News


SCE Federal Credit Union outsources with Jack Henry’s Symitar Ease

California-based SCE Federal Credit Union has chosen Jack Henry and its Symitar subsidiary’s Ease as an outsourced delivery model of the Episys core processing platform. SCE FCU, a $650 million-asset institution, chose outsourcing to give it “all of the benefits of Episys while alleviating the need to manage on-premise systems or hardware updates”. Dan Rader, […]

NatWest debuts digital platform for SME lending

NatWest (part of the RBS group) is set to launch a new digital platform to allow small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) to quickly obtain unsecured loans of up to £150,000. Called Esme Loans, it is in trial mode and the bank will offer fast decisions on lending applications “potentially within an hour”. There will […]

Bank of Cyprus chooses Dovetail for payments revamp

Bank of Cyprus has selected Dovetail’s payment solution to support Swift, Target2, SEPA credit transfer and direct debits. The project is part of the bank’s ongoing digital transformation programme. Dr Andreas Stylianou, manager organisation and change, Bank of Cyprus, says: ‘Payments are the life blood of our business. We needed a modern, proven payments solution […]

Blockchain and Bitcoin round-up: 15 February 2017

Life is a cabaret… and a fast one at that. Here’s a round-up of key events to save you time. Featuring KPMG, Microsoft, Hyperledger and more. Japan’s largest Bitcoin exchange Bitflyer has finished a new ¥200 million ($1.75 million) funding round from Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Mizuho Capital and SMBC Venture Capital. The banks’ backing […]

SolarisBank raises €26m in funding round

Berlin-based SolarisBank has raised €26.3 million in its series A funding round as it targets European expansion, according to a “confidential source that’s close with the company”. The official press release is expected in the next two weeks, where Solaris will announce its new partners, as well as the products available for these partner companies. […]

Alior Bank extends partnership with Misys

Misys has announced Poland-based Alior Bank has signed for FusionCapital “to fuel continued rapid growth” (everyone, get your marketing jargon bingo cards ready!). What the announcement fails to mention is that Alior has already been using one of Misys’ treasury and capital markets (TCM) solutions, Opics, for nearly a decade. Opics is now known as […]

This Virtual Piggy went to market for young mobile consumers

US-based mobile banking firm Virtual Piggy will soon begin testing a mobile wallet for consumers aged 17 and younger, the latest move in the parent-supervised world of mobile payments, reports Banking Technology‘s sister publication Paybefore. The test, set for April, will involve a mobile payments platform that enables parents to supervise spending by their children. […]

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. […]

New UK cybersecurity centre plays hard to get

The new National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has been unveiled in the UK – and will work with the Bank of England (BoE) to produce advice for the financial sector for managing cybersecurity effectively. The NCSC is based in London and part of the intelligence agency GCHQ (government communications headquarters). Ciaran Martin, formerly director general […]

White House: CFPB Exempt from ‘1 In, 2 Out’ Rule

The CFPB is not required to comply with President Trump’s executive order limiting new regulations, according to a memorandum from The White House. Trump’s order—which requires covered agencies to repeal two regulations for every one new regulation adopted—does not apply to the CFPB, which is considered an independent agency.

Haier Finance opts for Bloomberg’s FX electronic trading platform

China-based Haier Finance has adopted Bloomberg’s foreign exchange (FX) electronic trading platform (FXGO) and multi-asset risk system (MARS) for trading and risk management. Bloomberg FXGO provides access to liquidity from over 300 providers worldwide and commission-free trading for financial institutions, corporations, money managers and hedge funds across “all major” FX instruments including spot, forwards, options, […]

Voting Results: Compliance Titans of Payments

Keeping current with the myriad and constantly changing rules and regulations in the payments industry is no easy feat. It takes special people who are sharp and determined to understand and navigate the legal minutiae and how they applies to their organizations or those of their clients. Paybefore is highlighting the achievements of these Compliance Titans, and we need your help.

Fintech accelerator round-up: 14 February 2017

You can read about fintech accelerators quickly with our latest round-up. Featuring RBS, BNP Paribas, Ben Franklin Technology Partners and the info on how to apply. Scotland has got its “first” fintech accelerator with the launch set for May. The new hub will be based in Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) Entrepreneurial Spark business centre […]

Data gets greater with new Singapore group

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has set up a new Data Analytics Group (DAG) with effect from 15 March 2017 as it looks to improve the financial sector and digital economy. DAG will use data analytics for insights, “enhance the supervision” of financial institutions, make regulatory compliance better for financial institutions, and improve work […]

Global ATM hacker gets eight years in prison

The ringleader of three highly organised, global cyberattacks on ATMs resulting in $55 million in losses has been sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay more than $55 million in restitution, reports Banking Technology‘s sister publication Paybefore. Turkish citizen Ercan Findikoglu had pleaded guilty last March to computer intrusion conspiracy, access device […]

Go-lives power Avaloq revenue rise

Avaloq has reported increases in its revenue and earnings for the 2016 fiscal year – with three new customers and 28 go-live projects completed. The Swiss firm generated full year revenues of CHF 533 million ($530 million) in 2016, an increase of 10% on a reported basis from CHF 485 million ($482 million) in the […]

Santander first bank in UK for voice-powered payments

Santander has become the first bank in the UK to allow customers to make payments using their voice. As Banking Technology reported in March 2016, Santander said it was the “first” bank in the UK to launch voice banking technology. Phase one enabled customers to talk to their Santander SmartBank app and ask about their […]

Australian banks in one last grapple with Apple

Four big Australian banks haven’t given up the fight to convince the country’s antitrust regulator that they get some concessions from Apple over Apple Pay. With a decision due in a few weeks, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), National Australia Bank (NAB), Westpac, and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank may have made their final submission […]

Global ATM Hacker Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison

The ringleader of three highly organized, global cyberattacks on ATMs resulting in $55 million in losses was sentenced Feb. 10 to eight years in prison and ordered to pay more than $55 million in restitution.

UK’s Co-op Bank goes up for sale

The UK’s Co-operative Bank has been put up for sale – with the minority investor Co-op Group saying it is “supportive of the plan to find the bank a new home”. The recent history of Co-op Bank (which markets itself as an ethical bank) has been interesting. It had a disastrous merger with Britannia Building […]

“Game changer” Jargon Bank updates an app

UK-based challenger Jargon Bank has updated its “revolutionary” mobile payments app from version 1.1 to version 1.2. As Banking Technology reported in December, the “game changer” bank launched offering “compelling and innovative” products that left journalists diving for cover… usually to the nearest pubs. Now it’s back with a 2,000-word press release that contains so […]

EquiChain launches new blockchain platform for capital markets

London-based fintech firm EquiChain has unveiled a working prototype blockchain platform for capital markets. The company plans to implement a full end-to-end “execution to custody” (E2C) pilot in 2017, as it jumps on the distributed ledger technology (DLT) bandwagon Nicholas Bone, EquiChain’s founder and CEO says it “creates a verifiable, transparent and immutable flow of […]

Suncorp core banking revamp stumbles

Suncorp’s multi-year venture to modernise its core banking system, known as Project Ignite, has stumbled at the final hurdle. As Banking Technology reported in August 2016, the revamp was in its final stages. However, in questions over its half-year FY17 results, Suncorp told iTnews that the configuration of the platform and product migration has “taken […]

The Monday mindset: 13 February 2017

Fintech zeitgeist! Welcome to our new series of brief reports. Every Monday, we might look back at last week; look ahead to this week; share a few thoughts (our own or others); or discuss anything that catches our eye. This week we welcome the views of our editor Tanya Andreasyan. Dear PR, we know you […]

Blockchain and Bitcoin round-up: 13 February 2017

Being quick does the trick. A round-up of key blockchain and Bitcoin events. Berlin-based blockchain start-up, Bit Trust Services, has opened its Bitcoin-Bank in Vienna, Austria. The bank’s ATMs exchange Bitcoin for euro, and vice versa. Vienna is no stranger to the virtual currency as three years ago it got its first bitcoin ATM and […]

Misys mulls another IPO

Misys is planning another initial public offering (IPO), following last year’s cancellation, according to the Daily Telegraph. As Banking Technology reported in October, Misys had planned a £5.5 billion float but this didn’t go smoothly as planned with its value cut by 20%. At the time it said it “decided not to proceed… at the […]

FinovateEurope 2017: designing good finance

Last week’s FinovateEurope was full of the broad range of exciting and innovative companies that we have come to expect at the show. Although the 72 companies showcasing their solutions operated right across the fintech landscape, they all sing from a common hymn sheet of improving the customer experience.

Six into one with new UK financial services trade association

Bob Wigley, the former chairman of the collapsed Yellow Pages, will be the chair of a new financial services trade association, which will bring together six member organisations across the UK. It hasn’t got a name yet, but the new moniker and brand “will be decided in due course” and launched in the summer. The […]

Start-up DiPocket looks to rock it in mobile banking app launch

Start-up DiPocket has unveiled its new mobile banking app, which is not dependent on third party IT systems but built on its own platform. As well as “challenging” the traditional high street banks with its technology, DiPocket thinks it “has a thing or two to teach other ‘neo-banking’ start-ups”. Fedele Di Maggio, CEO and co-founder […]

Isbank unveils P2P payments via iMessage

Turkey’s largest bank Isbank and its tech partner Monitise have launched a money transfer service via Apple’s iMessage – a first in the republic. Using Isbank’s new mobile banking app, IsCep, users are now able to request and send money through iMessage. As Banking Technology reported in January, IsCep also allows “for the first time” […]

Standard Chartered launches open banking API developer portal

Standard Chartered has unveiled its Open Banking Application Programming Interface (API) Developer Portal for transaction banking. The launch is part of its “digitisation agenda” and to increase collaboration with corporates, fintech firms and developer communities. The portal will initially provide a repository of API services focused on cash management and then roll out other API […]

Top fintech stories this week – 10 February 2017

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! Temenos cuts jobs in US; eyes D+H payments business EXCLUSIVE. US layoffs cited as around 60 by some sources. Ziraat Bank London to replace legacy core banking tech EXCLUSIVE. Misys Fusionbanking moves in. Banks and UN launch sustainable […]