Today In Payments Around The World: Netstars Wraps Up $60 Million In Funding; Flipkart Reportedly Plans To Buy Cleartrip

In today’s top payments news around the world, Japanese QR code payment gateway provider Netstars Co. has secured $60 million in funding, while India’s Flipkart is reportedly moving toward a distressed sale acquisition of Mumbai’s Cleartrip. Plus, a European Central Bank (ECB) study found that individuals want privacy most out of digital currency.

QR Code Payment Provider Netstars Secures $60 Million Funding

Netstars Co., a QR code payment gateway provider, wrapped up a 6.6 billion yen ($60 million) funding round. The Tokyo-headquartered firm serves as a payments aggregator that runs StarPay, which integrates different payment providers into a single device or software platform for multi-app point-of-sale (POS) processing. Netstars said the service is harnessed by over 280,000 retailers in Japan.

Walmart’s Indian eCommerce Marketplace Flipkart Acquiring Cleartrip

India’s Flipkart, which is owned by Walmart, is reportedly progressing toward a distressed sale purchase of Mumbai travel aggregation platform Cleartrip. The site is intending to tap Cleartrip to diversify and grow into more product and service areas. Cleartrip was established by Matthew Spacie, Hrush Bhatt and Stuart Crighton approximately 15 years ago.

European Central Bank Points To Privacy As Pivotal In eMoney Future

People want privacy the most out of a digital currency, the ECB said in its report from public consultations about the potentiality of a central bank coin. The institution said that 43 percent of respondents referred to anonymity as the central necessity for any digital currency.

UK’s Grocer Tesco Battles Through Pandemic, Posts Mixed Results

Britan’s Tesco said its sales have been “exceptionally strong” while it has garnered an increasing proportion of the British market “gaining customers from all key competitors.” However, Bloomberg reported that Tesco stock dropped by up to 4.4 percent. Shares of important rivals dropped as well. The U.K. is just coming out of its third pandemic lockdown.

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