Kakao Pay and FWD Group-backed Artem Ventures led a $20m Series A round in Paywatch.

Kakao Pay, the mobile payment and digital wallet service arm of Kakao, and FWD Group-backed Artem Ventures, a Malaysia-based venture capital firm specializing in early-stage fintech and insurtech, led a $20m Series A round in Paywatch, a provider of earned wage access services. "We're excited to welcome both Kakao Pay and Artem Ventures into the Paywatch family. Together, we're building bridges between markets, technology, and people — enabling companies to empower their employees with real financial freedom. These strategic investors bring not just capital, but deep ecosystem synergies and experience across insurance, payments, and financial technology that will accelerate Paywatch's growth as a comprehensive financial wellness solution provider across Southeast Asia," Alex Kim, Paywatch Co-Founder and President.