Banking Technology November 2016 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.
BankingTech
Blockchain is not just for banking… insurance wants it too
There has been a tremendous amount of excitement and discussion about the potential of blockchain technology to transform the financial services industry and beyond. But the only thing that is clear at the moment is that there is still a lot of work to be done to implement wide scale use cases, clear up any regulatory uncertainly or barriers and educate institutions and employees about the technology and its potential.
Testing environment for Bitcoin exchanges
Amidst tightening regulations, the latest hack of the Bitfinex Bitcoin exchange has highlighted ongoing difficulties for the sector. Bourn Collier, associate, and Oliver Yaros, senior associate at Mayer Brown International LLP, explore. A few years ago media reports in Britain drew attention to the unfortunate plight of James Howells, a Welsh IT worker who had […]
UK’s Financial Conduct Authority calls for current account competition
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) says it will take action to improve competition in the current account market. This follows a series of recommendations which were proposed by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of its investigation into retail banking. Christopher Woolard, executive director of strategy and competition at the FCA, […]
Tandem Bank calls for first customers
Digital banking start-up Tandem has started inviting its community of 10,000 “co-founders” to be its first customers. Tandem was formed in 2014 and is accessible online, via an app and through a UK call centre. It got its banking licence in November 2015 and says its focus is on helping people manage their money rather […]
BBVA first in Spain to launch full account opening via mobile; ties up with Salesforce
BBVA says it is the first financial institution in Spain to launch online onboarding via mobile, which allows anyone to open an account in “just a few minutes”. A customer’s identity is verified through a selfie and a video call. Users can open an account at BBVA through their mobile phone by going to its […]
Is regtech the front runner in the race for digital compliance?
Regulatory technology (regtech) is winning the race to combat regulatory compliance exposure and mitigate conduct risk – especially in digital business environments. Join us for a webinar to debate this hot topic.
Top fintech stories this week – 4 November 2016
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! Weatherbys Bank live with new core banking system EXCLUSIVE. Oracle FSS’s Flexcube flexes its muscles. Mobile payments and European millennials Vocalink reveals millennials’ habits and perceptions. Japan rises to blockchain challenge with new consortium Launches with 42 member […]
Smith & Williamson in system selection mode
Smith & Williamson, a UK-based investment, tax and accountancy services firm, is looking for a core processing system, Banking Technology understands.
Mobile payments and European millennials: saying and doing are two different things
Vocalink has unveiled its comprehensive research into the habits and perceptions of millennials when it comes to mobile payments. Turns out, this group is still waiting for the “Uber moment” of payments.
Latin American banks turn to Swift for crime compliance
Eight central banks in Latin America have adopted Swift’s financial crime compliance solutions to combat financial crime. The central banks of Belize, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti and Paraguay, have implemented the solutions, including Swift’s KYC registry and sanctions screening. Some of the banks have also endorsed the adoption of the KYC […]
Profit problems worsen for Intellect
Intellect Design Arena’s lack of profit has worsened as it reveals a loss after tax of INR 138 million ($2 million) for the quarter ended 30 September 2016. As Banking Technology reported for its previous quarter results, it had a loss after tax of INR 55.2 million ($826,690) for the quarter ended 30 June 2016. […]
Weatherbys Bank live with new core banking system, Oracle FSS’s Flexcube
UK-based Weatherbys Bank is live with a new core banking system, Oracle FSS’s Flexcube, Banking Technology understands. The project started in 2015.
Webinar: The Role of E-Signatures in Your Digital Strategy
http://s3.amazonaws.com/BankingTechnology/Webinars/EsignFeb17.mp4 Modern organizations know that eliminating the inefficiencies of paper processes is key to improving customer experience and achieving operational excellence. End-to-end digital processes make it possible for customers, employees and partners to do business from anywhere, anytime on any device. E-signatures are a key component of any enterprise digital strategy because without, processes will […]
BDO Unibank outsources IT services to Fiserv
Philippines-based BDO Unibank has signed a contract with its long-standing tech provider Fiserv for managed services support of the bank’s IT initiatives.
UK challenger bank FGTB bites the dust
First Global Trust Bank (FGTB) had its licence cancelled by the UK regulators, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA).
Banks, stop thinking about branches as a place to transact
How would you respond if someone were to ask you: “What is the purpose of the bank branch?” For decades, the first answer may have been: “To allow customers to conveniently transact with the bank and manage their accounts”. This model has now changed drastically, and banks that still operate as they used to will very quickly yield to more forward-thinking competitors.
UK challenger Pockit reaches 100,000 customer mark
UK challenger “neo-bank” Pockit says it now has 100,000 customers, “nearly twice as many” as three of its rivals – Monzo, Atom and Tandem – “combined”. On its website, Pockit says it is a “prepaid MasterCard, not a bank”, so the term “neo-bank” may be worth scrapping or explaining. It’s been around for a while, […]
Four banks team up to standardise repackaging transactions
Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, Nomura International and Societe Generale have teamed up to produce documentation for use in listed and unlisted repackaging transactions. According to the banks, repackaged products provide the investor exposure to the underlying credit of an issuer and are specifically designed for the investor’s risk-return needs. In addition, cash flows can be […]
Poland’s banks power national “paper to digital” project
Poland’s Ministry of Digital Affairs and its banking sector have launched a project, “From paper to digital Poland”, to boost the digitalisation of the nation’s public administration. With the project, Poles can use their banking ID and password to log in to the social insurance board, contact public administration offices or a local government’s site […]
Payments and blockchain: Pilotville
The payments industry went just a bit blockchain bonkers at this year’s Sibos. Distributed ledger technology (DLT) was a hot topic throughout the week. This was quite astounding given there are very few examples of working blockchain or DLT use cases; most of the initiatives under way are proofs of concept.
Thomson Reuters to shed 2,000 jobs across finance, risk, tech and ops
Thomson Reuters is set to cut 2,000 jobs globally, taking a Q4 charge of $200-250 million as it aims to “streamline its business”. The restructuring will affect 4% of the Thomson Reuters global workforce across 39 countries and 150 locations.
UK’s Financial Conduct Authority calls for more finserv access
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) wants more access to financial services and for fintech to show a greater understanding of the nation’s ageing population. In its 160-page “FCA Occasional Paper”, published today (1 November), the FCA looks at “barriers to bank accounts”, digital transformation and the growing grey brigade. Christopher Woolard, director of strategy […]
Credit Suisse plans tech cost-sharing with another bank
Credit Suisse is talking with an unnamed bank about a cost-sharing project around technology as it looks to make savings. In an interview with the Financial Times, Tidjane Thiam, the bank’s chief executive, says its idea is at the “proof of concept” stage – and hints it may use an investor day in December to […]
10x Future Technologies to build digital core banking platform for Virgin Money
10x Future Technologies, the start-up founded by former Barclays CEO Antony Jenkins, is building a digital core banking platform for Virgin Money. It will be delivered in a cloud and will enable Virgin Money to unify its data platforms into a single infrastructure via 10x’s APIs, the vendor says. This new deal follows on from […]
MasterCard unveils new blockchain
MasterCard has unveiled its own blockchain as it reacts to arch-rival Visa’s partnership with Chain and seeks to use the technology in payments and trade finance. Its version is currently at the testing stage and offers the usual things in this corner of the fintech world. These include smart contracts – scriptable transactions that automate […]
DBS to acquire ANZ retail and wealth business in Asia
Singapore-based DBS Bank is buying the retail and wealth business of Australia and New Zealand-based banking group, ANZ, in Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Indonesia for about SGD 110 million ($79 million) “above book value”. The exact figure has not been disclosed, but the portfolio represents total deposits of SGD 17 billion ($12.2 billion), […]
Misys in five-year Deutsche Bank deal
Misys has signed a five-year enterprise license agreement with Deutsche Bank giving it “unrestricted access” to deploy Misys FusionBanking Lending and Misys FusionCapital solutions across the business. Misys’ FusionBanking Lending offering includes the Loan IQ back office platform for syndicated lending and the front-end that originates from Custom Credit Systems (CCS), a US-based provider of […]
Ex-Barclays CEO back with new firm and digital banking platform
Antony Jenkins, former CEO of Barclays, is back with a new company called 10x Future Technologies and launched a new core digital banking platform. As Banking Technology reported in June, Jenkins, who was sacked by Barclays in summer 2015 for failing to transform the bank quickly enough, set up 10X Future Technologies. At that time, […]
Is risk management broken? If so, how can it be fixed?
Financial crises are not new, but the global financial crisis of 2008 exposed the over-leveraged interconnectedness of our modern digital age. It reflected the failure of a laissez-faire economic and regulatory philosophy that had increasingly influenced policy circles during the past three decades; that banks could and should manage their own risk with little outside […]
“Outstanding sales” boost Fiserv revenue
Fiserv’s GAAP revenue increased 5% in the third quarter to $1.38 billion, with 8% growth in its payments segment and 2% growth in the financial segment, compared to Q3 2015. The firm also released figures for the first nine months of 2016, with GAAP revenue rising 5% to $4.07 billion, with 8% growth in the […]
Top fintech stories this week – 28 October 2016
Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! HSBC Private Bank live with Avaloq Banking Suite EXCLUSIVE. It’s on in Switzerland and Luxembourg. European Association for Biometrics conference Eyes down for our event review. New challenger bank to launch in UK Hampshire Community Bank wants a […]
Cognizant works with KeyBank on Oracle Banking Platform project
Cognizant has assisted KeyBank in implementing Oracle Banking Platform (OBP) from Oracle FSS as part of the bank’s tech revamp. Cognizant says it redesigned KeyBank’s core systems, applications, business processes and customer interfaces to “simplify transactions”. Vipin Gupta, EVP and CIO of Key Community Bank (KeyCorp’s division that includes retail, business and commercial middle market […]
National Bank of Canada axes 600 jobs
The National Bank of Canada will cut 600 jobs as part of its restructuring plans and take a charge of $175 million in Q4. The charge includes severance payments to employees and the expense of moving premises. The bank says the restructuring will bring $120 million in annual savings. As of July this year, it […]
Asia’s first Shariah-compliant robo-advisor to launch
Algebra, Asia’s “first Shariah-compliant robo-advisor”, will be launched this December by Malaysia-based Farringdon Group Private Wealth Managers. It will be open to investors from across the globe, with a minimum investment of $200 per month. Funds will follow basic Islamic principles. For example, no stocks may derive income from gambling, alcohol, tobacco, pork products, adult […]
Is customer loyalty dead in banking?
In an age of increasingly high consumer expectations, driven by ever increasing customer choice, the term “customer experience” has become more than a simple buzzword. Used as a key brand differentiator for all types of industries, it has emerged as a crucial tool in driving customer loyalty in the long-term. Irrespective of whether you are […]
The changing co-branded credit card landscape
As retailers across the country need to bring innovative customisation and convenience factors to their customers, credit cards are becoming an essential part of delivering value. Co-branded cards continue to play an important role in the retail landscape and can offer a unique point of distinction for retailers in today’s competitive environment.
New challenger bank to launch in UK, Hampshire Community Bank
A new challenger bank – Hampshire Community Bank – is gearing up for launch in the UK.
Digital-only MemoryBank launches in US
US-based MemoryBank, a national branchless banking platform, has opened its “digital doors”. Founded this month, it is digital only and targets “generation-X customers” – born between 1965 and 1982 – described as “an often-ignored group, pushed aside by millennials”. The bank is a subsidiary of Kentucky-based Republic Bank & Trust Company. For its tech, Republic […]
Payments start-up nanopay gets $10m funding boost
Toronto-based payments start-up nanopay has completed its $10 million Series A funding round. With this financing and the MintChip platform, which nanopay recently acquired from The Royal Canadian Mint, it is developing new business partnerships to “expand the global utility and acceptance” of MintChip. Laurence Cooke, CEO and founder of nanopay, says its focus is […]
