General News

February 28, 2020 @ 9:23 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Amazon Web Services’ Quantum Ledger Database (QLDB) teamed up with Blockchain Technology Partners (BTP), in order to allow users to integrate smart contracts on its platform. BTP’s developers introduced general availability for its DAML incorporation, which may be  accessed via its Sextant for DAML platform…. Read More

February 28, 2020 @ 7:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Reserve banks, clearinghouses, global stock exchanges, payment processing service providers and law enforcement organizations based in Europe have teamed up in order to introduce a cybercrime information-sharing program. The goal of the project, called Cyber Information and Intelligence Sharing Initiative (CIISI-EU), is to protect the… Read More

February 27, 2020 @ 11:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand, or RBNZ, the nation’s central bank, has introduced real-time financial market infrastructures for its customers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The solutions have been developed by SIA, an Italian technology company. The solutions include a real-time gross settlement (RTGS)… Read More

February 27, 2020 @ 9:28 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Singapore-based neobank Tonik Financial Pte. Ltd. has acquired $6 million in funding as it plans to officially introduce its services in the Philippines during the third quarter of this year. Tonik has received seed funding from Fintech venture developer Forum. The digital bank has also… Read More

February 27, 2020 @ 9:20 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

An increasing number of Indian consumers are making digital payments at metros and also at stores in small towns. India-based SBI Cards, a major payment solution provider, is reportedly planning to raise approximately $1.4 billion via an initial public offering (IPO) which would be the… Read More

February 26, 2020 @ 1:25 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tech infrastructure developer TriOptima, a company that helps reduce costs while also lowering risk in over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives markets, is expanding its triResolve margin collateral management service. The extension will reportedly support automated SWIFT payments.  The new automated settlement service will provide instant connectivity to… Read More

February 26, 2020 @ 10:45 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK government has provided an update on its project to digitize home deeds. According to the government, the 7000th deed has been registered digitally in February. Many of the UK’s largest mortgage lenders are now using the service. HM Land Registry safeguards land and… Read More

February 25, 2020 @ 8:20 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, the G20 issued a joint communique outlining shared goals for the group of the larget 20 economies in the world. The actual event is being hosted by Saudi Arabia with meetings ongoing. The document, embedded below, recognized the value of “digitalization of the economy”… Read More

February 25, 2020 @ 7:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

WeChat Pay is planning to expand its operations and services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), after an agreement was finalized between Tencent Holdings and UAE-headquartered solutions developer Network International. Merchants that use Network International in the UAE will soon have the option to set… Read More

February 24, 2020 @ 9:07 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Adrienne O’Keeffe, associate VP of partnerships at the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Sophie Gage, counsel at the National Football League (NFL) Player’s Association, recently took part in a panel discussion during which they talked about the potential value of blockchain or distributed ledger tech… Read More

February 24, 2020 @ 2:44 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Santander Group announced on Monday it has entered into an agreement to acquire merchant payment solutions company Elavon México. Santander reported that it will be acquiring Elavon México for a total of 1,600 million (approximately USD 86 million and EUR 79 million) and Elavon México… Read More

February 23, 2020 @ 7:09 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK-based Al Rayan, a Sharia-compliant bank, has decided to close down its online banking service by February 26, 2020. The move will now force its clients to switch over to the bank’s app-only financial services with only a short six days notice period. Al Rayan’s… Read More

February 22, 2020 @ 3:24 pm By JD Alois  |  

Morocco has adopted a bill to create a legal framework for crowdfunding according to a report on Media24. The legislation is designed to: “… contribute to the mobilization of new sources of funding for the benefit of very small, small and medium-sized enterprises and young people… Read More

February 21, 2020 @ 11:10 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

CapTable, a crowdfunding platform registered with the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM), recently reported that equity crowdfunding in Brazil has jumped from BRL 8.4 million in contributions in 2016 to BRL 79 million ($18.6 million) in 2019. According to Latin America Business Stories (LABS),… Read More

February 21, 2020 @ 4:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

JPMorgan, the largest bank in the US, and UK Aid confirmed last month that they would invest $15 million into the business operations of Catalyst Fund, a Boston-headquartered project accelerator which funds Fintech firms in order to support financial inclusion efforts in India,  Mexico, and… Read More

February 21, 2020 @ 4:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Centre of Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CFTE) has announced that three courses—AI in Finance, Fintech Foundation and “Extrapreneurship” are now accredited by the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT). AI in Finance and Fintech Foundations’ syllabuses will jointly focus on current developments in Artificial Intelligence… Read More

February 21, 2020 @ 3:40 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Traditional banks may be at risk of losing their leading position when it comes to developing national digital identity solutions. Big tech firms and various other multinational networked companies might be able to offer better digital identity schemes and take the lead, industry association Mobey… Read More

February 21, 2020 @ 11:09 am By Omar Faridi  |  

SoftBank, a Japan-based global conglomerate holding firm with more than $283 billion in assets, is reportedly planning to invest $100 million, through its second Vision Fund, into Behavox, a UK-based company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor workers’ behavior at financial services firms. SoftBank’s management… Read More

February 20, 2020 @ 7:50 am By JD Alois  |  

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), one of the most storied investment banks on Wall Street, will purchase retail online brokerage ETrade (NASDAQ:ETFC) for $13 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, ETrade shareholders will receive 1.0432 Morgan Stanley shares for each ETrade share, which represents per share… Read More

February 20, 2020 @ 2:31 am By Omar Faridi  |  

OTB Ventures (OTB), a VC fund focused on making strategic investments in technology firms based in central and eastern Europe, has introduced an early-stage tech fund, which is notably the biggest venture capital fund in the region. The fund has reportedly received $100 million in… Read More