Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Denver news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Des Moines news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Minneapolis-St. Paul news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Tampa Bay news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Charlotte news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Mark Lennihan / AP
Futu Securities, a Chinese online brokerage, reportedly has raised $145.5 million in Series C funding. Tencent led the round, and was joined by return backers Matrix Partners China and Sequoia Capital China.
- Why it matters: This deal comes as Futu continues to work toward obtaining a U.S. brokerage license, and as more and more Chinese retail traders get comfortable using mobile apps to trade local and U.S. securities (the company claims $44 billion of 2016 transaction value).
- Risk factor: "The China Securities Regulatory Commission said last July that Futu's online platform provided unauthorized overseas stocks trading services and gave no legal protection to investors. [CEO Li Hua] said his company was 'hit by mistake' and the regulator gave positive feedback after understanding its business." ―Bloomberg