Mayor Aboutaleb opens new FinTech iBanFirst office
Rotterdam, 15 June 2022 - Today, Mayor Aboutaleb of Rotterdam was a guest at the official opening of the new Dutch office of FinTech iBanFirst on the Weena, in the centre of Rotterdam. iBanFirst, which supports international companies with currency transactions and international payments, settled in the Netherlands in 2020. "As an innovative city, Rotterdam is the heart of the Netherlands when it comes to international business. The establishment of an international FinTech in our city is a great confirmation of that and something we can be proud of," said Mayor Aboutaleb at the opening of the office.
From start-up to scale-up
IBanFirst has its headquarters in Brussels and is now active in 10 countries. In 2020, iBanFirst settled in the Netherlands. With the move to new headquarters at the Weena, the company anticipates more growth. The macro-economic developments since the start of the pandemic have ensured that entrepreneurs doing international business have been confronted with new challenges, which has led to an even greater demand for knowledge and expertise on the currency market and international payment transactions. iBanFirst has also noticed that many companies have more, but also more unusual questions, partly as a result of current developments such as the war in Ukraine.
The business centre for international business
Rotterdam is one of the most innovative cities. That suits us,' says Jeroen Hoevers, general manager Benelux iBanFirst. Rotterdam attracts many international companies looking for IT and tech talent, including iBanFirst. We are a fast growing company, so it was time for a bigger office with more space. Rotterdam is full of opportunities and talented people, so we wanted to stay here. This way, we can better help our clients realise their international ambitions', according to Hoevers.
About iBanFirst
iBanFirst is a global financial services provider that offers a specialized online platform for multi-currency transactions to internationally operating SMEs. As an alternative to traditional bank offerings, it provides a payment experience and a range of financial services that meet the needs of SMEs. Thanks to iBanFirst, financial departments of these companies can make and receive payments in more than 30 currencies and hedge exchange rate risks. iBanFirst was founded in 2013 in Paris, near the Champs-Élysées, by former bank managers and entrepreneurs. iBanFirst is a French company headquartered in Belgium and has further operations in France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany and Romania. It is also expanding into Italy, among other countries. The fast-growing company currently supports over 4,000 customers in all parts of Europe. iBanFirst is connected to the SWIFT network and is SEPA-homologised and has AISP and PISP accreditations as part of the PSD2 regulations. iBanFirst has raised €46 million from Xavier Niel and European venture investors such as Serena, Breega Capital, Elaia and Bpifrance Large Venture. In May 2021, iBanFirst completed a growth capital financing round with Los Angeles-based private equity firm Marlin Equity Partners.
