December 5, 2024 @ 9:18 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the post-trade market infrastructure for the financial services industry, issued its Systemic Risk Barometer Survey results, identifying Geopolitical Risks, Cyber Risk, U.S. Political Uncertainty and U.S. Presidential Election Outcome, Inflation and U.S. Economic Slowdown as the “top five… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 7:25 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The pressure is on for companies to turn AI investment into impact, according to PwC’s 2024 Global Investor Survey. The majority or 73% of investors say companies should “deploy AI solutions at scale, as overwhelmingly 66% expect the companies they invest in to deliver productivity… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 7:19 pm By JD Alois  |  

According to a report from Israel, startups in the country generated $8.1 billion in funding during 2024. At the same time, mergers and acquisitions set a new record at $10.5 billion in deals. The report was published during the annual “2024-2025 Trends and Forecasts” conference,… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 7:03 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), a global firm focused on  financial services, and asset management firm DWS Group (DWS) have launched a venture designed to enhance their respective capabilities in underwriting and distributing infrastructure and alternative credit investments. As stated in the announcement, the parties… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 5:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Australian companies’ use of AI in their finance functions is growing steadily – and the Return on Investment (ROI) on AI is exceeding, or at least meeting, expectations, a KPMG International study has found. And a quarter or 25% of Australian and overseas organizations are… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 5:03 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

With the aim of attaining “high” compliance standards within the financial service industry, including the investment sector, the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) conducts a range of supervisory activities using a set of diversified tools, such as “on-site Inspections, off-site work and meetings.” As a… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 12:19 pm By JD Alois  |  

Payments Fintech Zilch has distributed information on Black Friday shopping activity. Zilch, based in the UK, is “direct-to-consumer, ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN).” Black Friday is one of the largest consumer purchasing dates of the year. Zilch reports that Black Friday saw its sales more than… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 12:13 pm By JD Alois  |  

FV Bank says it has integrated Tether (USDT) for direct deposits. Tether is currently the largest stablecoin in the world by market capitalization. By adding the dollar-based stablecoin, users may hop between fiat and USDT, which is converted in real-time. FV Bank touts this ability… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 12:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) has released a report on a proof of concept project pertaining to the tokenizstion of assets and distributed ledger technology. By leveraging blockchain, the hope is to improve the efficiency of asset issuance, distribution and management. This… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 11:15 am By JD Alois  |  

Next week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Investor Advisory Committee (IAC) will meet to discuss several topics. Perhaps most interesting is the topic of “Mainstreaming of Alternative Assets to Retail Investors.” The second issue is Examining the Use of Mandatory Arbitration Clauses by Registered… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 10:15 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Kaspersky’s detection systems have reportedly discovered an average of 467,000 malicious files per day in 2024, marking a “14% increase” compared to the previous year. Certain types of threats saw significant growth with experts “reporting a 33% surge in Trojan detections compared to 2023.” These… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 8:35 am By JD Alois  |  

  Bitcoin has finally topped the psychological barrier of $100,000 per BTC. The fuel was the selection of Paul Atkins to become the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Bitcoin is currently trading at over $103,000. In the past, Atkins has supported digital… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 8:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

NatWest Group is reportedly set to launch its Fintech Growth Program, an opportunity for fintech startups to use the resources, expertise and networks of a high-street bank to help them scale-up in a sustainable manner. The program reportedly supports NatWest’s goal of leading the future… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 8:04 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The cryptocurrency market is rising after several seemingly important development such as the appointment of a new SEC Chair Paul Atkins (a former SEC Commissioner). Bitcoin has finally surpassed the $100,000 mark and continues to reach new highs along with other key BTC ecosystem developments…. Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 7:33 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Circle Internet Group, Inc., a financial technology company, announced that its regulated subsidiary is the “first” stablecoin issuer to commit to comply with the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and Canadian Securities Administrators’ (CSA) Value-Referenced Crypto Asset (VRCAs) requirements. This facilitates Circle’s U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoin, USDC,… Read More

December 5, 2024 @ 7:31 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Triton Debt Opportunities (TDO), the opportunistic credit arm of European investment firm Triton, announced the final close of its third fund (TDO III) in excess of its €1 billion fundraising target. TDO III is 40 percent larger than its predecessor fund, which closed “at €744… Read More

December 4, 2024 @ 11:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Japanese publicly listed firm Metaplanet reportedly aims to secure $62 million for acquiring more Bitcoin with its current holdings sitting at a substantial 1,142 BTC. If Metaplanet succeeds in its plans by securing the funds required, it will then proceed to purchase around 652 more… Read More

December 4, 2024 @ 11:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

cheqd, a “decentralized” payment and trust infrastructure provider, has announced a partnership with ID Crypt Global, a digital identity and security company, to integrate identity and security solutions into Apex Digital Exchange (ADEX), a key player in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. This collab is… Read More

December 4, 2024 @ 11:02 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

When it comes to cybercriminals and threat vectors, “expect the unexpected.” Experian’s Data Breach Industry Forecast noted while sharing key predictions for 2025 covering a range of potential trends with AI at the forefront including growing sources of threats such as “AI-savvy teens and fresh… Read More