Carousell has made a few announcements this week. One of them is about ensuring the safety and security of those meeting up to close their transactions and exchange money. The company is currently moving to offer a digital wallet, but for those who do need to meet up, they now have a safer way to do it.
After previously stating that payments would become a key feature of its app, Carousell has announced the launch of a digital wallet called Caroupay. The new feature will enable digital payments across platforms; thus removing the need for meet-ups to exchange cash or bank transfers. Caroupay will be rolled out in Singapore next month and the company says it plans to work with payment partners to...
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91xinshang.com (心上), a Chinese used luxury goods marketplace that operates on a c-to-b-to-c basis, has begun offering financial leasing options for its users. Brands available on 91xinshang include Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Gucci, among others. Financial leasing has become extremely popular in the auto market in China. Souche.com (搜车) subsidiary Tangeche.com (弹个车) and Taoche.com (淘车), a new site from Yixin Group (易鑫集团), are the market leaders in providing...
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Japanese Mercari Co. Ltd., the operator of flea market app Mercari, plans to raise up to $1.1 billion U.S. through an initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Mothers market on June 19. Mercari said its initial listing application has been approved. “We will continue to work on our mission of expanding further services and accelerating worldwide expansion as a result of listing,” the company said...
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Zadaa.co, a second-hand fashion startup based in Finland, has raised €2.3 million ($2.7 million U.S.) to expand to Germany, France, and England. The funding round was led by Helsinki-based Superhero Capital, which was drawn to the company by its fast growth. Zadaa is a marketplace app that helps people sell and buy second-hand clothes. The app uses algorithms to find clothes that fit by connecting...
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Nigeria-based vehicle insurance online marketplace AutoGenius (at MyAutoGenius.com) has launched FlexiCare: an affordable health insurance product for vehicle owners and middle-income earners. Health insurance premiums are traditionally paid annually in Nigeria and usually cost around N100,000 ($280 U.S.). FlexiCare allows for flexible monthly payments, starting from as low as N3,500 ($10 U.S.). AutoGenius general manager Adebowale Banjo (LinkedIn profile) explained that the company identified a “compelling market need...
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In Poland, Naspers’ OLX.pl has launched new price packages for its Services category and changed fees for listing cars. OLX.pl introduced similar packages in its Jobs category last month.
Australia-based trades and services site HiPages is preparing for an IPO in the next 12 months, according to a report in The Australian Financial Review.
Young technology entrepreneur Itopa King David has launched an online service marketplace for freelancers in Nigeria, called Hubs.ng. The site aims to provide new opportunities for users with a creative skillset, allowing them to market their services online. Hubs.ng works with a credit system for security and transparency between clients and freelancers on the system. Freelancers can create a micro-job with details on what service they...
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Naspers, Tiger Global and SoftBank will all collect big checks in the sale of 75 percent of Flipkart, the giant Indian e-commerce company, to Walmart.
