Fintech company Bench, which previously raised over $110 million, has unexpectedly shut down, only to be acquired shortly afterward. This abrupt turn of events has left thousands of customers and hundreds of employees bewildered. Affected clients, some with years of data stored on Bench's platform, were blindsided by the news. Meanwhile, Thomson Reuters made headlines by acquiring tax automation firm SafeSend for $600 million. In other fintech developments, TBC Bank Uzbekistan raised $37 million to enhance its digital services and Tyme Group secured $250 million in funding, pushing its valuation to $1.5 billion.