General News

June 1, 2024 @ 10:51 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Sumsub recently shared Q1 data for deepfake fraud worldwide, showcasing alarming YoY trends in AI-powered scams. With half the world’s population heading to the polls this year, Sumsub, a global full-cycle verification provider, detected “upwards of a 245% YoY increase in deepfakes worldwide.” The findings… Read More

June 1, 2024 @ 10:49 am By Michael Wong  |  

Virrtue, a Texas-based finance and accounting business process outsourcing (BPO) company, announced its acquisition of Virgate, a technology-driven accounting services firm based in Gloucester, England. This move is set to enhance Virrtue’s technological capabilities and expand its footprint in the UK and European markets. Arvind… Read More

June 1, 2024 @ 10:34 am By Michael Wong  |  

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, has launched a new initiative to facilitate financial support for small businesses in emerging markets, particularly those owned by women and those in the agriculture and climate sectors. The MSME Finance Platform will channel… Read More

May 31, 2024 @ 10:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Marie Seiller has reportedly been appointed Resources, Operations and Transformation Director at the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF). Currently Chief accountant at the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), Marie Seiller will head “the Resources, Operations and Transformation Directorate (DRST) from 27 May 2024.” In this… Read More

May 31, 2024 @ 9:27 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The UK reportedly witnessed the announcement of 389 venture capital (VC) funding deals worth $3.6 billion from January to April 2024. This is a year-on-year (YoY) decline “of 21.4% in terms of deal volume and 32.8% in terms of value,” according to GlobalData, a data… Read More

May 31, 2024 @ 9:21 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The latest Lloyds Bank Business Barometer has found that overall business confidence reached its highest level for over eight years. Confidence increased by 8 points – up to 50% – “a level last exceeded in November 2015.” Survey data suggests the monthly increase “is largely… Read More

May 31, 2024 @ 9:18 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Breaking new ground in Europe, the Mastercard (NYSE: MA) hub will contribute to further “securing the commerce and payment ecosystem in the region.” Mastercard recently confirmed the opening of its European Cyber Resilience Centre (ECRC) at its European Headquarters reaffirming “the company’s commitment to combatting… Read More

May 30, 2024 @ 11:42 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Bank for International Settlements’ Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) has published its work program for 2024-25, highlighting its strategic priorities for policy, standard-setting, implementation and analytical activities. The program’s key themes are: Risk management of financial market infrastructures (FMIs). FMIs’ practices for… Read More

May 30, 2024 @ 8:39 am By Omar Faridi  |  

P2PMarketData and EUROCROWD are pleased to announce a strategic partnership to strengthen services and benefits for our members, particularly crowdfunding platforms operating within the sector. The collaboration reportedly marks “a significant milestone in the crowdfunding ecosystem, as it brings together two prominent entities dedicated to… Read More

May 30, 2024 @ 8:36 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The board of directors of Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) has authorized a $1 billion share repurchase program, “demonstrating management and the board’s confidence in Robinhood’s financial strength and future growth prospects.” Jason Warnick, Chief Financial Officer of Robinhood, said: “As our business and cash… Read More

May 30, 2024 @ 8:29 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows that Best Buy/Geek Squad, Amazon, and PayPal are the companies people report scammers impersonating most often. A newly released data spotlight shows that in 2023, consumers “submitted about 52,000 reports about scammers impersonating Best Buy or its… Read More

May 29, 2024 @ 10:13 am By JD Alois  |  

Crowdcheck is one of the foundational firms that entered the securities crowdfunding sector, supporting issuers and platforms that enable online capital formation. Crowdcheck is probably the top legal services firm preparing Reg A+ documents for issuers, which the Securities and Exchange Commission must qualify for… Read More

May 29, 2024 @ 8:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Karim Haji, Global and UK Head of Financial Services at KPMG, comments on today’s March Money and Credit statistical release from the Bank of England. Karim noted: “A rise in consumer borrowing in March signals that many stretched households continue to battle the cost of… Read More

May 29, 2024 @ 8:20 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The British Business Bank has agreed an £100m increase to its existing ENABLE Guarantee transaction with leading fintech Oxbury Bank – a UK bank with a singular focus on farmers, food production and the rural economy. The original £100m transaction, announced in November 2023, and… Read More

May 28, 2024 @ 10:42 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

Onbe, a corporate payouts platform, recently published its Spring 2024 Title, Escrow and Mortgage Payments Survey. It suggests that home buyers overwhelmingly prefer digital payouts; 92% of respondents stated receiving a digital refund would be more convenient compared to waiting for a check in the… Read More

May 28, 2024 @ 3:18 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

WealthKernel, a provider of digital investing infrastructure, announced the appointment of James Dingwall as its new Strategic Regulatory Adviser. With a specialized focus on the Appointed Representative framework, Dingwall is expected to be  “a key role in helping WealthKernel navigate the complex regulatory landscape.” Dingwall… Read More

May 28, 2024 @ 1:02 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The severity of data breach risks rose to the highest level in two years during the first quarter of 2024, increasing 31% from the same period last year. TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) unveiled its analysis of data breach trends while also introducing the company’s new identity… Read More

May 28, 2024 @ 12:19 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Sectors more exposed to AI are experiencing almost five times (4.8x) higher growth in labor productivity, according to PwC’s 2024 Global AI Jobs Barometer, released recently. The report, which analyzed “over half a billion job ads from 15 countries, suggests that AI could allow many… Read More

May 27, 2024 @ 11:03 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Pension savers are strongly backing shareholder calls for Shell to further reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, according to an update from PensionBee. A survey of pension savers by PensionBee revealed “that almost 60% of respondents – equal to nearly 18.5 million pensions savers… Read More

May 27, 2024 @ 10:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As companies around the globe grapple with an accelerated pace of change and seek ways to optimize their businesses, Experian is introducing (what it claims to be) a new era of simplification, scalability and automation through the debut of new enhancements to its cloud-based Experian… Read More