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Citi has allocated funds to Pylon, a provider of programmatic mortgage infrastructure. However, the financial details were not revealed.
Pylon, which was founded in 2022, has created a platform that offers programmatic originations and capital through enterprise-level APIs. The firm supports businesses in wealth management, banking, servicing, homebuilding, and certain lenders.
The Two Companies Aim To Link Citi’s Mortgage Trading Desk With Pylon’s Platform
Besides the investment, the two companies are collaborating to connect the liquidity from the bank’s mortgage trading desk directly to Pylon’s platform. This will allow Pylon’s users to access Citi’s high-quality products and rates directly.
Trent Hedge, the Chief Executive Officer of Pylon, said the firm’s connection with Citi’s mortgage trading desk gives the same easy access to Wall Street that was once only available to the biggest players.
In a press release, Patrick Brett, the head of Citi SPRINT Investments noted that Pylon’s advanced, multi-product platform is developed on an intelligent core. He added that the company is eager to begin this strategic move and bring the scale of its leading Spread Products business to Pylon. Brett also said more borrowers are turning to point-of-sale loans and Pylon is expanding that into the mortgage industry.
According to the release, Citi invested through its Spread Products Investment Technologies (SPRINT) unit and Citi Ventures, Other investors include Conversion Capital, Peter Thiel, QED, Allegis Capital, and Fifth Wall.
Pylon caters to businesses in wealth management, servicers, banks, homebuilding, and some lenders. The investment comes at a time when U.S. homebuyers are facing high borrowing costs, slowing down home sales. The average 30-year mortgage rate stood at 6.9% as of November 15, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, an increase of about 40 points from last month.
U.S. Agencies Are Investigating Citi For Its Relationship To Suleiman Kerimov
Several U.S. government agencies are investigating Citi for its ties to Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov, who has been sanctioned for earning money unfairly. The sanctions block him from doing business in the U.S. Investigators are now looking into how Citigroup handled his money through a trust.
According to Barron’s, a source close to the case revealed that the U.S. Department of Justice, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have been investigating Citi for more than a year. The investigation mainly focuses on services the bank offered to Heritage Trust, which holds assets belonging to Kerimov.
A Citi spokesperson noted that Citi is committed to following all laws and regulations. At the same time, the company is closing almost all of its institutional banking operations in Russia, except for those that are necessary to meet legal and regulatory duties. The company also wants to wind down its consumer banking business in Russia.
Barron’s also revealed that the investigation is looking into Citi’s compliance system, including its client-checking and anti-money laundering procedures.
