In Q1 2022, fintech companies globally raised $29.3 billion in VC across 1,233 deals, representing a 7.3% decrease in QoQ deal value. However, this still represents a 13.8% YoY increase. Payments companies continue to lead the largest portion of deal value, at $9.1 billion, representing 12.4% QoQ growth. Checkout.com, a Stripe direct competitor, raised the largest round of the quarter in the segment: a $1.0 billion Series D at a $40.0 billion post-money valuation. Other notable payment deals of the quarter include one-click checkout platform Bolt ($355.0 million Series E at a $11.0 billion valuation), two rounds from B2B payments and expense card management companies: Qonto, which raised a $549.8 million Series D at a $5.0 billion post-money valuation, and Brex, which raised a $300.0 million Series D2 at a $12.3 billion post money valuation. Alternative lending also had a strong quarter, with some of the largest deals in the segment going to fintech companies outside of the US. These deals include a $294.0 million Series C for Singapore-based small and medium sized enterprise (SME) lending platform Funding Societies, a $260.0 million Series F for Brazil-based consumer lender Creditas, and a $189.2 million late-stage VC round for UK-based consumer loan origination and servicing platform Oakbrook Finance. Consumer finance and financial services IT companies had the largest VC investment contractions during the quarter, declining 40.8% and 72.7% QoQ, respectively.