Amazon Launchpad now operating in the US, Canada, India, Germany, France, the UK & Japan
Amazon is not only one of the world’s largest retailers and marketplace, it is also a market for emerging products having raised capital online and from early stage investors. Amazon Launchpad has expanded its platform from just the US to now operating in Canada, India, Germany, France, the UK and Japan. The list of partners is impressive engaging both venture capitalists and crowdfunding platforms. The roster includes: 500 Startups Accel Partners Andreessen Horowitz betaworks Balderton Capital CircleUp Crowdcube Crowdfunder (US) Crowdfunder (UK) Index Ventures Indiegogo Kickstarter Lending Club MicroVentures OurCrowd SeedInvest Seedmatch Seedrs StartEngine ulule and more… Amazon explains that their Launchpad has been designed to meet the needs of […]
Parisian bankers target fintech catch up
After years of lagging behind London on spawning financial technology startups, Paris this week hosted a show of force aimed at proving the French capital can catch up as more than 1,500 bankers, investors and entrepreneurs gathered. The Paris Fintech Forum, which took place recently in the old bourse’s temple-like building, tripled its turnout from last year. With the UK’s vote to leave the EU seen as an opportunity for Paris to raise its game, executives from Societe Generale, insurer Axa and Spain’s Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria among others showed up to talk about potential in France. Just as London is Europe’s banking and finance centre, it has been centre […]
London Blockchain Week showcases the good side of Blockchain
The cryptocurrency technology is known for its ease-of-access, transparency, and decentralization. These very features also bring in accountability, which is much needed in today’s social good sector. The use of Bitcoin in the non-profit industry sector has already shown promising results, enabling people to donate to the needy, in a timely manner irrespective of the location. The recently concluded London Blockchain Week 2017 showcased the cryptocurrency and distributed ledger technology in a different light. There is a popular misconception among many that Bitcoin and altcoins are for criminals who sell drugs and weapons on the dark net. But one look at few of the “blockchain for good” initiatives is enough […]
South Africa to establish a strong foothold in Fintech Sector
The next fintech and blockchain revolution is waiting to happen in South Africa. The country is already home for some of the most innovative startups, and with the new fintech wave catching up, more startups are expected to raise their heads by the end of this year. According to a leading regional startup news platform, most of the innovations in the year 2017 will be focused on mobile payments, digital banking, Bitcoin, SME financing, data analytics, real estate and automation solutions. Incidentally, all these priority areas present an opportunity for the implementation of blockchain technology. The developing world is increasingly moving towards mobile payments. The rise of mobile wallet services […]
Wallet packed with loyalty cards? Solve the problem with Stocard digital wallet
Stocard, a leading mobile wallet app, has announced that it will use recently secured funding to expand its reach in the Australian market and launch a new mobile payment function. While digital wallets have been around in Australia for some time, what makes Stocard’s offering unique to existing mobile wallet apps, is the functionality that allows users to store all their loyalty cards easily in their smartphone, rather than in their wallets. Loyalty programs are becoming increasingly popular for Aussie shoppers, with 50% saying they’d be more likely to spend with a store that offers a loyalty program than with one that doesn’t, according to Nielson’s latest Global Loyalty Sentiment […]
Bitcoin is back above $1,000
Bitcoin is is back above $1,000 for the first time since January 5. The cryptocurrency was higher by 1.5% at $1,000.10 a coin as of 11:39 a.m. ET. It’s been a wild year for bitcoin. It began 2017 with a 20% rally during the first five days of the year before crashing 35% on concerns of a crackdown on trading in China. Thursday’s gains have extended bitcoin’s winning streak to a sixth straight session as trade appears to be benefitting from uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump’s presidency. The cryptocurrency has gained nearly 10% since Trump was inaugurated on January 20. To read more, please click on the link below… Source: […]
Digital currency exchange Gemini introduces pre-credited bitcoin deposits
Gemini, a New York-based bitcoin exchange being developed by Winklevoss brothers, introduced a new first for digital asset exchanges – zero confirmation pre-credited bitcoin deposits. Due to the increasing bitcoin transaction volume, it is taking much longer for transactions to get mined into a block and then included in the blockchain. The new zero-confirmation pre-credited bitcoin deposits will ease these deposit delays, making it quicker. “Here’s how it works: we’re running every Bitcoin deposit on Gemini through a proprietary analysis to determine how likely it is to get confirmed, even if the network is clogged with other transactions. If your transaction passes our criteria (which may take a few minutes), […]
Switzerland begins consultation on new fintech regulations
During its meeting on 1 February 2017, the Federal Council initiated the consultation on amendments to the Banking Act and Banking Ordinance in the fintech area. The revision should ensure that barriers to market entry for fintech firms are reduced and that the competitiveness of the Swiss financial centre is enhanced. The consultation will last until 8 May 2017. The proposed amendments to the Banking Act (BankA) and Banking Ordinance (BankO) aim to regulate fintech and other firms which provide services outside normal banking business according to their risk potential. A form of deregulation with three supplementary elements is being proposed: First, the exception provided for in the Banking Ordinance […]
