May 18, 2020 @ 2:11 pm By JD Alois  |  

The previously announced Future Fund will open for applications beginning May 20, 2020, following a period of deliberation where the UK government sought to sort out the details as to how, and for who, the COVID-19 support program would provide capital. The British Business Bank… Read More

May 18, 2020 @ 11:40 am By JD Alois  |  

OurCrowd portfolio company Zebra Medical Vision, a deep-learning Medtech company, has announced its fifth FDA 510(k) clearance for its Vertebral Compression Fractures (VCF) product. The VCF product expands the company’s growing “AI1” (all-in-one) bundle of FDA cleared AI solutions. The company explains that nearly half… Read More

May 18, 2020 @ 9:32 am By JD Alois  |  

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the platform that provides clearing and settlement services to the financial services markets, says it plans to “explore the benefits of digitalization in the public and private markets.” DTCC is looking to leverage blockchain or distributed ledger technology… Read More

May 18, 2020 @ 8:54 am By JD Alois  |  

Eurozone savers deposited €43 billion in March 2020, marking the eighth month where net inflows exceeded 40 billion euros since February 2019, according to a report by Hamburg, Germany based Fintech and open banking platform Deposit Solutions. The company’s research indicates that French savers deposited… Read More

May 16, 2020 @ 5:50 pm By JD Alois  |  

FinCEN Director Kenneth A. Blanco delivered a speech at virtual Consensus this past week addressing several hot topics of the day – including the “Travel Rule”; the FATF requirement that virtual asset service providers (or VASPs – think crypto exchanges) maintain information on purchasers and… Read More

May 15, 2020 @ 2:38 pm By JD Alois  |  

Andy Khawaja, the founder of payments platform Allied Wallet, has unveiled a new project that takes a different tack from the Fintech realm. According to a release published several days ago, Dr. Khawaja has announced the “Artificial Intelligence Defense Platform” or “AIDP” In the release,… Read More

May 15, 2020 @ 2:08 pm By JD Alois  |  

  The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has posted a response to a consultation regarding the regulation of derivative contracts on payment tokens (ie digital currencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum used as a method of payment). The original consultation was launched in November 2019… Read More

May 15, 2020 @ 1:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

Visa (NYSE:V) is going deeper into crypto it seems. Yesterday, a patent application by Visa was published on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USTPO) website for a “digital fiat currency.” Initially filed in November 2019, the document outlines the process Visa envisions to… Read More

May 15, 2020 @ 12:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has added six new members to its Investor Advisory Committee. The Committee is required under law and it seeks to advise the Commission on regulatory priorities regarding securities, trading and investment, disclosure, and investor protection issues. The new members… Read More

May 15, 2020 @ 12:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Earlier this week, it was reported that Telegram has decided to abandon its initiative to launch a blockchain platform called TON (Telegram Open Network) and a cryptocurrency named Gram. The decision was the direct result of an ongoing enforcement action launched by the US Securities… Read More

May 15, 2020 @ 9:30 am By JD Alois  |  

Wirex, a payments platform, reports that it is working closely with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in order to acquire a license under the new Payments Services Act. The license will allow Wirex to continue to provide services in Singapore, including enabling users the… Read More

May 15, 2020 @ 8:12 am By JD Alois  |  

  Singapore based Fintech Spark Systems has closed on a “Series BB” funding round raising S$15m (USD $10.5m). The funding comes from Citi and HSBC as well as OSK Ventures. They will join the existing investor base including; Vickers Venture, Dymon Asia Ventures, Dymon Asia… Read More

May 15, 2020 @ 7:58 am By JD Alois  |  

This week it was announced that UK-based ANNA, a mobile business current account and financial administrative assistant services provider for SMEs, had sold a majority stake in the company to ABHH, an established multinational banking group. ABHH invested $21 million into the firm taking a majority stake… Read More

May 15, 2020 @ 7:25 am By JD Alois  |  

Wealthtech firm Smarterly has raised £7 million in a Series A funding round led the family office of Major Oak that provided £5 million. The balance was provided by existing angel and crowdfunding investors. Smarterly has raised funding on Seedrs several times the last offering… Read More

May 14, 2020 @ 9:28 pm By JD Alois  |  

MoneyGram Payment Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI), has entered into a partnership with the Federal Bank Limited – a private bank in India. MoneyGram is a global payments and transfer Fintech. The collaboration will see MoneyGram services made available for… Read More

May 14, 2020 @ 7:28 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Libra Association has added three new members: Temasek, Paradigm, and Slow Ventures. Launched by Facebook, the Libra Association is a Switzerland-based independent entity seeking to launch a blockchain-based payment system. Recently, Libra tweaked its white-paper backing away from its original intent to launch a… Read More

May 14, 2020 @ 3:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

The British Business Bank has announced new lenders approved for the Bounce Bank Loan Scheme (BBLS) as well as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). The BBLS and CBILS are two programs designed to support the UK economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two new… Read More

May 14, 2020 @ 12:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

Starling Bank, a leading UK digital bank, has been moving rapidly to implement COVID-19 business relief programs authorized by the UK government. Starling is the first Fintech to be approved as a Bounce Back Loan (BBLS) provider and, earlier this week, Starling and Funding Circle… Read More

May 14, 2020 @ 11:32 am By JD Alois  |  

France has created a unique regulatory regime for the issuance and trading of digital assets that are utility tokens. Under French law, an initial coin offering (ICO) issuer may apply for a “visa” to offer a utility token. If approved, the issuer may publicly promote… Read More

May 14, 2020 @ 9:04 am By JD Alois  |  

Fintech Freetrade has raised over £4.5 million in just four hours raising capital online via Crowdcube. Currently, the offering is displaying £4.76 million (~ USD $ 5.8 million) from 2595 investors. The £1 million hurdle was collected in just 4:33 minutes. Freetrade raised £3 million… Read More