Welcome to the new world of ‘regtech’
During a speech at the Tyro Fintech Hub in Sydney on Friday morning, federal Treasurer Scott Morrison pointed to the promise of “regtech” – a new word that is increasingly rolling off the tongues of the global regulatory community. Regtech (an amalgam of “regulatory technology”) is a subset of fintech (financial technology). While fintech has captured the imagination of banks, entrepreneurs and investors around the world for its ability to enhance how customers experience core parts of banking like lending and payments, banks are interested in regtech because new technologies can be deployed internally to reduce the costs of complying with various regulations. Morrison told about 200 members of the […]
New platform makes switching easier for SMSFs
Term deposits are the latest sector of finance to feel the push of digitisation with the launch of Cashwerkz’ platform, which offers a quick and simple way for investors to manage term deposits. Cashwerkz chief executive, John Edginton, said that cutting the time that is spent on switching and managing deposits was the key for attracting self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) customers and advisers. “The time and paperwork required to open or switch term deposits was a major disincentive and prevents many investors from achieving the best market return,” he said. “Cashwerkz customers only need verify their identity once, and then have the flexibility of switching between different term deposits.” The […]
Fintech investment surges in Q1 but does that mean the Kodak moment nears for banks?
There was a resurgence of activity in the financial technology (fintech) universe in the first quarter of the year after signs of potential rapid deflation at the end of 2015. According to KPMG’s latest The Pulse of Fintech report, the March quarter saw funding to the fintech sector rebound with total investment in fintech companies hitting US$5.7 billion. Globally, Venture Capital-backed fintech companies drew $US4.9 billion in funding, rising from just $US1.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015. The report identified larger deals, concentrated in Asia, played a major role in the rebound with 13 $US50 million+ rounds to VC-backed fintech companies, a slight rise from 10 such deals in […]
Samsung Pay takes on Apple over tap and go
In an approach that distinguishes it from Apple in the contactless payment market, Samsung says banks are welcome to join its digital wallet and it doesn’t want any of their interchange fees or data. Samsung launched Samsung Pay in Australia on Wednesday. The service is live in South Korea, the United States, China and Spain. In Australia, it is available only for holders of Citi and American Express-issued cards. But Prasad Gokhale, vice-president of the mobile division for Samsung in Australia, is confident that each of the big four banks will embrace the platform in the coming months. He said the world’s largest consumer electronics company did “not want to […]
Xero joins with Wells Fargo to bolster financial web
PRESS RELEASE: The combination of limited access to capital, complex and time consuming financial processes, and the lack of confidence in business data has stifled growth and job creation in small businesses – the biggest sector of our global economy. But the financial web, which incorporates a network of organizations sharing financial data, promises to connect financial institutions and small business owners, unlocking massive productivity and growth. Today, we announced an integration with Wells Fargo, a top bank serving more than three million small businesses and one in three households in the United States. This is an exciting milestone for us in the U.S where we can connect small businesses […]
BOQ and River City Labs hackathon to spur innovation in Queensland
The Bank of Queensland has joined forces with technology startup hub River City Labs to host the inaugural BOQ Hackathon 2016 on June 10-12. The hackathon is a creative, problem-solving event specifically focused on new technology-based banking solutions, and converting those ideas into concepts and prototypes within 52 hours. The event will provide a platform for participants, including BOQ employees and partners, startups, and students, to collaborate and disrupt the business banking and financial technology industries. It will comprise of four competition tracks with participants forming teams of between two and six people. Participants will have a chance to pitch their new business to a panel […]
Global regulators attuned to blockchain risks
The use of blockchain in financial services would need to be carefully regulated with access restricted to only approved participants and institutions may be required to use kill switches to stop computers automatically executing in times of stress. Greg Medcraft, who has just relinquished the chair of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), told The Australian Financial Review that blockchains must be able to operate with each other and the financial services companies that use them will have to stand behind the technology in case it fails. Mr Medcraft was commenting on the principles guiding global regulators’ assessment of emerging blockchain technology which have been set out for the […]
Perth start-up wins Silicon Valley comp
Perth bank security start-up BankVault has won its category at the World Cup Tech Challenge in Silicon Valley, beating out a range of start-ups from across the world. Speaking to thewest.com from Silicon Valley after his start-up was announced as the winner in the fintech category, Bankvault founder Graeme Speak said it opened up a world of opportunity. “It’s massive,” Mr Speak said. “We’ve had a lot of introductions to people in Silicon Valley connected with a lot of big money over here. And the win will help us launch internationally.” Bankvault is aiming to prevent online hacking through a banking security solution connecting smartphones and computers to a virtual […]
