Digital


UnifyID launches “holistic implicit authentication” platform, the first of its kind

UnifyID, a California-based fintech start-up, has brought to market its flagship identity and authentication platform. The proposition is “holistic implicit authentication”, i.e. it leverages the individual’s uniqueness to identify and authenticate the person by combining a number of biometric authentication features, analysing the patterns and utilising the machine learning technology.

Fintechs and banks, collaborate to succeed!

Banks and fintech companies need to collaborate to succeed, argue Saxo Bank’s global COO, Søren Kyhl, and Stig Tørnes, head of business management. And that requires a change of mindset on both sides, the sooner the better. Fintech has become the buzzword for a diverse group of companies whose ambition is to bring efficiency to financial […]

Start-up Clinc unveils Finie, AI personal assistant for mobile banking apps

Fintech start-up Clinc says it has created “the world’s first” open source platform for building artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning-based personal assistants. Clinc calls it “the financial genie” or “Finie”. It is pitched to banks, financial institutions and personal finance managers. The solution was developed by a group of professors at the University of Michigan, […]

Top fintech stories this week – 9 September 2016

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! Barclays and Wave pioneer blockchain trade finance transaction What is a fintech day without blockchain? UK challenger banks: who’s who The list has been updated. US credit union consortium plots blockchain use Watch out R3. Smile and an […]

Banking Technology Awards 2016 – shortlist unveiled

Our rejuvenated Banking Technology Awards have received an unprecedented amount of entries this year – from banks, financial institutions, fintech firms and individuals worldwide – and we are happy to reveal the shortlisted candidates. Now in their 17th year, Banking Technology Awards recognise and reward excellence and innovation in the use of IT in financial […]

Smile and an HSBC account smiles with you

HSBC business customers can now open accounts using “selfie” verification, giving them the option to complete ID security checks on their mobile device. It says ID verification can be completed in a “few clicks” on an Apple or Android device. Once the initial headshot or selfie of a customer is captured, it is then assessed […]

Payments round-up: 2 September 2016

Time flies, so we’ve devised a quick fix. Here’s a round-up of key events in the payments space. In China, Qilong and Shenzhen Qianhai Exce-card Technology (SQEC) have formed a strategic agreement to co-ordinate with banks to issue China Union Pay audio bank cards. The latter make sounds when the buttons on the cards are […]

Yes Siri, payments get pretty

Apple’s developers are previewing new Siri integrations for payments – such as asking it to send a secure payment without ever opening an app. The firm says with the introduction of SiriKit for developers, messaging apps can now tap into the “power” of Siri. Siri can be used to make a quick payment using Square […]

Top fintech stories this week – 2 September 2016

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! Tier 1 US bank live with Temenos core and payments software Part of its American dream. Swift reveals more cyber thefts Private letter goes public. PhonePe and Yes Bank unveil India’s “first” UPI-based payments app Unified Payments Interface […]

Defining fintech as an opportunity, not as a threat

“Silicon Valley is coming,” warned Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase’s boss, in a recent letter to shareholders. It’s a sentiment echoed across much of the banking world at the moment. The idea that fintech is a threat to the financial services sector is bubbling – a 2015 PwC survey found 83% of financial services professionals were […]

Worldpay launches IoT hackathon

Global payments provider Worldpay has teamed up with Consult Hyperion, MongoDB and Visa Europe Collab to host its first internet of things (IoT) hackathon in London in September. The event aims to foster innovation and encourage participants to apply technology to integrating payments. Two themes will flow through the 48-hour hackathon – the “Smart City” […]

Backbase and Entersekt partner for digital banking authentication

Digital banking software specialist Backbase has teamed with Entersekt to use its authentication capabilities on the Backbase Open Banking Marketplace. Backbase will offer banks push-based authentication and transaction signing integrated in its omni-channel digital banking platform. Its clients can select the authentication solution that “best meets their needs”. Dewald Nolte, Entersekt’s SVP partners and alliances, […]

IoT and the banking revolution

It’s no secret that the financial services industry has tended to lag behind when it comes to adopting digital technology. Far from being leaders of innovation, banks are often stifled by lumbering IT systems and an inherent sense of caution when it comes to challenging the status-quo. With growing investment in the internet of things […]

Digital games banks got to play – part 2

Today, most banks want to be digital leaders because that is where the customers are! This has brought in a change in the attitude of many traditional banks. Arun S. Padaki, a seasoned corporate banker, credit risk and business process management consultant, explores what it takes to become a digital leader and who is already […]

Lunar Way gets new investor and banking partner, Nykredit

Nykredit, Denmark’s largest mortgage provider, has invested in a minority stake in a new mobile banking service, Lunar Way, and has become its banking partner. In two months’ time Nykredit will replace Københavns Andelskasse (Copenhagen Cooperative Bank), the start-up’s initial banking partner. Mark Dissing Bækgaard, head of marketing and communications at Lunar Way, tells Banking […]

Top fintech stories this week – 12 August 2016

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! Apple bites back over Australian banks’ “cartel” Don’t team up on them. Thieves steal $72m from Hong Kong Bitcoin exchange Now looking for new funding to compensate its customers. UK challenger Mondo gets banking licence It also needs […]

Cambodia’s Prasac launches remote banking with Compass Plus

Prasac, the largest microfinance institution (MFI) in Cambodia, has launched internet and mobile banking services using the TranzWare multi-card processing solution from Compass Plus. Its customers can now transfer money between their accounts, pay bills, top-up their mobile phones, manage their cards, check their balances and get a mini-statement by logging on to their internet […]

Interview: Rivi Varghese, CEO of CustomerXPs Software

Banking is going digital and instantaneous, which is great news for customers. But it is also a great headache for banks, as fraud is going that way too – the money can disappear into fraudsters’ virtual pockets with a blink of an eye, anytime, anywhere. At the same time, the real-time capabilities of new solutions […]

Azimo “industry first” to enable money transfers via Facebook Messenger

Azimo says it has become the first money transfer operator to enable money transfers worldwide via Facebook Messenger. “Money transfer is now social,” Azimo states. It describes its new functionality as “revolutionary”. It connects senders and receivers through their Facebook friend list, enabling them to exchange details immediately and links them to the Azimo app […]

ING Bank Romania launches new mPOS service with GoSwiff and MasterCard

ING Bank Romania has launched a new mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) service, underpinned by MasterCard and specialist vendor GoSwiff. ING mPOS is aimed at local merchants of all sizes. It enables them to accept card payments through mobile devices, smartphones and tablets, connected to a card reader. It also supports other added-value services, such as consumer […]

New mPOS solution for Indonesian merchants launched by Indosat Ooredoo and GoSwiff

Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo and GoSwiff International have teamed up for a new mobile payment acceptance solution for merchants in Indonesia, D-Pay. Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) is the acquiring bank. D-Pay is a financial service that enables merchants to accept mobile payments, allowing their customers to pay using debit/credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and JCB) and […]

SIA buys e-money processing unit of Unicredit

Unicredit is selling its e-money processing unit to payments vendor SIA. The unit – part of Unicredit Business Integrated Solutions (UBIS) – processes around 13.5 million payment cards and manages 206,000 POS terminals and 12,000 ATMs in Italy, Germany and Austria. SIA has also got a ten-year outsourcing contract from UBIS for the supply of […]

Banks and social media case study: Avidia Bank

Can social media really drive adoption of financial products? Yes, states a Massachusetts-based community bank, Avidia Bank. Kate Cwieka, Avidia’s marketing specialist, shares the bank’s experience in embracing social media and the results. Oh, and practical advice on this “non-traditional” marketing channel. Want to know more on how to apply Hootsuite and Periscope (or find […]

The hare and the tortoise: racing ahead in customer experience

Sid Parashar, SVP of client relations and strategic account management, Firstsource Solutions, asks if traditional banks are now ready to take on the new kids on the block when it comes to customer communications. As the banking industry emerges from one of the most transformative periods in its history, it has been a trying time […]

MasterCard and PayPal mull strategic alliance

Years of friction could be over as PayPal is talking to MasterCard on a potential strategic alliance, according to the Financial Times. PayPal, with its network of 188 million active users, has been expanding at MasterCard’s and Visa’s expense. One example was its recent partnership with Mexican telecommunications giant América Móvil for growth in Latin […]

Top fintech stories this week – 29 July 2016

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! Abcul slow on tech modernisation project Exclusive: First credit unions to go live before year-end. New mobile banking for SMEs readies for UK launch Tide will offer a “nimble small business current account”. Top ten retail banking sites […]

Top fintech stories this week – 22 July 2016

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! BBA records dramatic increase in mobile banking usage Digital banking is in a “consumer-led revolution”. MasterCard buys VocaLink for $920 million Current owners Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and RBS will receive a handy windfall. Cidel Bank implementing ERI’S Olympic […]

BMO “first” for account opening with smartphones

BMO Bank of Montreal has introduced a new service that allows customers to open an account using their smartphone, without having to go to a branch or download an app. The bank says this “first-of-its-kind account opening capability” allows customers to search, select and open a new account with BMO “in minutes”. Niti Badarinath, head […]

Top fintech stories this week – 15 July 2016

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! Swift seeks stronger network security Strikes back after hacks. IBM to open blockchain innovation centre in Singapore Big Blue stays true to blockchain. Starling Bank gets UK banking licence Aims to launch to customers by January 2017. Unibank […]

Visa says Europe open to biometrics for payments

According to new research from Visa, consumers across Europe are interested in using biometrics when making a payment – especially when integrated with other security measures. About 73% of the 14,000 European consumers surveyed see two-factor authentication, where a biometric is used in conjunction with a payment device, as a secure way to confirm an […]

Samsung Pay launches in Puerto Rico

Samsung Electronics is bringing Samsung Pay to Puerto Rico. Samsung Pay will support eligible credit cards from Banco Popular, Puerto Rico’s largest bank, and will be available on AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Claro networks in Puerto Rico. The firm says Samsung Pay is the “only” mobile wallet that allows users to pay with their compatible […]

EMVCo and FIDO Alliance team up for mobile payment authentication

EMVCo, the global payment specification body, and the FIDO Alliance, an industry consortium developing open, interoperable authentication standards, are to collaborate and review how FIDO can support EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) payment use cases. A “key aim” of the initiative is to investigate mobile payments using on-device authenticators, such as biometrics, as they seek […]

Nordea’s new chief digital officer calls on fintechs to get in touch

Ewan MacLeod is heading to Nordea as co-head of its newly created “Group Digital” unit and is on the lookout for fintech companies, services and ideas to introduce to Nordea. MacLeod will be one of two chief digital officers at the Nordic banking group. The other one is Poul Raaholt, previously head of group IT […]

JP Morgan launches In-Residence start-up programme

JP Morgan has launched In-Residence, a new programme for fintech start-ups to use its facilities, systems and expertise. The company says it is inviting start-ups to sit “side by side” with its businesses to develop innovations that could “revolutionise” the sector. Sanoke Viswanathan, chief administrative officer of JP Morgan’s Corporate & Investment Bank, says this […]

Top fintech stories this week – 1 July 2016

Catch up on Banking Technology’s top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place! Brexit threat to UK jobs at Visa Should I stay or should I go? Swift hackers steal $10m from Ukraine bank Massive attack. New challenger bank readies for launch in UK Atten-shun! UK military personnel, veterans and their […]

Symitar’s Episys core system integrated with Amazon Echo; Baxter CU an early taker

Symitar, a credit union software subsidiary of Jack Henry, has teamed up with a think tank, BIG, for an initiative called Financial Innovations Voice Experience (FIVE). FIVE explores the possibilities that voice-based personal assistants such as Amazon’s Echo and Microsoft’s Cortana can bring to banking. Symitar’s Episys core processing system is being integrated with these […]

Challenger banks battle cry with AI

Challenger banks have turned their attention to artificial intelligence (AI) as they seek to provide a more personalised approach to banking. German digital bank Number26 has launched Pulse26, a new app that uses AI to provide updates based on the customer’s personal banking history. Number26 says the more a customer uses their account, the “more […]