General News
Crypto Investment Platform Pillow Attracts $18M Funding Round, Expands in Nigeria
Democratised access to digital assets is key to getting emerging market investors on a level playing field, giving them the opportunity to take control of their finances and battle the dual challenges of inflation and the rising costs of living.
Helping them on this journey, crypto investments platform Pillow is creating simple, transparent, accessible products including crypto investing, crypto savings, crypto payments and other financial services.
Underscoring the importance of its mission, today Singapore-based Pillow announced it has raised $18 million in Series A funding co-led by Accel, Quona Capital, Elevation Capital and Jump Capital. Elevation Capital were also the first Seed investors in Pillow, having led the round in 2021.
Founded in 2021 by Arindam Roy, Rajath KM, and Kartik Mishra, the Pillow platform is a community of more than 75,000 users in over 60 countries who are taking control of their financial lives by saving and investing using digital assets.
Within the Pillow app, users can invest and save in US Dollar-backed stablecoins, as well as multiple blue-chip cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum and others.
The company is just getting started; Pillow has plans to do even more to elevate the personal finance journeys of people in emerging markets such as Africa and Southeast Asia.
Arindam Roy, CEO of Pillow, said, “At Pillow, we aspire to create and reward a culture of disciplined personal finance, including savings and investments powered by access to digital assets, that enable young, hardworking, ambitious people to take control of their finances, achieve life goals and work towards financial freedom.
“We’re creating a suite of high-quality, secure, and transparent financial products that will grant our users access to global economic opportunities and let them take control of their financial future.”
Since the beginning of 2022, the company has grown its user base by 300%, with assets under management having grown 5x. In addition, the company has expanded into Nigeria, Ghana, and Vietnam, among other emerging markets.
“Borderless, permissionless money has the power to change lives, particularly in emerging markets, and it can bring more people into financial systems,” said Ganesh Rengaswamy, co-founder and managing partner at Quona.
“What Pillow is building can remove the friction of formal financial systems for the underserved, while engaging users in savings and investing behaviors. Quona is excited to support the company on its journey.”
Digital assets and decentralised finance are opening up access to global economies across the world by operating on borderless systems without relying on centralised entities. The challenge is in making it simple and user-friendly enough for mass adoption.
Arindam, Rajath, and Kartik’s mission is to create a safe, accessible, borderless crypto investment platform and make digital assets accessible to everyone globally.
Vaas Bhaskar, Principal at Elevation Capital said “The lack of intuitive, user friendly platforms is a big impediment to large-scale adoption of digital assets as an investment class, and Pillow is doing a phenomenal job in bridging this gap.
The growth they’ve been able to achieve since inception is testament to the quality and seamlessness of the solution. We’re sure that this is just the beginning and are excited to partner on this mission to build the leading emerging markets digital asset management company.”
Pratik Agarwal, Principal at Accel said “Pillow aims to recreate the financial experience for consumers who struggle with access, on crypto rails. We’re excited to work with the Arindam, Karthik, Rajath and the team in reimagining what financial opportunity and inclusion looks like in the digital age for global emerging and frontier markets.”
MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, has retained the distribution rights to 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels following the signing of a new multi-year, multi-territory agreement between CANAL+ Group and Warner Bros. Discovery, marking a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership.
MultiChoice
The new deal, which spans several regions across Africa and Europe, covers the distribution of HBO Max as well as the renewal of selected Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels. It represents a major milestone in the companies’ international collaboration and strengthens content offerings across MultiChoice Group territories.
MultiChoice disclosed that this agreement builds on earlier partnerships concluded in Europe. “It builds on the landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024,including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films just six months after their theatrical release in France and the integration of HBO Max within select CANAL+ group offers – as well as in Poland in 2025, with the renewal of the distribution agreement for 22 thematic channels (including TVN 24 and Eurosport) and 4 free-to-air channels (including TVN).”
Under the renewed arrangement, MultiChoice Group will continue to distribute 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across its territories, with some channels offered on an exclusive basis. CNN International and Cartoon Network will remain exclusive to South Africa while being distributed non-exclusively in other markets. Cartoon Network Porto will be exclusive in Angola and Mozambique and non-exclusive elsewhere. Other channels such as Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, Travel, ID and Cartoonito will be offered on a non-exclusive basis.
According to the partners, the deal reinforces CANAL+ Group’s channel portfolio on the continent. “This agreement enables CANAL+ Group to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news, and documentary channel offerings in African markets.”
The agreement is also expected to improve access for CANAL+ Group subscribers to Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium content through HBO Max and selected channels, including globally recognised series and films, further extending the studio’s international reach while consolidating MultiChoice’s content offering in key markets.
Nigeria Police Force has suspended nationwide enforcement of its tinted glass permit policy, hours before its scheduled rollout, in compliance with a Delta State High Court order.
Tinted glass permit
The policy, set for January 2, 2026, aimed to curb vehicle-related crimes but faced legal challenge from a private citizen against the Inspector-General of Police, the force, and Delta Police Commissioner.
An ex parte injunction issued in December 2025 restrained enforcement pending suit determination, prompting the hold announced by spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin on January 1.
Police entered appearance, filed preliminary objections, and sought injunction vacation; hearing adjourned to January 20, 2026.
The Nigerian Bar Association condemned initial police plans as “executive recklessness,” accusing disregard for rule of law, while police insisted no permanent bar existed on statutory duties.
IGP Kayode Egbetokun reiterated adherence to law while prioritising public safety via intelligence-led strategies during proceedings.
Mr. Thompson Sunday, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), has reaffirmed the Corporation’s strict compliance with fiscal and financial regulations, including the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007, noting that the NDIC has consistently remitted the required percentage of its earnings to the Federal Government.
Mr. Sunday made this known during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr. Armstrong Takang, as part of NDIC’s ongoing engagement with key stakeholders following his formal assumption of office in July 2025.
According to him, NDIC takes financial accountability and transparency seriously, stressing that the Corporation complies fully with statutory remittance obligations, including the payment of 20 per cent of gross earnings or 80 per cent of net surplus to the Federal Government, as applicable. He added that NDIC also submits its financial statements ahead of statutory deadlines.
The NDIC MD/CE explained that this culture of compliance aligns with the Corporation’s role as a key institution within Nigeria’s financial safety-net, charged with protecting depositors and promoting confidence in the banking system. He emphasized that adherence to fiscal discipline remains central to NDIC’s credibility and effectiveness.
Mr. Sunday further disclosed that NDIC also complies with the Federal Government’s 50 per cent cost-to-income ratio policy, although he noted that the policy poses operational constraints. He explained that the deductions affect NDIC’s ability to build a strong Deposit Insurance Fund, which is needed to respond effectively to bank failures.
He stressed that international best practices under the Core Principles for Effective Deposit Insurance issued by the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) require deposit insurers to maintain adequate funds to reimburse depositors when banks fail without recourse to government, adding that the NDIC is seeking an exemption to strengthen its capacity in this regard.
Mr. Sunday described MOFI as a critical stakeholder, noting that the Federal Government, through MOFI, holds a 40 per cent equity stake in NDIC. He said sustained collaboration with MOFI is essential to ensuring that NDIC continues to meet its obligations to government while effectively safeguarding depositors’ funds.
In his remarks, Dr. Takang commended the NDIC for its exemplary collaborative spirit and acknowledged the Corporation’s compliance with fiscal regulations. He assured that MOFI would continue to engage the Federal Ministry of Finance on NDIC’s behalf, noting that a strong NDIC is vital to sustaining confidence in Nigeria’s financial system.
Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation, transparency and accountability, with Mr. Sunday reiterating that NDIC remains focused on balancing regulatory compliance with its overriding mandate of depositor protection and financial system stability.
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