Macquarie and broking firms unite to launch fintech platform
Macquarie Business Banking and four commercial broking firms have joined together to launch a “first-to-market” technology platform that could “revolutionise commercial broking in Australia”. Allfin Financial Services, BKK Finance, Heritage Property Finance and Stamford Capital have joined Macquarie Business Banking to form Kubio, a group that provides a cloud-based business origination platform “built from the ground up by brokers, for brokers”. The mobile-optimised platform aims to provide brokers with “flexible and fast solutions” to drive back-office efficiencies, such as the ability to monitor and track deal flow and boost comprehensive reporting. It is available to all commercial lenders irrespective of whether loans are placed with Macquarie. The fintech platform provides […]
Property crowdfunder CoAssets lists on the ASX
The alternative lending space continues to gain momentum as Singapore-based real estate crowdfunding specialist CoAssets lists on the Australian Securities Exchange on Monday morning. The company with an $85 million market capitalisation has raised $6.55 million at 40¢ a share ahead of the listing. The peer-to-peer crowdfund facilitator specialises in funding of up to $5 million and has raised $S45 million ($43.7 million) in residential and small business projects since it started in 2013 in Singapore, mainly in south-east Asia. It was looking to replicate its business in Australia where demand for residential development funding was burgeoning after local banks clamped down on lending to smaller and lesser known developers. […]
The growing popularity of peer-to-peer lending
Years ago, the financial services offered to people who wanted to profit from their savings was very cut and dry. You would either invest your money in the stock exchange, property, or in a term deposit account, to gain interest on your principal investment. Now, investors have the opportunity to expand their portfolio and commit their funds to newer, and arguably more exciting, investment options. Peer-to-peer lending (P2P) This disruption to traditional financial services is due to the growing popularity of peer-to-peer lending (P2P) in the market. This lending process is a method of debt financing that allows individuals to borrow and lend money without the use of an official […]
Record year for Australian FinTech company Avoka
Australian fintech Avoka, the acknowledged leader in digital customer acquisition for major banks and other financial service companies in Australia and globally, today said it achieved a record level of orders in fiscal 2016. Underpinned by ongoing market expansion and support from major international customers, orders grew 52 percent year on-year. Annual subscriptions rose 59 percent in the year to June 30, 2016, reflecting significant commitment by clients in major markets such as the US and UK to product development and the customer acquisition simplicity offered by the Avoka Transact platform. With clients including four of the top 10 banks in Australia, two global banks and five of the top […]
Wyatt Roy joins Sunrise’s David Koch in fintech fund H2Ocean
Former assistant minister for innovation Wyatt Roy has taken his first jobpost-politics, joining Sunrise host David Koch as an independent director of a proposed $55 million publicly listed fintech fund. Mr Roy, who was dumped from his seat of Longman in the last election, settled on a role with H2Ocean where he’ll be paid $60,000 per year, and will hold 10,000 shares at the offer’s completion. According to H2Ocean’s prospectus Mr Roy will join David Koch and Beyond Bank Australia chair Anne O’Donnell at the fund co-founded by Ben and Toby Heap, which will be offering a “diversified global portfolio of early and growth stage financial technology companies”. The fund […]
Australia gets its first listed fintech investment fund – H2Ocean
H2Ocean is seeking to raise at least $22,500,000 to focus on developing an early and growth stage venture capital portfolio. H2 Ventures, a dedicated accelerator and fintech investment firm, has launched H2Ocean, Australia’s first listed venture company. H2 Ventures, which also happens to be Australia’s first dedicated fintech accelerator, is already very active in the fintech space but aims to expand this with its latest venture. Co-founders Ben and Tony Heap aim to raise between $22,500,000 and $55,000,000 to deliver capital growth to investors and provide an investment alternative to traditional equities through a diversified portfolio. “H2Ocean Shareholders will gain investment exposure to early and growth stage Fintech Ventures that […]
ASIC lays out robo-advice rules for financial services
The corporate watchdog has published its guidelines for financial services companies offering so-called robo-advice in the burgeoning automated advice sector. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has laid out what constitutes personal advice as opposed to general advice to clarify when an Australian financial services (AFS) licence is required by companies providing automated advice using algorithms. Five months after issuing its draft guidelines, ASIC also highlighted the need for rigorous testing of the algorithms used to provide recommendations through a website or app where users seek tailored financial advice. ASIC said that, with only about 20 per cent of adult Australians seeking personal advice, digital advice has the potential to […]
ASX-Listed Australian FinTech company zipMoney – Full Year Results
zipMoney are pleased to announce today their FY16 Annual Results, the first set of accounts as an ASX-listed Company. Some of the key highlights: Transaction volume of $51.5 million, up 962% Loan book (receivables) of $40.7 million, up 1,296% Company revenues of $4.3 million, up 976% More than 50,000 customers and 2,000 merchants Omni-channel strategy delivering volume growth Bad debts of 1.1%, below industry standards FY16 saw a number of very pleasing achievements for the Company. This included strong growth in transaction volume, with more than $50 million processed on the zipMoney payments platform. This was supported by close to 2,000 merchants across their target sectors and a number of […]
