Top fintech stories this week – 10 March 2017
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place!
Partnerships
Monetary Authority of Singapore and R3 power blockchain payments project
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is partnering with R3, and a consortium of financial institutions on a proof-of-concept project to conduct inter-bank payments using blockchain. This project, which is seen as a rival to Swift’s network, will potentially create a payment system for participants to transact in different global markets round-the-clock. Sopnendu Mohanty, chief […]
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 […]
Top fintech stories this week – 3 March 2017
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place!
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 […]
Survey smiles on worldwide payment schemes
Developing new services, adopting the latest technologies and collaboration are the top priorities among payment schemes worldwide, according to a new study.
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.
bPay jewel in the crown for Barclaycard payments
Barclaycard has signed two new bPay partnerships to embed contactless payment technology in watches and jewellery in the UK. The agreements are also designed to complement bPay’s proprietary range – which comprises a wristband, fob, sticker and loop – and the existing partnerships that already see the technology, which is powered by Visa, embedded within […]
Nordea Liv and Spiff collaborate for a new social savings app
Nordea Liv, a life insurance arm of Nordea, has worked with Norwegian fintech start-up Spiff to create a new app that will motivate customers to save money to reach goals.
Standard Chartered China teams with Tencent FiT for e-commerce solution
Standard Chartered China is partnering with Tencent Financial Technology Group (Tencent FiT) to launch a new e-commerce solution for corporates. The deal makes Standard Chartered the “first global bank to offer a one-stop online collection solution with WeChat Pay” and combines its cash management offering with the online payment gateway. The bank says it can […]
IBM in major IoT drive with new partners
IBM has unveiled a large ecosystem initiative as it opens the doors of its new $200 million global headquarters for its Watson Internet of Things (IoT) business in Munich, Germany. BNP Paribas, Capgemini and Tech Mahindra are some of the firms who will place development teams at the IBM centre. Harriet Green, general manager, IBM […]
Swift’s global payments innovation initiative now live
Major global transaction banks are now live with Swift’s global payments innovation (gpi) initiative.
Japan seeks stronger ties to Iran’s central bank
Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) is looking to work closer on banking supervision with the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran (CBI). The pair have exchanged letters on co-operation and the plan is to examine the performance of their respective duties for the “safe and sound functioning” of banking organisations in their countries. […]
Temenos to acquire Australian partner Rubik for $50m
Australia-based banking software and services vendor Rubik Financial is to be taken over by Temenos. The deal is valued at $50 million.
Hellenic Bank unveils innovation lab
Hellenic Bank has opened an innovation lab in its home city of Nicosia, Cyprus.
First Data and KeyBank team up for payments and merchant services
US-based First Data and KeyBank have teamed up to offer merchant services to the latter’s commercial, business and government clients across the country. The partnership will allow KeyBank to offer First Data’s entire portfolio of business tools, including the Clover platform which lets business owners accept payments, manage inventory, track sales, and access analytics and […]
New Indian virtual currency co-operative a reality
Several Indian Bitcoin start-ups have formed the Blockchain and Virtual Currency Association of India as they look to quell investors’ virtual currency fears becoming a reality. Coinsecure, Searchtrade, Unocoin and Zebpay have banded together in response to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) recent circular warning people that it has not authorised dealings in or […]
New SME bank for “millennipreneurs” comes to Europe, BankUP
BankUP, a new fintech venture based in Kontich, Belgium, looks to tap into the European SME banking market.
Banks and UN launch sustainable investment framework
United Nations, together with 19 banks and investors worldwide, have launched “a global framework aimed at channelling the money they manage towards clean, low carbon and inclusive projects”. The framework – The Principles for Positive Impact Finance – is a first of its kind set of criteria for investments to be considered sustainable, says the UN.
New Zealand announces new fintech working group
The New Zealand Tech Industry Association (NZTech) is launching a new working group, FinTechNZ, which will focus on financial innovation and technology. This working group will be inaugurated in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland next week.
Anglo-American alliance aims to advance payments
British and American governments, businesses, and others have formed P20 – a group of “influential leaders” and the “first” Transatlantic payments initiative of its kind. Its inaugural meeting is to be held in autumn 2017 in London, where 20 people in the payments industry, and US/UK government officials and regulators will meet. It will rotate […]
Irish Funds and Deloitte power blockchain for regulatory reporting
Irish Funds is working with Deloitte and others to develop a blockchain proof of concept (PoC) for regulatory reporting. The project will focus on the Resident Investment Fund Returns (Money Market and Investment Funds Returns Reporting – MMIF) regulation and will use blockchain and smart contract technology to create a platform for regulatory reporting accessible […]
Barclaycard teams with VocaLink for mobile payments
Barclaycard is partnering with VocaLink to enable its merchants to accept mobile payments through Pay by Bank app. Pay by Bank app, created by VocaLink’s payment innovation team Zapp, will allow shoppers to pay for goods and services on a mobile device, without the need to enter credit or debit card details. Rajiv Garodia, managing […]
Wall Street Blockchain Alliance launches Blockchain Assets Working Group
The Wall Street Blockchain Alliance (WSBA), a US-based non-profit trade organisation, has set up a new working group – the Blockchain Assets Working Group (BAWG). It will focus on “native assets riding upon public blockchains, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Zcash, and more”, WSBA explains.
Varo Money joins forces with Envestnet | Yodlee to drive fintech innovation
California based technology companies Varo Money and Envestnet | Yodlee have teamed up to drive fintech innovation. Varo Money, a mobile-only banking start-up hopes to leverage Envestnet | Yodlee’s data analytics and aggregation platform to provide customers with a more customised mobile banking experience, and better insights into their financial well-being.
FinTecSystems fuels Smava automatic credit system
FinTecSystems, Fidor Bank and credit comparison site Smava have teamed up to offer the “first fully” automatic credit system with an “immediate payout” in Germany. Called Kredit2Go, the entire process of requesting, processing and disbursement is digital, and the payment is made immediately after the digital signature. FinTecSystems provides the “building blocks” for the credit assessment […]
Berlin-based online lender Spotcap starts operations in New Zealand
Spotcap, an online lending company headquartered in Berlin, Germany, has announced it is now operating in Auckland, New Zealand, as a registered financial services provider and is accepting applications for credit of up to NZD 250,000 ($182,000) from eligible businesses.
Wipro teams with Tradeshift for source-to-pay processes
India’s IT giant Wipro has teamed with and invested in supply chain finance platform Tradeshift to offer a cloud-based source-to-pay (S2P) business-process-as-a-service (BPaaS) solution. The partnership will provide digitalisation and automation in procurement, finance and accounting functions; and combines Tradeshift’s platform with Wipro’s integrated S2P services. Along with the partnership Wipro Ventures, the strategic investment […]
Arkéa Banking Services first to partner with fintech start-up Railsbank
Fintech start-up Railsbank has signed its first partner, Arkéa Banking Services (Credit Mutuel Arkéa’s subsidiary), to use its platform to deliver SEPA payment services and IBANs across Europe.
Fifth Third Bank teams with QED Investors for fintech innovation
Fifth Third Bank is partnering with venture capital (VC) firm QED Investors to bring new products and services to their banking customers. The VC firm will advise the Ohio-based bank and support its NorthStar strategy to “enhance offerings through technology”. Tim Spence, executive vice-president and chief strategy officer for Fifth Third Bank says the partnership […]
New investment firm Motive Partners to focus solely on fintech
New venture Motive Partners plans to invest in fintech firms in the UK and US. It looks to raise $150 million.
FIs and fintechs set up new industry group, Consumer Financial Data Rights
Financial services and fintech firms in the US come together to form a new industry group – Consumer Financial Data Rights (CFDR) – “to defend consumers’ access to their data and fuel innovation in fintech”.
Fintech tour Hong Kong: Blueprint for start-up success
Hong Kong-based tech accelerator Blueprint is calling out to the region and the world for start-up applicants.
Credit Suisse EMEA to outsource structured product business to Delta Capita
Delta Capita has been appointed as managed service provider to Credit Suisse EMEA Structured Products business. A number of existing Credit Suisse team will transfer to Delta Capita as part of the deal.
Fintech tour Hong Kong: Park and ride
Park and ride? A visit to the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and an opportunity for fintechs to ride the start-up wave.
UBS extends agreement with EPAM Systems worth $300m
The world’s largest wealth manager UBS has extended its long-standing agreement with EPAM Systems, a provider of product development and software engineering solutions. The agreement – worth over $300 million – “supports the bank’s strategic cost reduction programme”, according to EPAM.
Validata and OneAston in strategic partnership for Temenos projects
Validata Group, a specialist in enterprise software testing and release automation, has teamed up with OneAston, a Singapore-based tech services provider to the wealth management industry, to jointly work on Temenos’ WealthSuite projects.
HSBC to capitalise on tech innovation with technology advisory board
HSBC has appointed a technology advisory board of top-level specialists from around the globe as the banking giant is keen to capitalise on opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI), biometrics, blockchain and data science, combat cybercrime and leverage its global infrastructure.
