BitPay hires payments veteran Jim Lester as first COO
BitPay CEO says appointment of COO was necessary as more payments move to the blockchain.
Blockchain
News, intelligence and resources on the global fintech industry including blockchain.
House of Lords committee says UK digital pound is “solution in search of a problem”
The Economic Affairs Committee cited financial, privacy and data concerns over UK CBDC.
USDF Consortium launches to develop and promote bank-minted stablecoin
The FDIC-insured banks want to “unlock the financial opportunities” of blockchain technology.
SIX, BIS and SNB conduct CBDC core banking integration test
Citi, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, Hypothekarbank Lenzburg and UBS also took part in the experiment.
Digital asset fintech Zero Hash lands $105m in Series D round
The round saw participation from Bain Capital, NYCA and Point72 Ventures.
Swiss digital assets bank SEBA raises $120m in Series C funding round
The round was co-led by a consortium of specialised blockchain and fintech investors.
Checkout.com secures bumper $1bn Series D round at $40bn valuation to boost US growth
The paytech has now raised around $1.8 billion in total funding to date.
Fintech start-up Twig raises $35m to support Web 3.0 plans
The London-based fintech intends to expand into the EU and US in 2022.
Central Bank of Bahrain and JP Morgan conduct successful digital currency settlement test
The test was facilitated by JP Morgan’s new blockchain-focused business unit Onyx.
Customers Bank brings digital asset bankers onboard
Investment “signals we are a serious participant in this space”, says CEO.
NetCents Technology hires Sholeh Atash as COO
NetCents says Atash will have executive oversight to ensure that all key performance metrics are met.
Alternative retirement investment platform Alto raises $40m in Series B
The firm claims more than 15,000 IRA investors with a billion dollars of assets under custody.
Swiss digital asset neobank Sygnum raises $90m in Series B round
“The digital asset economy is rapidly crossing the chasm to mainstream adoption,” says CEO.
The heart of the matter: three predictions for 2022
It’s that time of year when crystal ball gazing is de rigueur.
ICYMI funding round-up: Anfin, Cion Digital, D2X, KRM22, & Orenda Finance
Our weekly “In Case You Missed It” funding round-up for you to get the latest funding news.
Four fintech trends to watch in 2022 and beyond
The rise of Web3, instant checkout, and embedded finance are just a few reasons 2022 will be a pivotal year for fintech.
NEAR Foundation hires fintech veteran Marieke Flament as CEO
Flament leaves her role as CEO of digital banking app Mettle by NatWest to join the Swiss foundation.
Digital asset infrastructure provider Anchorage raises $350m in Series D round
The round, led by global investment firm KKR, values Anchorage at over $3 billion.
Crypto infrastructure start-up Ramp raises $52.7m in Series A round
Ramp will use the cash to drive expansion and further product development.
Carbon as a currency
Linking currency to carbon could open the door to a better and more sustainable economy.
Nuvei partners Visa to launch branded crypto debit cards across Europe
The programme plays “a vital role in expanding the crypto ecosystem”, Nuvei CEO says.
HSBC and Wells Fargo launch blockchain-based FX settlement solution
The shared, private ledger enhances settlement speed and efficiency and reduces risk.
Cartoon: The Pied Piper
A new cartoon illustrating the pull of the current crypto and blockchain industry to draw in talent and capital.
Novi chief and co-creator of Diem David Marcus to leave Meta
Marcus is stepping down to pursue new entrepreneurial opportunities after seven years at the firm.
Swift changes for guarantees – are banks ready to deliver a digital trade service?
The new Swift CAT7 standards will have a significant impact on the trade finance industry, but are banks prepared?
Shinhan Bank readies stablecoin remittance PoC on Hedera network
This is the latest in a number of distributed ledger innovations by the South Korean bank.
Indian government takes next step in banning cryptocurrencies
Scheduling of bill points to government’s stance despite speculation over rethink.
Video: fintech news pick of the week – MoonPay, Airwallex & Gemini
Our top pick of news from the world of finance and tech in bitesize video format, every week.
Israeli blockchain firm StarkWare raises $50m in Series C round
Company aims to increase blockchain bandwidth to scale technology for mass use.
Crypto platform Gemini secures $400m in first outside funding round
The new capital injection values the company at $7.1 billion.
ING’s Evelien Witlox recruited to head ECB’s digital euro project
Witlox will analyse pros and cons of a digital euro to reside with cash.
Bank of England to launch UK CBDC consultation in 2022
Following consultation and development phase, CBDC could launch in second half of this decade.
How blockchain and cryptocurrencies can deliver financial inclusion for Africans
The uptake of blockchain and crypto has been growing in Africa, driven by the economic climate on the continent.
Fintech funding deals globally 1 November – 7 November 2021
Featuring Mynt, Plate IQ, Chipper Cash, Mythical and Moonfare.
Joshua Barraclough moves from JP Morgan to crypto trading platform Bitpanda
The new recruit takes the CEO role at Bitpanda’s crypto exchange, Bitpanda Pro.
Nigerian central bank launches eNaira CBDC
Central bank claims CBDC will boost financial inclusion in the continent’s most populous nation.
The law of unintended consequences
I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about programmable money. And this stuff scares me.
Asia Digital Bank partners Bianjie for blockchain-powered digital banking
The bank’s new digital infrastructure is designed to bridge the gap between centralised and decentralised finance.
Sibos 2021: Banks must work together to make the most of CBDCs, says panel
Panel says interoperability of CBDCs is necessary to avoid inefficiencies and poor outcomes.
Sibos 2021: CBDCs important to future of industry, says SocGen CEO
Speaking at Sibos 2021, Frédéric Oudéa says CBDCs “might be more efficient than, and might replace, cash”.
New financial services app @ZindigiO launches in Pakistan Powered by Pakistani commercial bank JS Bank, Zindigi’s… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Open banking #fintech @Plaid acquires ID verification platform @getcognito The acquisition completes the customer… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
UK’s @ThePSR fines @Mastercard £31.5m for competition law violations Five prepaid card companies admitted to carte… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
ICYMI funding round-up: BillEase, Cake, @Gr4vyInc, @FINMAP_online, @Shieldregtech, & @SkillingTrading Don't let fu… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Video: #fintech news pick of the week – @amazon, @Visa, @Bolt & @lunarmoney Our top pick of news from the world of… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
RT @Dukascopy_TV: @amazon U-turns on a Decision | Fintech @bolt Series E | Lunar taps Thought Machine | @FinTech_Futures https://t.co/pZ…
UK #fintech start-ups @WealthKernel, Fintech Farm and Bink attract funding The trio of UK-based fintechs have attr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
#Analysis: Digital twins in the #metaverse As we rush headlong into virtual worlds in the metaverse, the concept o… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…