BetaSmartz automated investment launches in Asia
BetaSmartz, the B2B automated investment platform for all sizes of investors, from institutional to retail, today announced it had opened offices in Hong Kong. BetaSmartz offers ‘hybrid ‘ digital investment or ‘robo’ advice that combines automated and face-to-face financial advice. Newly appointed Managing Director Asia, Zak Allom, said this model had been well received since its launch in 2015, with several clients now live including two in the U.S. “Robo has been a big buzzword, but for the most part the actual delivery hasn’t been different from the automated financial planning software we’ve been used to since the 90s,” he said. “BetaSmartz is much more than a sexy front end […]
Ho Chi Minh based startup Remitano expands across the globe to make Bitcoin trading safer
Remitano, a Vietnamese platform that helps people trade bitcoin quickly and securely, has expanded its services across the English speaking world and also to China and Cambodia. Formerly only available in Asia, Remitano is making its platform available across the globe. The company is targeting an audience of bitcoin exchangers, investors, and those seeking remittance services, starting with Asian countries – including Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia as well as China. “Our new platform will help bring bitcoin to everyone, by means of preventing fraud and scamming among the bitcoin community,” explains CEO and co-founder Dung Huynh. “Bitcoin fraud is a problem that is deterring people from partaking in this […]
China FinTech booms as mobile payments outpace US by 50x
New research has shown that Chinese mobile payments were around 50 times greater than those within the U.S. in 2016, thus illustrating that China’s FinTech market is a strong contender in the market. China Dominates the Mobile Payment Market Research from iResearch in China has found that Chinese third-party mobile payments more than tripled in 2016 to $5.5 trillion. WeChat Pay and Alipay, operated by Ant Financial, dominated the market. Recent research found that Alipay received the biggest investment in 2016 at $4.5 billion as FinTech funding increased in China. Whereas, in the U.S., mobile payments increased by 39 percent to $112 billion, according to Forrester Research. However, it’s thought […]
4 Reasons to use a Digital Wallet
Are you using a digital wallet? If not, you are not alone. Only about 13 percent of smartphone users have adopted digital wallets, the relatively new technology that allows our mobile devices to execute a myriad of financial transactions. But digital wallets are coming of age at a lightning pace. Companies like Due offer digital wallets that have streamlined the way we pay for things and get paid, and are changing the world of commerce itself. So if you have been slow to adapt to the word of digital wallets, here are four reasons to change your mind, and get a digital wallet today. Security Losing your wallet, or worse, […]
Fintech start-up PromisePay becomes Assembly Payments, signs key Gumtree deal
Well-backed Melbourne-based fintech start-up PromisePay has taken the bold move to change its name at the same time as announcing one of its most important deals to date, with eBay-owned online marketplace Gumtree. The company, which last year closed a $14 million Series A funding round with Australian tech VC fund rampersand, Westpac’s Reinventure, 99Designs co-founder Mark Harbottle and former Hitwise CEO Andrew Walsh, will now be known as Assembly Payments. PromisePay had already picked up a strong roster of more than 100 Australian and international clients including Airtasker, hipages, Flippa and Carsales.com.au for its online marketplace payments platform. It enables payments to be held in escrow, so a customer […]
Ignition Wealth announces goals-based investing
Ignition Wealth CEO Mark Fordree today announced a groundbreaking development as Ignition Wealth becomes the first Australian ‘robo-adviser’ to offer goals-based investing. Ignition Wealth has appointed SiResearch to provide adaptive asset allocation built around goals which have a specific objective and timeframe. Traditional risk assessment has focussed on the investor’s long-term goals, often focussing simply on retirement. The goals-based model acknowledges that investors’ goals may fall into several buckets including short term, medium term and legacy. “In reality an investor’s attitude to risk is influenced by what their goal is and the date by when they want to achieve it. The SiResearch goals-based investment model adds a specific objective and […]
Australian FinTech launches International FinTech platform
The team behind the highly successful AustralianFinTech.com.au, this week launch their International platform, InternationalFinTech.com, aimed at connecting the FinTech industry on a global scale. Founder and CEO, Cameron Dart, says International FinTech has been born on the back of the highly successful Australian FinTech platform and growing demand from the global community to have a dedicated online presence for their sector. “International FinTech mirrors the Australian FinTech platform, including a dedicated industry newsfeed and a comprehensive directory of FinTech companies globally. “The site also aims to educate users of new financial technologies such as peer to peer lending and cryptocurrency, all presented in simple terms with no financial jargon” says […]
Ireland is top choice for expansion for half the Fintech companies in mainland Europe
According to a survey released by Munich-based consulting giant Roland Berger, about 50 percent of fintech companies in mainland Europe are eager to expand their geographic presence. Amongst the countries preferred by these companies, Ireland tops the list. The survey revealed that Ireland topped the poll as the most popular country targeted for expansion. The findings further showed that currently only 15 percent of fintech firms operate in more than a handful of countries. Out of which, 50 percent companies plan to be operating in five or more countries in five years’ time. Amongst the countries in the list of preferences for expansion – the most popular countries were Ireland […]