Financial Services/Finserv


ADNIC live with Profile Software’s IMSplus for investment ops

Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC) has implemented Profile Software’s IMSplus Insurance Investment Management solution. ADNIC uses IMSplus to monitor sector and asset class exposures of its invested assets. Profile says the system allows investment managers to analyse the company’s invested assets (cash, fixed term deposits, equities, bonds, funds, private equity and real estate) and […]

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 […]

IBM Cloud launches new developer tools for financial services

IBM has unveiled its IBM Cloud for Financial Services for creating finserv apps. Users will get access to APIs, data and content to build and monetise cognitive-enabled apps for fintech firms, banks, wealth management firms and insurance companies. Initially available in beta, developers will also have the ability to build in customer insights, regulatory compliance […]

Inter-American Development Bank launches Finconecta ecosystem

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Florida-based fintech firm Above & Beyond (A&B) have unveiled “Finconecta”, a ten-month programme which integrates fintechs and financial institutions (FI) in an interconnected ecosystem. The technology platform behind it is called “Forward”, which was built by A&B, and is described as an app store-styled marketplace that allows firms to expose […]

UK’s Financial Conduct Authority calls for greater responsibility

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has set out its plan for improved banking standards and financial services with its new “Senior Managers and Certification Regime”. In a speech “Culture in financial institutions: it’s everywhere and nowhere” delivered today (16 March) by Andrew Bailey, FCA chief executive, to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) Annual […]

BBVA launches fintech challenge for start-ups

BBVA has launched the ninth edition of its “Open Talent” fintech competition – and is looking for start-ups from across the globe. The Spanish bank says this year its programme has grown from one competition to five. It will be hosting three focused world-wide competitions, more than a dozen country-specific opportunities, two specialist challenges for […]

Atidot unveils big data platform for insurtech

Israel’s insurtech provider Atidot has launched the “first” Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) based predictive analytics platform for the life insurance sector. The firm says its big data modelling and decision making tools will “accelerate the pace” at which life insurance executives can use intelligence in their decision making. Existing company data is loaded to the proprietary Atidot […]

Analysis: banking innovation in the US

Banking Technology puts the banking innovation in the US under the spotlight. The market is not short of digital offerings: Simple, Moven, Kabbage, Acorns, Earny, Debitize, MagnifyMoney and more – take your pick!

Singapore and Japan set up fintech framework

The Financial Services Agency of Japan (JFSA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have established a co-operation framework for fintech links between both countries. The framework enables MAS and JFSA to refer fintech companies in their countries to each other’s markets. It also outlines how the referred companies can initiate discussions with the regulatory […]

Lloyds in £1.3bn tech outsourcing deal with IBM

UK-based banking group Lloyds is to outsource its tech to IBM in a seven-year deal worth £1.3 billion. More than 1,900 jobs will be shifted to IBM and £760 million of costs will be cut as a result.

UK and Japan regulators partner for innovation

The Financial Services Agency of Japan (JFSA) and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have exchanged letters on a co-operation framework to support fintech companies. This deal will provide a regulatory referral system for “innovator businesses” from Japan and the UK seeking to enter the other’s market. The authority that receives such a referral will […]

New global fintech group for standardisation launches

The International Standards Organisation (ISO) Financial Services Committee (TC/68) has unveiled its new global committee, the Fintech Technical Advisory Group (TAG), to act as a sounding board for data and technology standards. The group’s goal is to establish a “proactive dialogue” with financial institutions, their regulators, and supply chain and fintech firm. TAG’s objectives are […]

Abu Dhabi and Singapore sign up for fintech innovation

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) have signed a co-operation agreement to help fintech entrepreneurs and support innovation in financial services in Singapore and Abu Dhabi. The agreement establishes a framework for both regulators to assist start-ups and innovators to understand the regulatory regime in each jurisdiction and provide […]

LendIt USA: $400 from disaster

A startling 46% of American adults would be unable to come up with $400 to meet an unexpected expense without borrowing or selling something. We are so used to thinking about financial exclusion in terms of the un- or under-served that we are overlooking the financial vulnerability of nearly half the US adult population.

Financial services consulting firm Arthur Andersen is back

Accounting and consulting firm Arthur Andersen, the folks who audited Enron, is back with 26 offices in 16 countries on five continents. In case you had forgotten; back in 2002, the company voluntarily surrendered its licences to practice as Certified Public Accountants in the US after being found guilty of criminal charges relating to the […]

DeVere enters international fintech space with Lithuania launch

Financial consultancy firm DeVere Group has taken advantage of Lithuania’s ambitions to attract fintech firms and set up a new office in the capital Vilnius. The Bank of Lithuania, the country’s central bank and regulator, recently issued an electronic money institution licence which made it possible for DeVere to establish its new subsidiary DeVere E-Money. […]

Nordea preps for PSD2 with open banking portal

Nordea has released the first version of its open banking portal targeted towards external developers, as it gets ready for the Payment Services Directive (PSD2) requirements. Currently the site has “limited functionality” but unspecified pilot activities will be conducted through the portal during 2017, in advance of a full launch in Q1 2018. Jarkko Turunen, […]

InvestCloud launches US innovation centre

California-based InvestCloud has opened its first fintech accelerator and incubator, the InvestCloud Innovation Centre, at its Pacific Design Centre headquarters in Los Angeles. The new 10,747-foot centre gives banks, wealth managers and other financial services firms “residences” to accelerate the development of new apps through access to InvestCloud’s full technology platform, in collaboration with a […]

Ex-R3 members behind new blockchain alliance

Banco Santander, BNY Mellon, Intel, JP Morgan and Microsoft are some of the big names behind the launch of a new blockchain alliance. Called the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA), it plans to drive Ethereum blockchain technology best practices – “focusing on security, privacy, scalability and interoperability”. This development creates another rival for the R3 blockchain […]

Crypto Valley launch breathes life into blockchain and cryptography

Switzerland-based Crypto Valley Association has launched as the nation looks to boost its blockchain and cryptographic ecosystem. Headquartered in the Swiss canton of Zug, Crypto Valley is an independent, government-supported association which aims to foster the development of digital technologies in Switzerland and internationally. The association will support start-ups and established enterprises through policy recommendations, […]

USAA gives development rights to Persistent Systems

USAA, a provider of banking and insurance services to the US military personnel and their families, has granted intellectual property (IP) rights to Persistent Systems for the development of its banking tech. Through this agreement, India-based Persistent will look and attempt to extend USAA’s technologies to identify and verify members. Persistent says it will focus […]

Citi unveils APIs for treasury services

Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) has launched an application programming interface (API) solution for payment initiation, payment status and account balance inquiries through its connectivity platform CitiConnect. As Banking Technology reported late last year, Citi unveiled a new global API developer portal, which it claimed to be the most comprehensive to date in the […]

Nordea releases new automated FX handling tool

Nordea Cash Management and Nordea Markets have launched AutoFX, an automated FX handling tool. Nordea says it is the first bank in the Nordics to offer this type of solution. AutoFX was developed in collaboration with a “large Nordic customer in the media industry”, in an effort to help modern treasury functions automate their daily […]

First New Clearing Bank in 250 years Enters U.K. Market

There’s a newcomer on the U.K. challenger bank scene, but it’s not wooing consumers. As a bank for banks, other FIs and fintech companies, ClearBank will offer customers access to U.K. payment systems and core banking technology to support current account capabilities.

Santander employs IBM for employee digital boost

IBM’s MobileFirst for iOS apps will be used by Santander as the bank looks to revamp its digital banking services and help its employees work better. The custom-built, native apps made for iOS will be rolled out across more than 11,000 iOS devices, and will be used by Santander’s commercial network employees, including those supporting […]

Hiccup for HSBC online banking

HSBC’s online banking went down for several hours today (27 February) – with its business customers particularly affected. The bank tweeted about the issues earlier today. We're experiencing some issues with our online services, we're working to resolve this. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. — HSBC UK (@HSBC_UK) February 27, 2017 Customers trying to access […]

Cybersecurity: computers or humans – where does the threat lie?

Digitalisation plays a key role in the fight against payment fraud. Yet Commerzbank’s cybercrime specialists in cash services show that even in this technologically advanced environment, security threats persist. Companies must take steps to ensure that human beings – as well as computers – are protected against crime.

RBS financial mess seeks digital redress

The Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) poor financial results have led to its CEO calling for more cost reductions and a faster digital transformation. The bank reported an operating loss before tax of £4.08 billion for 2016 and an attributable loss of £6.95 billion, which included litigation and conduct costs of £5.86 billion, restructuring costs […]

Top fintech stories this week – 24 February 2017

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! IBM and Northern Trust debut blockchain for private equity Uses the Hyperledger Fabric. Visa opens new innovation centre in London It’s the latest and largest one. Digital gets a spurt with Natwest and RBS experts Every branch gets […]

Bank of America zooms in on Zelle for mobile banking

Bank of America has chosen the person-to-person (P2P) Zelle service within its mobile banking app as part of its digital drive. Zelle will let clients send, receive and request money, allowing them to use the existing contacts on their mobile device to transfer money to (or request money from) “almost anyone within minutes, regardless of […]