Fintech
Meridien Holdings Acquires 27% Stake in London-Based Fintech DKK Partners
Meridien, a US holding company specializing in global payments, CRM and banking, has set its plans for a fourth time to list on the New York Stock Exchange. In addition to other strategic acquisitions, Meridien will acquire a 27% stake in the London-based fintech company DKK Partners to strengthen the group’s capabilities.
The funding will enable DKK, which specializes in emerging markets (EM) and foreign exchange (FX) liquidity, to continue the company’s global expansion. Founded in 2020 by banking veterans Dominic Duru, formerly of RBS and Citi, and Khalid Talukder, formerly of UBS, Citi and Deutsche Bank.
DKK has seen its flow increase to $1.3 billion in transactions in the last year with EBITDA reaching an impressive $2 million with a CAGR of 150% in the last year. The company has also opened dedicated offices in all key markets including London, Dubai, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Senegal.
As part of the deal, Meridien Holdings and DKK Partners have entered into a strategic alliance to complement their business plans, securing global payment, acquisition, banking and FX liquidity capabilities. The deal will include DKK’s acquisition of Meridien shares along with a multi-million-dollar cash injection to enable rapid expansion.
Earlier this year, DKK partnered with Seed Group, a company of the Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, to enable transparent and efficient transactions for global financial institutions. The company also received initial approval from the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to offer Virtual Asset Broker Dealer Services (VASP).
The strategic goal is to acquire and aggregate financially regulated institutions across multiple geographies, creating seamless value transfer in the Meridien ecosystem, combining both TradFi and DeFi.
Khalid Talukder, co-founder of DKK Partners, said: “This is a pivotal moment for our business and it is a true honor to partner with Meridien as we enter our next phase of growth. Both businesses share values and a commitment to excellence and we are excited to work to build a truly disruptive global brand that will redefine the payments industry.”
Erik Lara Riveros, CEO of Meridien Holdings said: “DKK has an incredible history of growth, a fantastic customer base and a scalable business model, coupled with a strategic partnership with Seed Group, making them a disruptive VASP in the region. The partnership with DKK, along with our other acquisitions of listed and regulated financial institutions, is a perfect fit for Meridien as it prepares to list on the NYSE, driving its goal of creating a disruptive business model in the global payments, banking and correspondent services industry.”