Analysis


Q&A with Ron Hynes, UniRush LLC

Ron Hynes has been on the job as the new CEO of UniRush LLC less than a month, but he’s already looking ahead. And, he’s not going to let the CFPB’s looming final prepaid rulemaking slow the company down when it comes to innovation and product development. Hynes spoke with Paybefore about what he brings to his new role and why UniRush’s cardholder settlement made him want the CEO job even more.

Challenger banks: kick-starting survival mode

It has been a couple of weeks of important announcements in the challenger banking space, with some interesting long-term trends emerging in the sector. Two new challenger banks have received their banking licences in the past week. Berlin-based Number26 renamed itself N26 and received its full banking licence from the European Central Bank and German […]

Optimal execution and the human-machine interface

In recent years we have seen a strong trend for institutional trading desks to leverage their data to improve trade execution results and become more recognised as active participants in portfolio performance. Two important applications of predictive analytics have arisen, both aiming to improve the manner in which trading algorithms are used and controlled. It […]

Mainstream fintech in India: a bird’s eye view

Soumik Roy, Banking Technology’s editorial contributor based in India, explores India’s digital banking landscape, examines innovative players like DBS digibank, and ponders what’s next for the nation’s fast-paced fintech sector. Electronic banking and payments are rapidly picking up pace in India; citizens love the convenience, the government hopes it will drive transparency and reduce the […]

Tech and talent: priority number one for official institutions

Since the global financial crisis, there has been an endemic environment of low interest rates and currency fluctuations. The effects of quantitative easing have been broadly felt by institutions across the globe; and have created major challenges for central banks, sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) and government pension funds. In addition to this, equity market declines […]

Opinion: fintech taking business banking back to the good old days

John Davies, CEO of The Just Loans Group, an alternative lender to UK businesses, argues that rather than being disruptive, fintech is enabling a return to how business banking used to be: a business would have a dedicated account manager who was genuinely interested in a customer’s business and had the time to give it guidance. Clever […]

Viewpoint: Liberating Consumers through Payments

For once, the sound bites being used to describe upcoming changes in the global banking industry may actually be too conservative. The latest Payments Services Directive likely will revolutionize how consumers interact with their banks and the protection they can expect when paying online or on their mobile devices—and the effects won’t be limited to Europe.

Viewpoint: Can Emojis Secure Mobile Payments?

In addition to brightening text messages and tweets, the popular icons beloved by everyone from tweens to Baby Boomers may soon serve a much more substantial purpose—mobile and payments authentication.

Viewpoint: Debunking E-Commerce Payment Myths

Retailers can cater more closely to the ever-changing needs and preferences of online shoppers if they resist falling prey to these four common misconceptions about how consumers pay.

U.S. Senators Go to Bat for Credit Unions and Community Banks

In this contentious presidential election cycle, it’s hard to imagine anything getting 70 percent of the Senate to back it. But 70 U.S. Senators want the CFPB to lay off credit unions and community banks when it comes to certain, unspecified rules.

U.K. Court to Hear Brexit Case in October

A U.K. hearing scheduled for October will consider if Brexit can happen without parliamentary approval. The U.K.’s June 23 vote to leave the union has led to confusion and much speculation in the payments world, as the industry wonders about such issues as licenses and passporting, along with other financial services regulations.

Cloud tech: how to support cross-border M&A

Merging tech, avoiding “turf wars”, embracing change, careful planning and ensuring alignment between the companies – there is plenty to think about in any merger and acquisition (M&A) deal to ensure its success. Some relief, however, might come in the form of a cloud. When and how should this technology be applied? Banking Technology contributor, Graham Jarvis, […]

Why staying compliant and generating returns are not mutually exclusive for funds

As regulatory pressures mount, Jon Hallam of GoldenSource explains why removing the burden of data management from the shoulders of fund managers can help deliver absolute returns for investors. From investors wanting more bang for their buck to increasing regulatory reporting requirements, it’s fair to say that asset managers have had a fair bit to […]

Santander Enforcement Could Preview CFPB’s Overdraft Intentions

The CFPB’s recent enforcement action against Santander Bank over the bank’s overdraft practices underscores federal regulators’ focus on holding regulated institutions responsible for the actions of third-party vendors, and could provide a preview of the CFPB’s upcoming rulemaking on overdraft.

Fintech innovation: staying on fringes or time to become core?

In the face of an ever rising digital agenda in Europe, banks are jumping on the fintech bandwagon, hoping to jumpstart innovation. Technology stands today as a catalyst for change in established banking institutions, write Astrid Froidure, digital transformation lead at Open Reply, and Fausto Jori, owner of E-finance Reply. The spark comes in a […]

Congressional Report Accuses FDIC of Covering up, Misrepresenting Data Breaches

A critical congressional report was released this week claiming the FDIC has been hacked several times over several years and regulators have been covering up or misrepresenting breaches. In an ongoing investigation by the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee, the report implicates FDIC employees, as well as the Chinese government, as responsible for some of the breaches.

Virtual cards 2.0 set to boost commercial card uptake

Why are the next generation of virtual cards the key to commercial card adoption? Alex Mifsud, CEO of Ixaris, explores the issue. Commercial cards are relatively commonplace in the business world, with companies using these cards to buy a raft of business related items, including client lunches, airline tickets & office supplies. Commercial cards come in […]

Vendor spotlight: Europe is open

Target2-Securities (T2S) is a big task, but it is already improving intraday liquidity, says TAS Group. The opportunities are now ripe for the vendor to apply its fintech expertise across the pan-European market. Banking Technology caught up with TAS Group at the recent EBAday conference in Milan. When the T2S system went live in June […]

People on the Move: Beverly Cole, OCC

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has named Beverly Cole as deputy comptroller for compliance supervision. In the role, Cole will be responsible for developing and instituting compliance operational protocols, examination strategies and schedules.

U.K. Financial Regulator Offers Guidance on Cloud Services

Hoping to encourage fintech innovation, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has issued a 17-page document that offers guidelines for how financial services firm can use outsourced Web-hosted services without running afoul of regulators.

On the UK’s Speaking Clock turning 80 and financial services

Britain’s Speaking Clock, which will celebrate its 80th birthday on Sunday, July 24, was a real fascination for me as a child. Who was this person on the other end of the phone who was always available, any time of day, who could tell me the time down to the exact second? Did they ever […]

Infographics: the Euro 2016 guide to e-commerce

The 2016 UEFA European Championship ran from 10 June to 10 July in France. Portugal beat France 1-0 in the final. In the spirit of that football tournament, PPRO created an e-commerce guide to each country that proved very popular throughout the event. Click here to see all the countries: Euro 2016

Delivering true personalisation in the age of big data

Big data is a promise. In theory, banks can now know more about every single one of their customers than ever before. There is a real opportunity for them to cement their customer relationships; to create targeted offers and personalised experiences that attract new, and retain existing, customers. UK’s retail banks have increasingly been using […]

Becoming a challenger bank – a worthwhile challenge?

Advanced Payment Solutions (APS) has secured a credit licence from the UK’s regulator, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). And whilst APS is not a bank, it competes with them. So is going through the pains for getting a banking licence really worth it, asks Rich Wagner, CEO and founder APS. We regularly see news of challenger finance […]

Viewpoint: Faster Payments Are Here

The key to unlocking the potential of real-time money movement is the delivery of an intuitive and seamless experience across accounts. As demand grows among early adopters—underserved consumers, millennials and those in the “gig” economy—a larger, more mainstream consumer audience will take note and engage.

Viewpoint: The Missing Link for Mobile Payments

Sure, mobile payments are taking much of the developing world by storm, giving consumers safer and more efficient ways to handle money. But merchant acceptance lags. Here’s why, along with ideas for improvement.

Viewpoint: What Does Brexit Mean for Payments?

Brexit likely will cause issues for major processors and cross-border acquirers for whom London has been a key European and cross-border processing hub. That’s in addition to a restricted market and reduced talent pool.

CFPB: Prepaid Complaints Spike in May

Although the overall number of prepaid card-related complaints continues to represent less than 1 percent of total complaints the CFPB receives, prepaid complaints were up 28 percent in May to 226 from 177 the previous month, according to the federal consumer protection agency’s latest monthly complaint report.

MasterCard Faces U.K. Suit over Interchange

MasterCard faces a $24.5 billion class action suit in the U.K. over its cross-border interchange fees. The suit arrives two years after the European Union labeled the interchange charged by the payment card network as unfair. European interchange caps went into effect in December of 2015.

Brexit: keep calm but be vocal in lobbying negotiators

The UK is home to the world’s leading centre for financial services, and in recent years a thriving centre for fintech innovation. Elizabeth Budd, financial regulation expert at Pinsent Masons, urges the financial services industry to be vocal about the framework it needs to have in place to protect this status, and continue to do […]

The digitisation of private banking in Italy

The financial institutions have adjusted their service and relationship models by integrating digital interaction and communication tools for private banking customers, writes Alberto Cuccu, chief product officer at Objectway. In Italy, the digitisation of banking services has for many years been focused primarily on propositions aimed at retail customers (such as payment services or home […]

Neopay: The Sky Likely Won’t Fall; Offers Brexit Insurance If It Does

The U.K.’s historic decision to exit the European Union (or Brexit) last month has left many businesses speculating what the ramifications will be for them, especially e-money issuers based in the U.K. that have licenses that they passport to EU countries. Neopay, a U.K.-based e-money and payment regulatory consultancy, is hoping to assuage the jitters of new and established e-money companies in Europe with Brexit Insurance.

Tech Titans Fight Back against Biometrics Suits

In a pair of legal battles that could have a ripple effect into the payments and retail sectors, Facebook and Google have invoked a recent Supreme Court decision and the U.S. Constitution to defend against claims that the companies’ facial recognition systems violate a key state biometric privacy law.

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