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A fintech startup is taking on one of the world’s largest banks in a battle over artificial intelligence innovation. BondIT, an Israel-based fintech firm, has accused JPMorgan Chase Bank NA of stealing its AI-powered trading technology, after nearly two years of partnership discussions that ended in betrayal and millions in losses.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in New York state court, BondIT alleges that Chase and its affiliate, JPMorgan Strategic Investments I Corp., misappropriated trade secrets, breached binding agreements, and unjustly enriched themselves through deceitful negotiations that drained the startup’s intellectual property and financial resources.

“Exploited, Then Abandoned”

According to the complaint, JPMorgan used its senior executives to court the startup, only to “exploit a promising fintech firm and drain its intellectual property” before abandoning the deal “on pretext.”

Founded in 2012, BondIT developed a cutting-edge AI-driven SaaS platform that enables financial professionals to quickly build optimized bond portfolios. The company says Chase approached it in 2023, proposing a strategic partnership involving both investment and commercial collaboration.

BondIT claims the bank sought access to its “crown-jewel fixed-income technology,” leading to binding confidentiality agreements and extensive collaboration between teams. The startup reportedly spent thousands of hours customizing systems, training Chase personnel, and tailoring integration frameworks — all in anticipation of a final partnership deal.

A Sudden Reversal

But the relationship soured abruptly. BondIT alleges that once a key Chase executive championing the deal left, his replacement ordered subordinates to “disengage” from small companies like BondIT. Despite the shift, Chase allegedly continued to use the startup’s intellectual property, while delaying negotiations and introducing aggressive new terms, including exclusive rights to BondIT’s proprietary technology.

The lawsuit claims that Chase ultimately walked away, citing a third-party “financial health score” to question BondIT’s stability — even after the fintech provided what it called “unassailable financial assurances.”

Alleged IP Misuse After the Deal Collapsed

BondIT further accuses Chase of using its proprietary technology to build and enhance products across the JPMorgan enterprise after the partnership talks collapsed, effectively profiting from stolen trade secrets.

In a fiery statement, BondIT CEO Etai Ravid condemned the bank’s actions:

“No company should be able to induce another into expending its resources and sharing its IP for years under binding agreements and promises, only to flout legal obligations and walk away with the other enterprise's technology without consequence.”

Ravid warned that unchecked corporate exploitation could “stifle innovation across the fintech ecosystem” and chill technological progress.