Schwarzwald Capital, a VC firm focused on fintech and creator economy startups, announced a strategic partnership between fintech marketplace Cartex and real-time payment fraud detection platform Vesta.

The collaboration aims to introduce user-friendly fraud management solutions, creating a safer ecosystem for stakeholders in the digital content creation industry. 

This sector, valued at an estimated $200 billion in 2023, faces challenges due to its unregulated nature, including payment fraud through stolen cards and money laundering.

With nearly three decades of experience protecting industries such as telecommunications and financial services, Vesta brings expertise in reducing fraud risks and maximizing approval rates for merchants, gateways, and acquirers. 

Cartex is a marketplace connecting various payment solution services, including card issuance, payment gateways, and payout mechanisms for the creator economy.

“Like any fast-growing field, the creator economy is highly vulnerable to fraud,” said Kyrillos Akritides, Schwarzwald Capital’s co-founder and Managing Director, in a press release.

“By collaborating with [Vesta], we’re taking steps to create a safer and more trustworthy environment for the startups that Schwarzwald Capital supports,” Akritides added.

“We are excited to collaborate with Cartex’s leadership team to tackle the payment fraud challenges within the creator economies,” stated Paddy Beagan, General Manager of Vesta in Europe. 

Beagan added that the alliance with Cartex will help drive higher revenue while protecting all participants.