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British Business Bank has invested $20 million into 9fin as part of a $170 million Series C funding round, propelling the London-based firm to unicorn status and reinforcing the UK’s position as a global fintech hub.
The round was led by HarbourVest, with participation from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and existing backers including Redalpine, Highland Europe, Spark Capital and Seedcamp. The British Business Bank’s investment was made in partnership with Redalpine, reflecting its growing focus on supporting later-stage scale-ups.
Founded in 2016, 9fin has built an AI-native intelligence platform designed for professionals operating in credit and debt markets, one of the largest asset classes globally.
The platform aggregates and analyses data that is traditionally fragmented across emails, PDFs and private data rooms, providing users with real-time insights, analytics and document extraction tools. This enables banks, asset managers, law firms and advisors to identify opportunities and manage risk more efficiently within a single interface.
With more than 300 institutional clients worldwide and multiple years of 100 per cent annual recurring revenue growth, 9fin has established itself as a fast-scaling player in financial data and analytics.
The new funding will be used to further develop 9fin’s AI capabilities, expand its proprietary dataset and accelerate growth in the United States, a key market for credit and leveraged finance activity.
Chief executive Steven Hunter said the company’s ambition is to become an essential platform for credit professionals.
“AI will redefine credit markets, but only if it is powered by proprietary data and embedded into how professionals actually work,” he said. “Our goal is to build the only platform they need.”
The investment marks another milestone for the British Business Bank’s equity programmes, which have now supported 27 UK unicorns, representing around 64 per cent of the country’s current billion-dollar startups.
Leandros Kalisperas, the bank’s chief investment officer, said increasing access to late-stage capital is critical to ensuring UK companies can scale while maintaining a domestic base.
“Investments like this help our most innovative businesses realise their commercial potential and compete globally,” he said.
George Mills, investment director at the bank, added that 9fin exemplifies the strength of UK fintech, particularly in applying AI to complex financial markets.
The deal highlights the continued momentum in the UK fintech sector, which remains one of the most dynamic in Europe.
By combining artificial intelligence with large-scale financial datasets, companies like 9fin are reshaping how markets operate, improving transparency, efficiency and decision-making across the credit landscape.
As global demand for data-driven financial tools grows, platforms that can integrate AI with high-quality proprietary data are expected to play an increasingly central role.
For 9fin, achieving unicorn status marks a significant step, but the focus now shifts to scaling internationally and maintaining its growth trajectory in a competitive and rapidly evolving market.
For the UK, the investment underscores the importance of sustained support for high-growth technology firms, ensuring that innovation developed domestically can translate into global success.
Amy Ingham
Amy is a newly qualified journalist specialising in business journalism at Business Matters with responsibility for news content for what is now the UK’s largest print and online source of current business news.
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Shopify Inc. faced scattered reports of service disruptions Wednesday as hundreds of merchants complained of login failures, slow admin dashboards and intermittent checkout problems, though the company’s official status page showed all systems operational and no widespread outage was confirmed.
As of midday April 1, 2026, monitoring sites such as Downdetector recorded elevated but not massive user reports, primarily centered on the Shopify website and login functions. Merchants took to social media and community forums to share screenshots of error messages, including 500 and 502 server errors when attempting to access their admin panels or process orders.
Shopify’s status page at shopifystatus.com reported “No incidents reported today” as of early afternoon, with all core services listed as operational. The company has not issued a public statement acknowledging any issues, a pattern seen in previous minor glitches where problems resolved quickly without formal acknowledgment.
The timing added frustration for affected store owners. April 1 falls during a busy post-holiday sales period for many small and medium-sized businesses that rely on Shopify’s platform to manage inventory, fulfill orders and handle customer payments. Even brief disruptions can result in lost revenue, abandoned carts and customer complaints.
Reports described a range of symptoms: inability to log into the Shopify admin, slow loading of order pages, delayed payment processing and occasional complete unavailability of the dashboard. Some users noted that mobile apps were also affected, while others said the storefronts visible to customers remained online. Third-party apps and integrations appeared hit-or-miss depending on the specific service.
Shopify powers more than 2 million businesses worldwide, from independent artisans to large brands. A partial or regional disruption can ripple across thousands of stores, especially during peak hours when merchants monitor sales in real time. Past outages, such as the high-profile Cyber Monday disruption in December 2025 that affected thousands of users, have drawn sharp criticism from the merchant community for occurring during critical sales windows.
This latest episode, while smaller in scale, highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in cloud-based e-commerce platforms. Merchants depend on Shopify for seamless uptime, and even intermittent problems can erode trust. One store owner posted on social media: “Hundreds of us locked out again on a busy Wednesday — not acceptable for the fees we pay.”
Shopify has invested heavily in infrastructure and redundancy in recent years, including multiple data centers and automated failover systems. The platform’s status page typically updates quickly when major incidents occur, and engineering teams often resolve login or checkout glitches within 30 to 90 minutes. In many past cases, users reported that refreshing browsers, clearing cache or trying incognito mode temporarily bypassed the issue while the company worked behind the scenes.
For affected merchants, immediate workarounds include using the Shopify mobile app (if functional), switching browsers or devices, or accessing stores through alternative dashboards when available. Those processing high volumes of orders are advised to monitor payment gateways directly and communicate transparently with customers about any delays.
The broader context shows Shopify remains dominant in the e-commerce space despite occasional hiccups. The company has rolled out numerous improvements in 2026, including enhanced AI tools for merchants, better international payment options and platform updates aimed at reducing custom code dependencies. However, reliance on a single platform means any downtime draws immediate attention from the merchant community, which often amplifies reports on forums and social media.
Analysts note that Shopify’s infrastructure has grown more resilient since earlier widespread outages, but the complexity of supporting millions of stores with custom themes, apps and third-party integrations creates inherent challenges. Minor regional or intermittent issues can appear as “hundreds of users” affected without triggering a full platform-wide alert.
Shopify has not commented publicly on Wednesday’s reports. In previous incidents, the company typically posts updates on its status page and X account once an issue is confirmed and resolved. Merchants are encouraged to check shopifystatus.com regularly and subscribe to notifications for real-time alerts.
For small-business owners, these disruptions serve as a reminder of the importance of contingency planning. Experts recommend maintaining backup payment processors, exporting order data regularly and having communication templates ready for customers during technical difficulties. Diversifying across multiple sales channels, such as Amazon or physical retail, can also mitigate risk.
As the afternoon progressed, some users reported gradual improvement, with login success returning after repeated attempts. Others continued experiencing delays, suggesting the problem may have been intermittent or limited to specific regions or account types.
Shopify’s merchant community has grown vocal about uptime expectations. In online forums, users frequently discuss the balance between the platform’s ease of use and the occasional frustrations caused by technical issues. While major outages remain rare, even short disruptions during sales periods can feel significant to business owners operating on thin margins.
The company continues to expand globally, with strong adoption in emerging markets and among new entrepreneurs. Features introduced in the Winter 2026 edition, including advanced AI assistance and streamlined checkout flows, aim to make the platform more robust, but reliability remains a top priority for retaining user loyalty.
Wednesday’s scattered reports appear far smaller than past high-profile events, such as the March 2026 or December 2025 incidents that drew thousands of complaints. Still, for those locked out of their stores, the impact feels immediate and personal.
Merchants experiencing problems are advised to document error messages, note exact times and contact Shopify support through official channels. In many cases, support teams can provide account-specific guidance or expedite resolutions for Plus-level subscribers.
As e-commerce continues its rapid growth, platforms like Shopify face increasing pressure to deliver near-perfect uptime. Investors and analysts watch these incidents closely, as repeated reliability concerns could affect long-term confidence in the company’s infrastructure.
For now, the message to affected users remains consistent with previous minor glitches: check the official status page, try basic troubleshooting steps and allow time for engineering teams to address any underlying issues. Most disruptions of this nature resolve within a few hours, restoring normal operations without lasting damage.
Shopify has built its reputation on empowering entrepreneurs to sell online with minimal technical barriers. Occasional service hiccups test that reputation, reminding both the company and its users of the high stakes involved in powering millions of digital storefronts every day.
Anyone still unable to access their Shopify admin as of late Wednesday should continue monitoring the status page and community forums for updates. In the meantime, focusing on customer communication and alternative sales methods can help minimize any revenue impact from the temporary disruption.
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Bitcoin Snaps 5-Month Losing Streak: Institutional Inflows And Trendline Break Fuel $80k Outlook
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Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Adam Chamberlain said Tuesday that 2026 is shaping up to be more challenging than expected.
“If you look at the market in the first couple of months of the year, the market environment is definitely a little tougher than we anticipated,” Chamberlain told CNBC at the company’s manufacturing plant in Vance, Alabama. “I think there are lots of distractions out there, whether it’s geopolitics and everything else.”
Car buyers are facing elevated auto loan interest rates and questions about the strength of the economy that threaten to slow shopping for a new vehicle.
But even with gasoline prices now topping $4 a gallon in the U.S., Chamberlain said the automaker hasn’t yet seen consumers delaying buying a new Mercedes due to gas prices.
“I think in the short term, it’s manageable,” said Chamberlain. “But I think over [a] 90, 100 or 120-day period at closer to $5 [per gallon], it starts to become a bigger distraction.”
Mercedes is investing $4 billion in its Alabama plant through 2030 in a push to increase production as the automaker targets a 28% increase in U.S. car sales.
Last year, Mercedes’ U.S. retail sales totaled 303,200 cars, the automaker said. By 2030, it’s targeting annual U.S. retail sales of 400,000 cars.
The majority of the vehicles that Mercedes sells in the U.S. are built overseas, which leaves the company subject to higher costs a year into President Donald Trump‘s higher tariffs on auto imports.
Those increased costs have cut into Mercedes margins, but Chamberlain said tariffs are not slowing sales.
“Since tariffs have been launched, we’ve only increased our prices 1.3%, significantly less than inflation,” he said Tuesday.
In a push to increase sales, Mercedes also on Tuesday unveiled new versions of its popular GLS and GLE models, including a new GLE 53 Hybrid that will be built in Alabama.
In 1984, Volkswagen partnered with a Chinese automaker because it was required by Chinese law.
Now the German company is partnering with Chinese automakers because it wants to use their technology.
Volkswagen Group today maintains the original joint ventures it made with Chinese automakers in those early days of its foray into what has become the world’s largest car market. But the fact that it is now relying on firms such as Chinese EV maker Xpeng for hardware and software underscore how the balance of power in the automotive industry is shifting toward the companies that produce these now high-value components. Chinese companies are proving they can do it faster, often cheaper, than anyone else.
VW Group, which has for much of the last few decades been a top-selling brand in China, has lately struggled to maintain its position.
Volkswagen’s China profits fell about 45 percent in 2025 — from roughly $2 billion to $1.1 billion. The company said in its annual report that it now faces intense competition from Chinese firms.
It is not a unique issue. Essentially every non-Chinese automaker is watching market share erode in the country as homegrown companies create vehicles that more directly serve what Chinese customers want.
In particular, Chinese buyers have a taste for what are often called “software-defined vehicles.” They are connected and updatable, and essentially allow drivers to do everything through a car they would do through a phone.
“The Chinese vehicle owner can do his banking using voice commands or order takeout to meet him when he arrives at his house, or do any number of things that seem a little unusual to us here in the West, because we just aren’t built that way,” said AutoForecast Solutions analyst Conrad Layson. “However, the Chinese buyer can’t do that in a Chinese-built Volkswagen, so they went where the convenience was. They were able to bring their digital lives along with them into and out of the car.”
Chairman and CEO of Chinese EV manufacturer Xpeng He Xiaopeng visits the booth of the German carmaker Volkswagen during the International Motor Show IAA on Sept. 8, 2025, in Munich, Germany.
Tobias Schwarz | AFP | Getty Images
VW’s own struggles to build an in-house software division have been widely documented — after years of effort and billions spent, the company abandoned its go-it-alone approach and turned to collaborations. Xpeng is a major partner in China, while in North America and elsewhere, VW has partnered with Rivian to build cars.
Xpeng, which makes its own vehicles as well, helped VW’s China division build a hardware and firmware architecture called CEA for the German company’s vehicles in the country.
In February, news broke that VW Group would be the first customer for Xpeng’s VLA 2.0 automated driver assistance system. If it performs as advertised, it will equal or surpass anything made by any other global automaker, Layson said.
Then in March, the first vehicle the two companies co-developed, the ID.UNYX 08, rolled off the assembly line.
The two companies brought the vehicle to production car in 24 months, the CEA architecture in just 18. That is “unheard of in the West,” Layson said. “But that’s China’s speed for you.”
Global automakers typically require a three-to-five-year timeline for a new vehicle, or even a significant refresh.
Rivian and VW are collaborating on just about all of the same things the German automaker is doing with Xpeng. The deal has given Rivian a roughly $6 billion lifeline at a time when the EV maker is ramping up the production of its mid-priced, higher volume R2 SUV.
The comparisons between the two companies indicate how far Chinese automakers have come, said Tu Le, founder of Sino Auto Insights, a firm that researches the Chinese automotive market.
Rivian is working on its own chips, for example. So is Xpeng, but its chip is already being fabbed.
“Xpeng is already there and Rivian wants to get there,” Le said.
Though Xpeng has a technological edge, its partnership with VW does not necessarily pose an immediate threat to Rivian — at least in North America, he added.
Trade disputes and political tension are spurring carmakers to strike these different partnerships. For example, the U.S. has banned certain kinds of Chinese software and hardware for connected vehicles.
The longer-term picture is unclear. Xpeng, like all Chinese automakers, wants to compete globally, and not just through partnerships with other automakers. On March 25, the company started selling two models in Mexico, for example.
Companies such as Tesla, Rivian and Lucid Motors are at the forefront of building these kinds of connected vehicles outside of China.
Still, if Chinese firms can prove they can outpace Western ones in their home market, and export those features to other markets, VW may face a tough choice down the road.
“The question probably you should ask is do they use Rivian stack or Xpeng stack in Europe, because we know that they’re going to use Xpeng in China. And we know that for the time being, they’re going to use, in North America, the Rivian stack. But ultimately whose is better, whose is probably more robust and more appropriate?” Le said.
He added that the long-term risk for a company like Volkswagen — or Stellantis, which has partnered with Chinese automaker Leapmotor — is that they become essentially contract manufacturers, Le said. That would come to fruition if the high-value components like software and technology that define the modern vehicle are increasingly made in China.
“My question might be: If Xpeng hits on all cylinders, will they even need Volkswagen Group?” Le said. “The shoe is on the other foot. And I think more and more people are starting to realize this is real. Their products are significant, and they are a threat to our livelihoods.”
Neither Rivian, VW Group nor Xpeng responded to CNBC’s request for comment or interview.
Invesco is an independent investment management firm dedicated to delivering an investment experience that helps people get more out of life.Be the first to know! Sign up for Invesco US Blog and get expert investment views as they post.Disclosure for all Invesco US articles: Before investing, carefully read the prospectus and/or summary prospectus and carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation of the suitability of any investment strategy for a particular investor. Invesco does not provide tax advice. The tax information contained herein is general and is not exhaustive by nature. Federal and state tax laws are complex and constantly changing. Investors should always consult their own legal or tax professional for information concerning their individual situation. The opinions expressed are those of the authors, are based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice. These opinions may differ from those of other Invesco investment professionals. NOT FDIC INSURED MAY LOSE VALUE NO BANK GUARANTEE All data provided by Invesco unless otherwise noted. Invesco Distributors, Inc. is the US distributor for Invesco Ltd.’s retail products and collective trust funds. Invesco Advisers, Inc. and other affiliated investment advisers mentioned provide investment advisory services and do not sell securities. Invesco Unit Investment Trusts are distributed by the sponsor, Invesco Capital Markets, Inc., and broker-dealers including Invesco Distributors, Inc. PowerShares® is a registered trademark of Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC (Invesco PowerShares). Each entity is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd. ©2015 Invesco Ltd. All rights reserved.
ICC moves ahead with disciplinary proceedings against chief prosecutor Khan, WSJ reports
Late on Wednesday, the Reserve Bank of India barred banks from offering rupee non-deliverable forwards to resident and non-resident clients. It further said that companies cannot rebook cancelled forward contracts.
The series of measures from the central bank comes at a time when the rupee has hit a string of all-time lows on worries over the spillovers from the Iran war. The currency fell 4.24% in March, marking its worst monthly drop in six years.
Earlier this week, the RBI put a limit of $100 million on net open rupee positions of banks. However, that failed to offer relief to the currency with banks exiting positions by offering them to corporates, Reuters reported.
The RBI’s latest step now targets this surge in corporate arbitrage.
By forcing banks to cut their positions, the central bank opened up arbitrage between the onshore and NDF market which corporates exploited, putting renewed pressure on the rupee and diluting the impact of the initial measures, three bankers said.
One banker said corporate arbitrage flows at his bank alone were estimated at $750 million-$800 million. He and the other bankers requested anonymity, citing restrictions on speaking to the media. The rupee, after the RBI’s crackdown on banks, had rallied past 93 in the interbank market on Monday but slid quickly beyond 95 to an all-time low.
The RBI did not respond to an email requesting comment.
ACTION ON SPECULATIVE ACTIVITY
Additionally, the central bank barred banks from rebooking any foreign exchange derivative contract on behalf of clients, whether deliverable or non-deliverable, which has been cancelled after April 1.
Up until now, a corporate would book a forward contract to hedge its dollar exposure. If the exchange rate later moved in its favour, it could cancel the contract and book a profit. Since the underlying exposure still remained, it was then allowed to enter into a new forward contract again, effectively repeating the cycle.
“All of this basically cuts speculation,” said Dhiraj Nim, FX strategist and economist at ANZ Bank. However, the fundamental is that if oil prices stay where they are, “your current account stress remains and capital flows remain scanty”, he added.
“It does not reverse the rupee’s course but it does make the central bank’s objective of curbing excess volatility easier.”
The central bank further prohibited banks from undertaking FX derivative contracts with related parties.
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