Top fintech stories this week – 30 June 2017
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place!
Financial Services/Finserv
NatWest pilots AI compliance technology with Recordsure
UK-based high street bank NatWest is trialling Recordsure’s regtech recording and analysis solution “to improve and monitor the quality of information and advice provided during regulated customer conversations”.
Money20/20 Europe: a finale for financial inclusion
For the finale of the final day of Money20/20 Europe, financial inclusion was discussed with resolute optimism for a bright future.
Money20/20 Europe: advancing APIs to a happy place
The interest from the fintech community in APIs burns brighter than a thousand suns, but where will this technology and the spirit of open banking take us?
Bank of America signs for Oracle ERP
Bank of America is rolling out Oracle’s cloud-based ERP system and financial applications for its international general ledger and broker-dealer systems.
Money20/20 Europe: is banking a dead cat?
What is the future of banking? Is it a giant menu from which customers (individuals and businesses) choose who is to provide what contingent upon well-informed choice and best value. Or is it a model where banks still rule from the centre, providing customers the simplicity of a range of products through a single provider. Putting aside whether or not this highly competitive state is possible, which is the future direction of banking?
Study: Americans Uneasy about Finances Provide Opportunity for Financial Service Providers
One-fourth of Americans say they have too much debt, with 96 percent of them reporting they are financially stressed, according to a survey by the Center for Financial Services Innovation to gauge Americans’ financial well-being. While those statistics are bleak, they should signal an opportunity for banks, credit unions, fintechs and other companies to provide products, services and guidance to improve consumers’ financial stability, according to Jennifer Tescher, founder and CEO of CFSI.
Money20/20 Europe: PSD2 creates more questions than answers
The second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) is creating more questions and issues than the answers it ultimately should offer.
Challenger bank Monese goes pan-European with mobile current account
UK-based digital bank Monese has expanded its current account service to 19 countries in Europe, enabling customers to open bank accounts and “bank like a local”, even if they are not a local resident.
Analysis: MiFID II – the new transparency regime
Having been a fixture on the regulatory agenda for years, the go-live date for MiFID II is now rapidly approaching. On 3 January 2018, the second iteration of Europe’s Market in Financial Instruments Directive and Regulation will bring in sweeping changes to the financial markets on topics such as product governance and suitability, transaction reporting, commodities position limits and transparency.
Starling Bank expands to Ireland, eyes “the whole world”
London-based challenger bank Starling has received a banking passport into Ireland. The bank says this is “its first step in its plans to provide services to European markets”.
More jobs to go from RBS in UK to India
Job-cutting spree continues at the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) – 443 jobs are to go from its business loans department. Many of these will be moved to India.
Canadian robo-advisor Wealthsimple arrives in UK
Wealthsimple, a Canada-based online investment management service, is coming to the UK.
Starling Bank preps for future with new features
UK challenger bank Starling has launched a “Spending Insights” tool and an online community for its users – and it is setting out its future plans. Spending Insights is probably self-explanatory. It works in the app and the bank says it gives users ideas about where they can save money. It shows customers how much […]
Japan and Australia regulators to co-operate on fintech
The Financial Services Agency of Japan (JFSA) and Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) will work together to promote innovation in financial services in Japan and Australia. Both have completed a framework and they will share information and support the entry of fintech firms into each other’s markets. ASIC says this framework will “help open […]
Brokers are jokers with Trading 212 zero commission service
Don’t go for broke or a broker – Trading 212 has unveiled the UK’s first zero commission share trading platform. The firm says it allows investors to make ten trades per month and up to £10,000 equity per trade commission free, which it estimates will cover the needs of approximately 90% of its customers. To […]
FinTech Australia releases fintech ecosystem map
Industry body FinTech Australia has released its first member ecosystem map, to show the nation’s “strengths and diversity”, particularly in wealth generation and lending. The map (see image below) lists 119 members of FinTech Australia, along with the nation’s key financial services regulators. Danielle Szetho, FinTech Australia CEO, says: “The broad range, depth and quality […]
Fintech funding round-up: 22 June 2017
It was only yesterday we did a fintech funding round-up. But as there’s a mad dash for cash, here’s another one. Features Digital Financial Services Lab, TrueLayer and Enterprise Ireland. Digital Financial Services Lab (DFS Lab) will invest $250,000 in four separate fintech start-ups that are building products to help low-income consumers in developing markets. […]
Mastercard launches competition for African financial inclusion
The Mastercard Foundation Fund for Rural Prosperity (FRP) has launched a new competition to find financial products and services that improve the lives of poor people in rural areas of Africa. The 2017 competition will follow a rolling format and will be open throughout the year with applications submitted and evaluated periodically. The first submission […]
Morgan Stanley drives diversity with innovation lab launch
Morgan Stanley has unveiled an innovation lab with the aim of promoting diversity top of the agenda. According to the Financial Times, which has seen an application form, a four-month programme will begin in July and end in a symposium that will “expose companies to potential investors through showcase presentations”. The FT says any start-up […]
Money’s the honey for Swift global payments innovation challenge
Swift is offering funding of up to €200,000 for the two winning fintech finalists of its industry challenge to develop new overlay services that use its global payments innovation (gpi) platform. The winners will work with banks on collaborative concepts that solve additional industry challenges in cross-border payments on top of gpi. As reported previously, […]
Eight Fledgling Fintech Providers Win Capital with CFSI Awards
Eight fledgling fintech companies have won $250,000 each from the Center for Financial Services Innovation. Each FinLab winner in this third annual competition from the CFSI receives $250,000 in capital, along with resources to test, enhance and scale their products, in part via the expertise of JPMorgan Chase, a founding lab partner.
Barclays hit with fraud charge over Qatar capital raising
The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has charged Barclays and four of its former workers with conspiracy to commit fraud over capital raising arrangements with Qatar Holding and Challenger Universal. The charge also includes the provision of unlawful financial assistance contrary to the Companies Act 1985. The charges relate to events in June and October […]
UK regulator calls for feedback on consumer access to insurance
Like a bird of paradise, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is calling again – and this time for views and evidence concerning consumers’ access to insurance. This FCA’s paper looks more broadly at access issues related to insurance but specifically (and a non-fintech point) seeks views on “how consumers with cancer or those in […]
Blockchain and Bitcoin round-up: 19 June 2017
Don’t let the blocks cause you too much mental blockage. Our latest blockchain and Bitcoin round-up keeps it ultra-brief. Featuring Ayondo, XBT Provider, Xapo and the European Commission. Financial services firm Ayondo has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of Bitcoin trading, offering access to price movement without the need to open an e-wallet […]
Microcred looks ahead with BankBI business intelligence software
Microfinance entity Microcred has chosen BankBI’s business intelligence software applications as part of its move into retail banking. As reported last year, Microcred said it plans to become a fully-fledged retail bank and grow its presence from nine to 17 countries by 2020. It has opted to keep its long-standing technology provider, Temenos, and upgrade […]
HSBC unveils £10bn fund for UK SMEs
HSBC has launched a £10 billion lending fund for SMEs in the UK as it looks to tap into this lively market. The bank says it continues to be open to lending, having approved 91% of small business lending applications in the last year. Ian Stuart, UK CEO, HSBC, says: “We want to put SMEs […]
Where top European banks are investing in fintech – CB Insights
European banks are placing strategic bets in areas ranging from wealth management, lending, payments, regulatory technology, software, and blockchain. Which banks were the most active and what did they invest in?
Spain’s first fully digital bank Openbank in major transformation
Openbank, a subsidiary of Spain’s banking giant Santander, has undergone an enterprise-wide overhaul, from products and services, to technology, to corporate culture, to new branding.
Blockchain fuels IBM and Standard Chartered insurance policy pilot
American International Group (AIG), IBM and Standard Chartered have piloted the “first” multinational, smart contract based insurance policy using blockchain. The trio converted a controlled master policy written in the UK, and three local policies in the US, Singapore and Kenya, into a smart contract that provides a shared view of policy data and documentation […]
Monese debuts direct debits to challenge traditional banks
Mobile-only bank Monese has unveiled direct debit functionality for its customers – a move designed to offer services closer to that of a traditional high street bank account. Alongside this, it has also gained access to Faster Payments, so customers can send funds to accounts outside or within the UK with a “quicker transfer”. In […]
Dutch regulator fines International Card Services €2.4m
The Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) is fining International Card Services (ICS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ABN Amro, for excessive credit limits. In March 2017, ICS says it took the initiative itself and prepared a compensation plan for the clients concerned. ICS will pay the €2.4 million fine imposed by the AFM. Which […]
UK regulator reveals second wave of sandbox start-ups
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has unveiled the second wave of firms that have made it into its regulatory sandbox. As reported in 2015, the sandbox allows businesses to test out new products and services without “incurring the normal regulatory consequences”. The move is part of the FCA’s Project Innovate, which aims to boost […]
AI will make humans redundant in security, but that’s a good thing
If security is too big a question for us to answer, maybe it’s time to hand the responsibility over to the machines, reports Telecoms.com (Banking Technology‘s sister publication). During a panel at “AI and Machine Learning World”, part of tech event TechXLR8 in London, artificial intelligence (AI) was discussed. What might seem quite a controversial […]
Banks facing fines totalling €4.7bn under GDPR
Consult Hyperion is forecasting that European financial institutions could face fines totalling €4.7 billion in the first three years under the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The report, “GDPR: Banks, Breaches and Billion Euro Fines”, which was commissioned by security firm AllClear ID, is a “conservative” forecast and excludes compensation claims, costs associated with […]
Fintech outside London – part 3
Our tour of the UK fintech scene concludes in this third instalment of the report. We started from the south of the country, then travelled west and are now travelling through the northern England and Scotland.
Yes Bank and TerraPay tap into India’s migrant market
Mobile payments switch TerraPay has partnered with Yes Bank to enable real-time international money transfers to bank accounts in India – with the Indian migrant market firmly in their sights. TerraPay provides its clearing and settlement service, and via a “Rupee Drawing Arrangement”, its network partners can make the transfers to bank accounts in the […]
European Banking Federation wants fintech at overclock speed
Responding to the European Union (EU) consultation on fintech, the European Banking Federation (EBF) wants the creation of an inclusive ecosystem and asks for people to get on with it. Earlier this year, the EC called for feedback and said it wanted to prise open national barriers as only 7% of consumers currently buy financial […]
Fintech billionaire wolf whistles during meeting to address sexism
The career of an elderly billionaire lies in tatters after he decided that a meeting to address sexism in the fintech industry was the right time to wolf whistle at the crowd and boast about his sexual exploits. David Blooperman, CEO and founder of identity and internet of things service provider ID-IOT, was invited to […]
Bahrain’s central bank creates sandbox for fintech start-ups
The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has announced new regulations to create a regulatory sandbox for fintech start-ups and firms to test and experiment their banking ideas and solutions. The framework provides a “virtual space” and it is open to existing CBB licensees and other local and foreign firms. The testing duration is nine months, […]
