Tagged: research

February 4, 2021 @ 5:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital asset exchange Coinbase recently published its Around the Block #11: “A snapshot of decentralized finance (DeFi) and two sides of the crypto regulatory spectrum” (report), which aims to cover important issues in the crypto and blockchain industry. In this latest edition, released on February… Read More

February 4, 2021 @ 12:10 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Switzerland is currently home to around 130 startups that are actively applying blockchain or distributed ledger tech (DLT) to improve processes in the finance sector, according to new data from Swisscom. The majority of these firms (48%) offer services related to banking infrastructure, with many… Read More

February 3, 2021 @ 8:58 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

BNP Paribas Asset Management and the CAIA Association and Hong Kong-based Liquefy have released a research paper covering how tokenization may be used to offer improved access to illiquid alternative investments. The joint paper explains how tokenization may have a lot of potential for use… Read More

January 30, 2021 @ 10:12 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) has revealed that their organization and the University of Cambridge Judge Business School are teaming up with the Inter-American Development Bank, which works to improve lives of people in the Latin America (LatAm) and the Caribbean region. We… Read More

January 30, 2021 @ 5:25 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The European venture capital markets managed to perform reasonably well last year, even though there was a significant slowdown in funding or financing following the COVID-19 outbreak (during Q1 2020 and also leading into Q2 2020), Crunchbase data confirms. Funding provided to European startups during… Read More

January 30, 2021 @ 4:02 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Ransomware “skyrocketed” last year, however, there might be “fewer culprits” than we may think or expect, according to a report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. Chainalysis acknowledges that 2020 will “forever be known” as the year of COVID-19, but when it comes to cryptocurrency-related crime,… Read More

January 30, 2021 @ 3:54 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Binance, the world’s largest digital asset exchange in terms of volume and scope of operations, recently revealed that a sudden rush of new users on its platform had put its systems under a lot of stress and overload, leading it to temporarily suspend withdrawals. Binance… Read More

January 28, 2021 @ 8:45 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Although not very many technical details of China’s plans for its central bank digital currency (CBDC) have been shared publicly, the virtual yuan is raising privacy concerns and may lead to potential national security issues and problems related to political power. The Digital Currency/Electronic Payment… Read More

January 26, 2021 @ 11:17 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The digital banking sector in South America has been growing steadily, with now over 30 neobanks in the region. Digital banking platforms currently serve more than 50 million consumers out of the region’s (approximately) 430 million residents, according to the latest data from Dutch Fintech… Read More

January 25, 2021 @ 8:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A recent study carried out by the Mastercard Economics Institute revealed that the Coronavirus crisis has presented Africa with significant growth opportunities for Fintech firms. The study has noted that the industry should, this year, play a key role in promoting greater financial inclusion in… Read More

January 23, 2021 @ 9:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

We’re experiencing more changes in the digital payments sector than we’ve seen during the past two or three decades. This seems like an exciting time as consumers across the globe are increasingly using innovative digital platforms and services. Accuity’s payments experts have identified four important… Read More

January 23, 2021 @ 7:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to the increased adoption of contactless payments as one of the preferred ways to settle transactions in the United Kingdom, now representing around 90% or 9 in 10 of all eligible card transfers (as of 2020). The most significant milestone… Read More

January 21, 2021 @ 8:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The team at Kraken, a leading US-based digital asset exchange, notes that cryptocurrency prices have been soaring, and related innovation is “breaking ground,” while key opportunities are flourishing. According to Kraken, crypto adoption is “relentless.” The Kraken team writes that as they begin a new… Read More

January 21, 2021 @ 9:57 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The team at Interdax, a digital assets derivatives trading platform, notes that after quite an eventful year, Bitcoin’s (BTC) price closed considerably higher than the all-time high the digital asset had set in December 2017. The new year 2021 was also kicked off with a… Read More

January 20, 2021 @ 6:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis notes that 2020 was an “incredible” year for Bitcoin (BTC) and the larger cryptocurrency market. Despite the devastation and socioeconomic problems resulting from the global Covid-19 pandemic, Bitcoin, the flagship digital currency, managed to shatter its previous all-time highs. The Bitcoin… Read More

January 18, 2021 @ 9:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The team at Blockchain.com, a leading crypto wallet provider, trading platform, and block explorer service, notes that every month, they look at on-chain (blockchain) data to examine “interesting trends or movements” on the Bitcoin (BTC) network. The daily number of BTC transactions in December 2020… Read More

January 16, 2021 @ 7:56 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Ecosystem development, sustainable investment strategies, and hyper-personalization were identified as some of the major wealth management trends that will be prioritized by Wealthtech companies this year. This, according to a report from Capgemini, a French consulting firm. In a research report, titled Top Trends in… Read More

January 16, 2021 @ 6:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

With digital or neo banking gaining more users and popularity during the Coronavirus pandemic, the leading challenger banks in the US and Europe recently confirmed steady growth and adoption. Trading Platforms reveals that seven US or American challenger banks managed to record a combined user… Read More

January 15, 2021 @ 8:47 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Indonesia-based Fintech platforms and services have continued to receive substantial investments despite the COVID outbreak. These Fintechs have acquired a significant portion of the total funds invested in Indonesian startups throughout 2020. According to reports, Fintechs in the country have acquired more capital than software-as-a-service… Read More

January 14, 2021 @ 10:25 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Research carried out by Think Forward Initiative and Eller College of Management, University of Arizona reveals that so-called budgeting apps are actually causing consumers to spend more money instead of helping them develop good savings habits. The design of a budgeting app usually involves showing… Read More