold 83% of the market today. It’s not clear how the regulatory headache will be cured, but seeing Paytm, which offers UPI-based payments, struggling certainly won’t ease its competitors’ worries.

$43M more for short-term rentals: The consumer real estate market is a touchy one in many countries, thanks to more expensive mortgages and limited supply. Mix in a commercial real estate meltdown, and it’s a tough time out there for many companies that deal with physical space. That’s not slowing down startups, however: Bob W, a marketplace for premium short-term apartment rentals in Europe, has just raised $43 million, Paul Sawers reports.

Spotify layoffs put music tool at risk: Staff cuts at Spotify last year had a larger impact than merely lowering the cost base of the European music streaming giant. The layoffs saw Glenn McDonald leave Spotify, which means that he no longer has access to data from the company, which is putting his music discovery tool, “Every Noise at Once,” in jeopardy.

Before you go

Dark Brandon Rises: It’s an election year in the United States, which means this November, the nation will either give current president Joe Biden a second term, or former president Donald Trump will step into the White House once again. Widely expected to be a combative democratic contest to say the least, Biden’s team is leaning into Internet culture, joining TikTok, and trying to make their candidate a bit more relatable to younger voters.

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