News


Corelation gains new core banking tech clients, reports go-lives

Corelation, a California-based core banking software vendor, has recently signed new takers for its flagship platform, Keystone. These are FivePoint Credit Union in Texas, Coca-Cola Credit Union in Georgia, and CommunityWide Federal Credit Union in Indiana.

ICSFS gains new core banking client in Ghana, BOND Savings and Loans

BOND Savings and Loans, a Ghana-based financial services company, has selected new core banking software provider and system as it is aiming to become a fully-fledged bank in 2017. ICS Financial Systems (ICSFS) has won the contract to supply its flagship ICS Banks system to BOND.

Top ten fintech opinion pieces in 2016

Look back at some of the most interesting and thought-provoking opinion pieces on all matters fintech published by Banking Technology in 2016.

Top ten blockchain stories in 2016

It felt like there was a blockchain story every day in 2016, but we look back at some of the bigger stories with Banking Technology’s top ten! Microsoft and AMIS launch Asia’s first blockchain consortium Microsoft says it is also in “collaboration” with banks such as Ubon Financial, Cathay Financial Holdings and MegaBank to further […]

Top ten fintech events in 2016

Look back at some of the major fintech events in 2016, with Banking Technology’s top ten! Sibos 2016: markets still in “Dante’s circles of hell” It’s the big one. And this is just one snippet from our extensive coverage of Sibos in Geneva. We also produced videos, published Daily News at Sibos, had fun with […]

Vermilion Software and Cymba Technologies acquired by FactSet

Factset, a US-based provider of financial information and analytics software to the investment management industry, has completed two acquisitions. These are Vermilion Software, a client reporting and communications software specialist and Cymba Technologies, which focuses on asset and investment management software and solutions.

Plan Would Require Declaration of Prepaid Cards Shipped into EU

A proposed plan by the European Commission (EC) to combat terrorism financing would require customs declarations for prepaid cards sent in postal parcels or freight shipments into or out of the EU. Currently, cards sent or shipped across EU borders are not covered by the standard customs declaration requirement. Coming in the wake of a truck attack in Berlin that left 12 people dead and dozens wounded, the proposal is part of the EC’s action plan against terrorist financing, an initiative unveiled in February 2016, designed to help EU nations cut off the supply of funding for terrorist activity.

Too Close for Comfort? PayPal Sues India’s Paytm over Logo Similarities

Growth brings the fierce attention of competitors, a lesson that India-based online commerce platform Paytm is learning. U.S.-based PayPal reportedly has filed a copyright suit against the firm, alleging that the blue color scheme of its logo, along with the fact that “pay” is the first word of the company’s name, is deceptive, according to eMarketer.

Questions about Your Finances? Ask Varo Money’s Val

Varo Money announced it’s developing a chat bot for its mobile app. The San Francisco-based mobile-only banking startup, which is offering private-label banking services via The Bancorp, expects to launch “Val” early next year. “She” is part of a steady stream of chat bots that have been announced in 2016 by banks, merchants, tech companies and handset makers to improve customer loyalty, reduce costs and boost revenue, among other benefits.

People on the Move: John Incandela, Pango

John Incandela has been named president and CEO for the U.S. operations of Pango, a provider of mobile payment services for parking, transit, ride-hailing and other urban services.

People on the Move: Ruth Prior, Worldpay

Ruth Prior, currently deputy CFO at global payment processor and technology provider Worldpay, will become the company’s first chief operating officer.

Walmart, Green Dot See Quick Adoption of Savings Program

In the face of approximately 67 million unbanked or underbanked U.S. adults, and 90 percent of households saving less than 2 percent of their disposable incomes, according to the Center for Financial Services Innovation and the Fed, respectively, Walmart and Green Dot are helping prepaid cardholders shore up their finances through a prize-based savings program.

Report: Prepaid Fundamentals Strong, but Uncertain Waters ahead

Over the next two years, closed-loop prepaid loads are on the way up, store returns on the way down—and most other prepaid numbers could go either way depending on a host of factors. Those were among the main takeaways from Mercator Advisory Group’s 13th Annual U.S. Prepaid Cards Market Forecasts, 2016–2019. The report examines load, growth and market dynamics in the U.S. across all prepaid segments.

The Future Looks Bright for Blockchain and B2B Payments

Tapping into two expanding markets, BNP Paribas said Dec. 21 it had completed its first cross-border B2B payments between corporate clients using blockchain, the technology that underlies bitcoin transactions. The move comes as other major financial institutions seek to invest in blockchain and there’s a rush of providers trying to displace checks in the corporate payments space, particularly for cross-border payments.

Varo Money to launch bot and money coach, Val

Mobile banking app Varo Money is brining to market a chatbot and “money coach”, Val. Val is powered by Kasisto’s KAI Banking bot and “delivers insights into spending, savings, borrowing and helps people set goals as well as offer updates and encouragement about their progress”.

Don’t Let Declines Ruin Your Customer Experience

With so many payment options available, it’s vital for merchants to have reliable technology and networks in place to ensure that transactions run properly and declines are kept to a minimum. But what are the most important steps for increasing the quality of acceptance across card types and brands? Discover Global Network offers some answers.

Italian banks set up cybersecurity response team, Certfin

The Bank of Italy, the Italian Banking Association and the ABI Lab Consortium have signed an agreement to set up Certfin – “a highly specialised Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) for Italy’s financial sector”.

Stressing Accountability, Green Dot Proposes 1-Year Board Terms

After a year that saw activist stockholders call for more accountability and a shakeup in company leadership, Green Dot Corp. has unveiled a plan to make each member of its board of directors subject to annual re-election. The initiative calls for a change to the company’s certificate of incorporation to declassify all board seats. Currently, the board consists of three classes, with members of each class elected for three-year terms on a staggered basis, such that the terms of each class expire in successive years, according to the company.