UK Export Finance looks for IT head, plans to triple tech footprint
UK Export Finance, the country’s export credit agency and a government department, is looking to recruit a new head of IT.
Artificial Intelligence/AI
Accenture, IBM and Microsoft fuel blockchain market growth
The global blockchain market will experience massive growth during the next five years – powered by the activities of “key vendors” Accenture, IBM and Microsoft. According to Research and Markets’ report, “Global Blockchain Technology Market 2017-2021”, the market will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 55.59%. One trend in the market is […]
SIX picks IBM Watson for cybercrime fight
SIX Securities Services, Switzerland’s post-trade market infrastructure, will use IBM Watson for its new cognitive security operations centre (SOC). The new facility will be housed at SIX’s offices in Switzerland to provide localised cybersecurity services “tailored to the needs of the region”. Robert Bornträger, division CEO SIX global IT, says IBM is a “logical partner” […]
EdgeVerve calls for fintech’s magnificent seven
EdgeVerve Systems, a product subsidiary of Infosys, has launched Finacle FinTech Connect and the chance for firms to integrate their solutions into Finacle’s banking suite. Companies are invited to register for a partnership evaluation process and stand a chance to present at its event Infosys Confluence 2017 in May in San Francisco; along with joint […]
Brexit could see UK influence over AI dramatically decline
Despite numerous assurances to the contrary, as the UK lumbers towards Article 50 there are still concerns about the negative impact on the technology sector.
Why we need diversity before AI takes over
We hear a lot about how artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to displace jobs, especially those held by women in tech, but should we also worry about a future overrun with sexist, racist machines?
Samsung moves on Siri with Bixby AI
Watch out Siri and Alexa, Samsung has unveiled its own artificial intelligence (AI) solution called Bixby. This will be a new interface on Samsung’s devices – with the imminent Galaxy S8 getting it first – and when an application becomes Bixby-enabled, it will be able to support “almost every task” that the application is capable […]
Deutsche Bank opens innovation lab in New York
Deutsche Bank has opened an innovation lab in New York, its fourth globally. The lab is part of its five-year plan for €1 billion investment in digital initiatives. It is sited in Lower Manhattan’s Fulton Center and will explore new technologies focused on several areas, including artificial intelligence, cloud technology and cybersecurity. Elly Hardwick, head […]
Yes Fintech accelerator unveils 12 finalists
Yes Fintech, the accelerator programme of India’s Yes Bank, has unveiled its 12 finalists.
Fintech funding round-up: 14 March 2017
Life needs less noise. So here words are destroyed. A round-up of key events in fintech funding. Featuring Autobooks, University of British Columbia, Scotiabank and more. Michigan-based start-up Autobooks has raised $5.5 million in funding. This follows an earlier $2 million seed funding round. Draper Triangle Ventures led the latest round and was joined by […]
Next Insurance launches chatbot on Facebook Messenger
California-based Next Insurance has unveiled its new insurance chatbot that will enable personal trainers to quote and buy insurance via Facebook Messenger. Next partnered with SmallTalk, a chatbot developer, to become the “first company to provide full service insurance via a social channel”. It also says it has developed a direct link with small business […]
Servion: FIs Must Bank on Latest AI for Customer Service
Banks that aren’t proactive in adopting the latest artificial intelligence technology for customer service risk losing those customers. That’s because many online-only banks and others are investing in automated assistants that improve customer interactions by predicting why customers are contacting the bank and resolving the issue quickly.
Capital One launches SMS chatbot, Eno
Capital One is introducing virtual assistant Eno, a chatbot that communicates with the bank’s customers via text messages.
HDFC Bank launches AI-powered virtual assistant Eva
India’s HDFC Bank has partnered with Senseforth to launch an electronic virtual assistant – Eva – to answer customer queries. Powered by an artificial intelligence (AI) based engine, the chatbot is said to be able to “assimilate knowledge from thousands of sources and provide answers in simple language in less than 0.4 seconds”.
Disrupting Payments for the Better at Mobile World Congress
A deep dive into a packed panel discussion on disruption at the annual conference shows how payments providers are mapping the future with new technology, and how traditional players can endure.
Emerging Payments a Hot Topic on Social Media, Study Finds
Consumers are expressing interest in and enthusiasm for emerging payment methods in their social media conversations, according to a new report. Mastercard’s fifth annual Digital Payments Study analyzed more than 3.5 million public interactions in 2016 between consumers on social media channels—including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter—to glean insight about consumer attitudes toward new payment technologies worldwide.
Banking Technology March 2017 issue out now
The latest edition of our flagship magazine – Banking Technology – is out now, packed with news, analysis and insights, case studies, research and expert commentary.
Fintech funding round-up: 3 March 2017
Fintech funding without the tub-thumping. A realistic and brief round-up of key events. Featuring WhenFresh, Euronext, Algomi and Sensibill.
Mastercard and Getir power payments bot for Facebook Messenger
Mastercard has teamed with Turkish mobile retail firm Getir to use its bot for the “first” Masterpass payments in Facebook Messenger. Customers search for Getir (think “get here”) in Messenger, chat with the bot in a “natural, conversational way”, and make a payment with Masterpass. Getir says users can receive a ten-minute delivery from its […]
Japan applies AI to market surveillance operations
Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) and Japan Exchange Regulation (JPX-R) revealed that they have been reviewing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies developed by NEC Corporation and Hitachi to improve market intelligence operations.
US challenger Clear launches AI-powered bank
Clear, a New York City start-up, has launched the “first” artificial intelligence (AI) powered bank for start-ups. The Clear account is designed specifically for start-ups and small business owners to manage their finances through a single banking portal. Its platform lets users ask questions and receive answers without having to look at any spreadsheets or […]
Bank of Baroda launches fellowship programme to support fintech start-ups
Bank of Baroda, a public sector bank in India, has launched a fellowship programme to support fintech, rural, agricultural and financial inclusion start-ups.
RateSetter gets Plum deal for investing
Plum, an artificial intelligence (AI) powered Facebook chatbot, has teamed with peer-to-peer investing platform RateSetter to encourage the UK to save more. Plum says its algorithm understands spending patterns, identifies income and bills and creates a unique profile for each one of its users. It calculates a small amount of money to save or invest […]
TransferWise bot wises up to Facebook Messenger
Residents of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Europe can now send money and set up rate alerts using TransferWise’s chatbot, launched on the Facebook Messenger platform. According to TransferWise, for regular payments between two currencies, rate alerts will keep users updated on the daily exchange rate. Scott Miller, TransferWise head of global partnerships, says […]
8 Securities launches robo-advisor Chloe in Japan
Asian fintech company 8 Securities has launched Chloe, a robo-advisor that constructs portfolios with exchange traded funds (ETFs) listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). To begin, customers must answer a short survey which will help Chloe set goals and target dates to achieve those goals. Each yen deposited is invested into a diversified global […]
Traity collaborates with Suncorp to launch a micro-insurance platform
Kevin, Traity’s new chatbot, provides micro-insurance for P2P transactions online. Created in collaboration with Australia’s financial services conglomerate, Suncorp, Kevin protects buyers on online marketplaces such as Gumtree, Facebook and Craigslist.
FinovateEurope 2017: designing good finance
Last week’s FinovateEurope was full of the broad range of exciting and innovative companies that we have come to expect at the show. Although the 72 companies showcasing their solutions operated right across the fintech landscape, they all sing from a common hymn sheet of improving the customer experience.
Top fintech stories this week – 10 February 2017
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! Temenos cuts jobs in US; eyes D+H payments business EXCLUSIVE. US layoffs cited as around 60 by some sources. Ziraat Bank London to replace legacy core banking tech EXCLUSIVE. Misys Fusionbanking moves in. Banks and UN launch sustainable […]
Revolut rolls out Rita the chatbot greeter
UK-based payments start-up Revolut has unveiled its “human-like” chatbot, Rita, to answer customer queries. Rita – which stands for “Revolut’s Intelligent Troubleshooting Assistant” – is accessible via the mobile app’s messenger support service. Customers can open the app, send Rita a message and get an instant reply. During the pilot scheme, Rita resolved 20% of […]
PayPal’s new pal is its first payments bot
PayPal has a new pal – namely its first bot that lets users move and manage their money in a conversational and casual style. It is built on the Slack messaging platform, which has five million daily active users and lets teams centralise conversations. With the bot, people can send money between PayPal accounts without […]
ImaginBank launches chatbot for millennials
CaixaBank’s mobile-only bank, imaginBank, has unveiled a chatbot to help millennials find offers and promotions most relevant to them, based on their preferences or location. Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), the chatbot will be available to users via Facebook Messenger on imaginBank’s Facebook page. Launched in January 2016, imaginBank is a 100% digital and mobile […]
Insurtech in 2017: making insurance great again
There are many reasons to be excited about insurtech in 2017!
Glance and trade: Swissquote introduces VR trading
Swiss online bank Swissquote has developed a virtual reality (VR) trading application that enables users make trades with a glance. The VR headset creates a 360° trading wall for users to monitor the markets.
Cleo Chatbot Comes to Facebook Messenger
The rise of the chat bots continues as Cleo, a virtual money assistant described by its creators as the “Siri of personal finance,” has launched on Facebook Messenger for users in the U.K. Developed by the London-based fintech startup of the same name, Cleo is an artificial-intelligence-powered chat bot the companies say will help users manage their finances.
BNP Paribas Securities Services invests in fintech start-up Fortia
BNP Paribas Securities Services has acquired a minority stake in an Fortia Financial Solutions. This deal helps Fortia, a start-up that provides compliance software to the financial services industry, cement the relationship it formed with the bank during the inaugural session of the fintech accelerator by L’Atelier BNP Paribas.
The Monday mindset: 30 January 2017
Fintech zeitgeist! Welcome to the third in a new series of brief reports. Every Monday, we might look back at last week; look ahead to this week; share a few thoughts (our own or others); or discuss anything that catches our eye. This week we welcome the views of guest writer Soumik Roy. Last week, […]
SAP shows the world how digital transformation is done
While many traditional tech giants have been struggling to come to terms with the connected economy, SAP’s latest earnings indicate it is adapting well to the world of cloud computing.
Citi analyses VC investments in fintech for fresh insights
Citi’s global perspectives and solutions team has issued a 100-page report on digital disruption in the fintech industry. It has analysed venture capital (VC) investments in the fintech industry between 2010 and 2016, as well as the emerging technologies across the globe.
Google’s AI software beats humans at writing AI software
Economists worry that artificial intelligence (AI) could make many workers obsolete. Now, AI researchers could be putting their own jobs at risk. Researchers at Google and elsewhere are writing AI software that’s better than humans at writing AI software, reports Light Reading (Banking Technology‘s sister publication). Researchers at the Google Brain artificial intelligence research group […]
The Monday mindset: 23 January 2017
Fintech zeitgeist! Welcome to the second in a new series of brief reports. Every Monday, we might look back at last week; look ahead to this week; share a few thoughts (our own or others); or discuss anything that catches our eye. Anything goes, so here goes. Last week I was in Hong Kong, but […]
