Backbase’s omnichannel platform gains new live site in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s Halyk Bank has launched a new digital banking subsidiary, Altyn-i, underpinned by the Backbase omnichannel solution. Backbase interfaces to Altyn-i’s core banking system, CBS, from Colvir Software Solutions. The new bank aims to offer a full range of financial services. At present, it offers account opening, debit cards and payment services. Consumer loans, mortgages […]

Xceed and Reach Credit Unions to unite on Fiserv’s DNA core platform

California-based credit union, Xceed Financial, is merging with fellow Reach Federal Credit Union. The two entities will use Fiserv’s DNA core processing system as their centralised platform. It will be provided on a hosted basis. Xceed is already on the DNA platform, but has been using it in an in-house environment rather than outsourced. Reach […]

Top fintech stories this week – 15 April 2016

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! EPC launches public consultation on SEPA instant payments scheme You’ve got until 10th July to submit your views. What do corporates want from their banks? Simplicity, standardisaion and automation. New core banking system selection in the Netherlands Amsterdam Trade […]

Companies on the Move: Edge Consultancy 

Edge Consultancy LLC, a new strategic consulting firm aimed at community banks and credit unions, has added several new consultants and leadership positions, including CEO Kirk Kordeleski, former CEO at Bethpage Credit Union.

People on the Move: Raj Seshadri, MasterCard

MasterCard has appointed Raj Seshadri as president, U.S. Issuers. In this new role, she will be responsible for managing and expanding the company’s partnerships with banks and credit unions across the U.S. market.

People on the Move: Mung Ki Woo, OmnyPay

OmnyPay, a provider of one-step loyalty rewards and coupon redemption via mobile, announced that former MasterCard senior executive Mung Ki Woo will be joining OmnyPay’s leadership team in the role of chief partnerships and international officer.

CFSI: Startups Filling Gap for Next-Gen Prepaid Services

As entrepreneurs recognize the market potential of serving the underbanked, many of the most cutting-edge payments startups are building their products and services around the existing prepaid infrastructure, Center for Financial Services Innovation Managing Director Ryan Falvey told Card Forum attendees this week.

Card Forum Panel: Mobile Wallet Opportunities, Pitfalls for FIs

When it comes to mobile wallets, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay garner plenty of headlines. But while the trio of high-profile “—Pays” has finally brought long-awaited consumer attention to mobile wallets at large, are they putting bank issuers at risk of losing control of the payments experience? And, if so, how do FIs fight to stay relevant in the mobile wallet age?

Eleos opts for Wirecard and CIMB Bank Singapore mPOS solution

Wirecard is partnering with CIMB Bank Singapore to provide mobile point of sales (mPOS) card acceptance and banking solutions for clients of POS solution provider Eleos Web. Software till system manufacturer Eleos will use Munich-based Wirecard’s white label solution to “expand” till functionality to incorporate mobile card acceptance. Ong Whee Shiong, MD at Eleos, says […]

RBS to cut 600 jobs in UK

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is cutting almost 600 jobs in its UK retail bank. British and Irish trade union Unite has reacted to the news. RBS will axe about 200 positions across London and the south east of England, with 400 jobs to go in the Midlands, east and the north of the country, […]

Bolivia’s banking community adopts Swift’s KYC

Bolivia’s banking community has connected to Swift’s Know Your Customer (KYC) Registry, a centralised repository which maintains a standardised set of information about financial institutions required for KYC compliance. Since December 2014, the KYC Registry has been adopted by more than 2,350 financial institutions globally to “complement” existing compliance programmes. In Latin America, the Registry […]

FSS to provide UPI solutions for six Indian banks

India-based payments firm Financial Software and Systems (FSS) will provide Unified Payment Interface (UPI) solutions for six unnamed Indian banks. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) recently launched UPI, which offers instant, online bank payments. The move is seen as a major change to the Indian financial sector. FSS says UPI enables the banks […]

Will regulation be a blessing or a blow for Bitcoin?

The European Commission (EC) wants to update the fourth Anti-Money Laundering directive so that it also covers virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin. In the UK, the Treasury has followed suit by announcing plans to subject virtual currency exchanges to the same regulations as banks. This isn’t surprising. Gunnar Nordseth, CEO and co-founder of Signicat, muses over the possible […]

PDQ ATS picks Eventus platform for risk surveillance

Eventus Systems, a US-based provider of data processing and analysis solutions, has signed PDQ ATS for its flagship Validus risk and surveillance platform. PDQ ATS, an independent alternative trading system for equity market participants, will use Eventus’ Validus platform for a centralised look at trading, operations, surveillance, compliance and risk management information for both buy- […]

No barriers for Paymentwall in Iran

San Francisco-based Paymentwall has integrated Iran’s local payment system, following the end of economic sanctions in the country. The US and the European Union had imposed economic sanctions on Iran until it complied with restrictions set for its nuclear program. After 35 years, Iran agreed to a nuclear deal with the US, and it can […]

Chain links up with MUFG for blockchain

Chain, a provider of blockchain technology infrastructure, has teamed with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) to build blockchain solutions for Japan’s financial sector. Satoshi Murabayashi, CIO, in charge of digital innovation, at MUFG, says it wants to “explore the application of next-generation financial infrastructure that we believe could significantly enhance the experience for our clients”. […]

Swift to launch new payments data quality service

Swift will launch Payments Data Quality, a reporting and data analytics service to help financial institutions comply with new international requirements for originator and beneficiary information in payments messages. The service will be available in Q3 2016 and Swift says it will help banks monitor their compliance with the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) Recommendation […]

CFPB Fills Leadership Posts

On April 12, the CFPB announced the addition of several new members to leadership positions within the bureau for the external affairs division; the consumer education and engagement division; the student loan ombudsman and Office for Students and Young Consumers; the Office of Small Business Lending; the Office of Consumer Response; and the Office of Supervision Examinations.

Indian Smartphone Maker Strikes Payments Pact with Visa, TransServ

In a bid to grow its mobile payments business, Indian smartphone maker Micromax has struck a deal with Visa and payment technology provider TranServ. The three companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which Micromax handsets will incorporate QR code-based in-store payments service mVisa, as well as TranServ’s Udio mobile wallet app, which enables online and mobile purchases via linked Visa prepaid card.

T-Mobile Shutters Prepaid Card

A little more than two years after its launch into financial services, T-Mobile has confirmed that it’s shuttering its prepaid card program. Citing the competitive marketplace, the carrier is getting out of the business just as the CFPB puts the finishing touches on its prepaid account rulemaking.

Card-Linked Transactions Grow 50 Percent

A new report says that 70 percent of firms push offers and discounts to consumers through card-linked transactions and nearly half of those firms report transaction growth has doubled in the past year

EPC launches public consultation on SEPA instant payments scheme

The European Payments Council (EPC) has launched a public consultation on the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) Instant Credit Transfer (SCT Inst) scheme. EPC says the proposed scheme is the “first in the world to be interoperable in a region as large as SEPA and is a response to European customer needs for faster payments”. […]

Infographics: Video banking – it’s on

Video banking has finally reached inflection point, according to Efma and Vidyo Inc. The two companies have carried out the research, “which uncovered massive support for video banking among financial organisations worldwide”. Nearly 80% of all banks surveyed plan to offer video-enabled banking services. Check out this nifty infographics (courtesy of Efma and Vidyo) on all […]

Delaware Unveils Blockchain Initiative

The Delaware Blockchain Initiative demonstrates the state’s commitment to ensuring this remains the case for the growing blockchain technology sector.

FTC Chair: More Security Needed for Internet of Things

Edith Ramirez says Congress will have to craft laws to protect all the data and activities that stem from Web-connected appliances, cars and other devices. She also urges the industry to better protect that data.

NICE Actimize launches AML Essentials for mid-sized FIs

NICE Actimize hopes to muscle into the mid-tier banking sector with the launch of AML Essentials, an anti-money laundering cloud-based platform. It will be delivered on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud. The solution offers transaction monitoring, CDD (customer due diligence) and KYC (know your customer), and watch list filtering to reporting and SAR (suspicious […]

Building consumer trust – a major challenge for newcomer banks

The challengers aiming to take on the traditional high street banks are themselves facing an enormous obstacle if they are to disrupt the banking market significantly, observes Zehra Chudry, organiser of the “Challengers versus Legacy Banks” debate at PayExpo Europe 2016. This hurdle is building consumer trust. Not only must they offer powerfully attractive alternatives and improvements, they must also convince consumers […]

Volante Technologies makes inroads into Turkey via tie-up with Payfessional

Financial messaging and payment specialist Volante Technologies has inked a partnership agreement with Payfessional, a Turkey-based IT firm. The tie-up will see Payfessional offering Volante’s VolPay suite of payment integration and processing solutions to the Turkish banking market. Payfessional, which focuses on e-payment processing solutions for the financial services industry, will also market the solution […]

FICO: ATM Fraud Jumps 546 Percent

The credit monitoring firm says criminals in the U.S. increasingly are targeting non-bank machines and ATM fraud has moved from the coasts into the heartland.

PayNearMe, 7-Eleven Offer Tax Payments at Retail

Cash bill payment specialist PayNearMe is giving taxpayers a new way to pay the IRS without using a bank account or payment card. The company’s new service enables users to make cash tax payments at nearly 7,000 7-Eleven store locations via barcode scan.

Ingenico Continues Omnichannel Push with Startup Buy

2016 Pay Awards winner Ingenico Group has acquired Think&Go NFC, a startup specializing in enabling digital displays to interact with connected objects like smartphones and transit passes. The acquisition is part of Ingenico’s plan to strengthen its omnichannel presence over the next several years.

Bigbank overhauls credit processing with Provenir

Estonia-based Bigbank is modernising its credit decisioning and loan origination processes with Provenir. Provenir’s cloud-based solution will reduce time to market, improve efficiency and customer centricity at the bank, says the vendor. Agur Jõgi, chief technology officer at Bigbank, comments that investment in technology will help the bank to achieve the goals of “delighting customers” […]

Allied Irish Banks to modernise payments software with Dovetail

Allied Irish Banks (AIB) is set to modernise its payments platform. The bank has recently concluded a system selection to that effect. The new supplier is Dovetail, Banking Technology understands. The new payments hub will support high-value, low-volume payments as well as high-volume, low-value ones. Dovetail’s solution will replace the Global PayPlus (GPP) legacy platform […]