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 […]
Cuscal takes c11% stake in software development company Moroku
Cuscal and Moroku, a Sydney-based developer of mobile banking and payments software, have agreed terms which see Cuscal take a circa 11% stake in Moroku and a seat on its Board. Cuscal’s investment is part of a broader capital raising by Moroku. Moroku was founded in 2012 by Colin Weir and Dave Durbin. Its main business is creating immersive digital experiences to help banks connect better with customers, so increasing their competitiveness and ability to acquire more customers. In the financial services area Moroku has already developed two innovative products: Game System – a platform for next generation financial services applications that employs motivational theory and gamification to build financial […]
NAB eschews fintech push, keeps online business lending in-house
National Australia Bank has decided against partnering with a “fintech” company for its first automated online business lending product, ensuring a tighter grip on customers as the banks cautiously explore the burgeoning sector that threatens to eat into profits. The bank yesterday revealed QuickBiz Loan, one of the first products from in-house innovation hub NAB Labs, would be launched early this month, offering small businesses up to $50,000 unsecured via a new online application process. The move contrasts with Commonwealth Bank and Westpac, which are working on referral partnerships with business fintech lenders OnDeck and Prospa. NAB business lending division chief Angela Mentis said that while partnerships could be done […]
Banking faces massive disruption by fintech says IBM
A new study argues that as the traditional functions of banks become commoditised, value is moving from transactions to relationships. Unfortunately for banks, they face competition from small start-ups and enormous, cashed-up tech giants inserting themselves directly into the relationship with their customers. IBM’s Institute for Business Value has released a fintech report called “Banking at the Brink”, which identifies the finance industry as sitting square in the centre of a perfect disruptive storm. The Institute calls out three challenges. Banks are still struggling with sluggish profits in the aftermath of the Great Recession. A new type of customer, easily dissatisfied and disillusioned, has ever-growing expectations of engagement and improved […]
Former Macquarie boss Allan Moss an investor in fintech ChimpChange
Former Macquarie Group chief and Reserve Bank of Australia board member Allan Moss has emerged as a backer of IPO hopeful ChimpChange, sources told Street Talk. Australian “digital bank” start-up ChimpChange has chosen to disrupt US banks, given their high fees for transferring money, but the company is back at home and seeking to raise circa $15 million with a planned listing on the Australian Securities Exchange. Moss’s support may provide ChimpChange’s sponsor brokers with extra momentum as they test the appetite of potential investors. He most recently threw his weight behind online consulting start-up Expert360, which also counts former Commonwealth Bank and Westpac chief information officer Bob McKinnon among […]
Big banks face big risk of losing customers
Australia’s big banks face a huge risk of losing their most valuable customers to their fintech rivals, new research has shown. According to an analysis conducted by Centre for Social Economics and Roy Morgan Research, the big bank customers most likely to churn, instead turning to tech-savvy fintech providers, are their “most valuable customers”. The fintech phenomenon, according to Roy Morgan, taps into a new consumer mindset – called the Desire Economy – where 64% would prefer never to go into a traditional bank branch. Ever again. Consumers in the Desire Economy are younger, well educated, tech-adopting, urban dwellers. Forty percent are early adopters of technology compared to only 5% […]
