Global

May 10, 2020 @ 9:02 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Switzerland-based UBS Group AG (SWX: UBSG), a global investment bank and financial services firm with around $1 trillion in assets, recently confirmed that it is planning to launch a digital banking platform that would reduce operational costs and stimulate growth. However, UBS said its plan… Read More

May 10, 2020 @ 7:14 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Turkish Fintech firm Figopara confirmed on May 7, 2020, that it has secured $1 million in funding from its second investment round. Existing investors World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Turkish angel investor Revo Capital took part in Figopora’s latest round. Founding partners Ahmet… Read More

May 10, 2020 @ 6:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Qatar’s central bank (QCB) has proposed a second strategic plan which involves establishing clear policies that aim to support venture capital funding and the development of SMEs, according to Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud al-Thani, the governor at QCB. The Qatar Development Bank (QDB), a local… Read More

May 10, 2020 @ 5:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A researcher from digital asset investment company, Paradigm, has co-published a whitepaper that describes a new type of decentralized finance (DeFi) lending protocol, which promises fixed-interest rates. Dan Robinson and Allan Niemberg, the authors of the Yield Protocol whitepaper, officially announced the initiative on May… Read More

May 10, 2020 @ 4:57 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Loom Network, a platform-as-as-service (PaaS) blockchain initiative, appears to have an extremely uncertain future. Based on investigations and comments from social media users, there’s no real proof of a live or active project being supported by the developers of the Loom Network. According to… Read More

May 10, 2020 @ 4:25 pm By Xu Gao  |  

“Financial Innovation and Development Open Courses” launched on WeiyangX.com This week, WeiyangX.com launched a new series of financial open courses. Under the guidance of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Financial Work, the “Financial Innovation and Development Open Course” is hosted by PBC School of Finance, Tsinghua… Read More

May 10, 2020 @ 1:32 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Paytm Payments Bank, a new type of bank, licensed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as a payments service provider, recently revealed that it has surpassed INR 600 Crores (appr. $79.4 million) in fixed deposit (FD) accounts, which have been maintained through a partnership… Read More

May 9, 2020 @ 5:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Zurich-based Numbrs, a mobile banking app provider, will be laying off 62 employees after investors backed out of a deal to allocate funds toward the development of the firm’s business. In August 2019, the Fintech firm claimed that it was valued at around CHF 1… Read More

May 9, 2020 @ 4:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Changes in consumer behavior and attitudes towards digital platforms have led to the introduction of virtual banking solutions in many countries across the globe. Digital banking licenses will be awarded to several new Fintech service providers based in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. Wissam Khoury… Read More

May 9, 2020 @ 4:26 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As US residents continue to stay home, due to lockdowns following the COVID-19 outbreak, many consumers have been purchasing products and services from online merchants (instead of visiting physical store locations). A significant increase in e-commerce activity has led to the adoption of the latest… Read More

May 9, 2020 @ 4:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Bitcoin (BTC) halving event, when the pseudonymous cryptocurrency’s supply will be cut in half, is approaching. It should take place on May 11, 2020, which is when 210,000 blocks of BTC transactions will have been processed since the last halving event that took place… Read More

May 9, 2020 @ 12:12 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

  UK-based Freetrade, a Fintech firm that offers a free-to-use investment app that makes it simpler to invest, has revealed that it will again be seeking additional capital via crowdfunding, beginning on May 14, 2020. In 2019, The Freetrade community reportedly invested a record £1… Read More

May 9, 2020 @ 11:19 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Fintech Open Source Foundation (FINOS) revealed on May 6, 2020, that it added three newly established financial services and technology firms to its team – which includes major financial institutions, Fintech service providers, and several consulting companies. The three new Silver members include Adaptive,… Read More

May 8, 2020 @ 4:48 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The CoinShares Group, a financial service provider focused on the crypto asset sector, revealed on May 7, 2020, that it has taken the final step in the acquisition of GABI Trading. GABI Trading will be rebranded and launched with a new set of trading tools… Read More

May 8, 2020 @ 4:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

  CoolBitX, a blockchain security firm that’s developing the infrastructure needed to bridge the gap between the mainstream financial market and cryptocurrency sector, recently presented its findings of Sygna Bridge’s production report to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Contact Group members. As mentioned in a… Read More

May 8, 2020 @ 10:05 am By JD Alois  |  

Bitcoin Suisse has announced a Series A funding round at a pre-money valuation of CHF 275 Million (~USD $ 283 million). The company reports commitments of around CHF 20 million from “friends and family.” The funding round is being led by Roger Studer, a Swiss… Read More

May 8, 2020 @ 9:19 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Payments platform Stripe announced on Thursday it has formed a new partnership with payment installment platform, QuadPay, to power advanced buy-now-pay-later experiences that boost conversion and allows consumers to start shopping instantly through online and in-store. According to Stripe, QuadPay enables consumers to start shopping… Read More

May 8, 2020 @ 8:31 am By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global anti-money laundering and terrorist financing organization, posted requirements for virtual asset service providers or VASPs in 2019. The guidelines required intermediaries to maintain information on digital asset transactions from both buyers and sellers – called the Travel… Read More

May 8, 2020 @ 7:59 am By Omar Faridi  |  

London-based TokenAnalyst, an enterprise-grade provider of data and tools to help users understand and access blockchains and trade digital assets, is reportedly planning to shut down its services. A few members of the TokenAnalyst team will be joining the San Francisco-based crypto exchange  Coinbase. Established… Read More

May 8, 2020 @ 7:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Sweden-based banking challenger Rocker has reportedly chosen Enfuce, a Finland-headquartered Fintech firm, as its official card issuing and payment processing partner. The move should streamline processes involving the issuance of Visa prepaid cards. The news has come after Rocker (previously operating as Bynk) introduced a… Read More