Iraqi company and Lebanese fintech launch the first digital-only payment card ‘Neo’ in Iraq
Iraq-based International Network for Cards and Digital Payment Services (INC Iraq) and a Lebanese fintech startup NymCard that is digitizing how payments cards are issued, delivered, and used, in collaboration with Visa have launched the first digital-only (prepaid) payment card ‘Neo‘ in Iraq to serve the underbanked Iraqi population, the two companies announced in a joint-statement to MENAbytes. The virtual card that can be requested through Neo’s mobile app within seconds will enable users to make online purchases on both local and international websites. The entire KYC process is digital. Neo’s mobile application (available for both iOS and Android) comes with a mobile wallet that allows users to keep an […]
FinTech will lead India’s financial formalisation
The Indian FinTech market has scaled great heights in the past few years, both in terms of funding and adoption of emerging financial services solutions. India ranked 2nd globally in FinTech adoption with the percentage of users reaching 57.9%. Deloitte has already pegged FinTech as one of the fastest-growing sectors due to increasing number of preferred digital channels for financial investments and wealth management. In fact, the overall transaction value in the Indian FinTech sector is projected to reach $137.8 billion by 2023, as opposed to $66.1 billion in 2019. The weather has also run favourably for the sector on several fronts. First, customer experiences have undergone sweeping transformation by […]
ID Finance secures £1.5m within minutes on Crowdcube
ID Finance, the fintech company operating in Europe and Latin America, has raised over £1.5m crowdfunding target within minutes of its campaign going live on Crowdcube amid strong demand from investors. The data science, credit scoring and digital finance company has a crowdfunding target of £2m and is inviting interested parties to invest at https://www.crowdcube.com/idfinance. ID Finance’s proprietary risk management system uses machine learning and advanced data science techniques to provide competitive financial services to the underbanked and help customers build their credit profile. Anyone with a smartphone in Spain, Brazil and Mexico can apply online for a loan via its Moneyman and Plazo brands, regardless of their credit history. […]
Hungarian Central Bank reveals Fintech strategy to foster financial innovation
The central bank of Hungary, the MNB, has just published its first strategy on fintech. The plans aim to bring greater digitization to the domestic financial sector in the country. The report, titled ‘Financial Innovation and Stability,’ is the product of central bank collaboration with Hungarian companies working in the fintech industry. It is comprised of a total of 24 new proposals and initiatives. The Magyar Nemzeti Bank believes it important to move quickly towards the digitization of the financial system. As a part of this strategy, the proposals put forward include efforts to improve financial knowledge and training for those involved in the industry. Aiding with the implementation of […]
Tron partners with Fintech firm Simplex
Tron, the blockchain-based decentralized platform, has announced a new partnership with the provider of fraudless crypto payment firm Simplex. The announcement on Tron was made on twitter. Simplex acknowledged that it will enable TRX’s purchase with credit cards on its platform. Simplex is a fintech firm that acts as a credit card processor in the crypto world. It is a secure platform with no exposure to fraud (so it claims). The firm makes use of artificial intelligence (AI) to provide a fraudless payment option to users. The partnership between Tron and Simplex will enable TRX purchase with credit card and also zero risk. It is worthy to note that the […]
Softbank pumps £510m into finance firm Greensill that could kill off payday lenders
Japanese conglomerate Softbank is set to inject another £510million into British online finance firm Greensill as part of plan to launch a new service that aims to wipe out controversial payday loans. City sources said Greensill, set up by former Morgan Stanley banker Lex Greensill, is in advanced talks to buy FreeUp, a technology company that should enable the firm to offer ordinary workers early payment of their wages. SoftBank’s Vision Fund, led by maverick entrepreneur Masayoshi Son, is pouring in more than half a billion pounds to support the expansion strategy. Sources said the deals could be announced as soon as this week. To read more, please click on […]
China passes cryptography law as it gears up for digital currency
China’s largely rubber stamp parliament has passed a new law on cryptography as the country gears up to launch its own digital currency, state media reported at the weekend. China’s central bank set up a research team in 2014 to explore launching its own digital currency to cut the costs of circulating traditional paper money and boost policymakers’ control of money supply. China’s proposed new digital currency would bear some similarities to Facebook’s Libra coin and would be able to be used across major payment platforms such as WeChat and Alipay, a senior central bank official said last month. China’s cryptography law, which takes effect on January 1, is aimed […]
India FinTech Forum unveils 18 high-potential fintech startups for IFTA 2019
Around a month from now, on November 29, 2019, the India FinTech Awards (IFTA) 2019 will be taking place at Mumbai. The 18 fintech startups that will line up for this coveted award have since been shortlisted. The event and the selection are being handled by a non-profit organisation, India FinTech Forum. These 18 fintech startups will make their respective presentations to the high-profile jury, which will then make its decision on the best of the lot. There may be around 800 invitees to the event to be held in a Mumbai Hotel. These 18 have been chosen out of 400 fintech startups from within the country and overseas, that […]
