Robo-Advisors are a Big Hit in U.S. – but not so much in Europe
Financial advisors need to be aware: robo-advisor services are popular in America, but not pervasive in Europe. Asia, though, is seeing faster growth. A new study shows that robo-advisor services are predominantly used in the U.S. and that only 1% of survey respondents in major European countries like the U.K. and Germany say they are using robo-advisor strategies in their investment portfolios. “Adoption of robo-advice in the United States accelerated dramatically with the entrance of the major retail investment brands,” says Investment Trends in its “2016 Robo-Advice Report.” While 950,000 online share investors already embrace robo-advice, this figure has nearly doubled in the last 12 months alone (47% of the […]
European fintech deals hit 5-year high in 2016
Europe’s advantage in financial technology has been highlighted by figures showing fintech deals hit a five-year high on the continent in 2016, defying the global trend of a slight decline. The number of deals in European fintech rose 11 per cent to 179 in 2016, compared to a 1 per cent global drop, according to the data analytics company CBInsights. Germany and the UK dominated, staking claim to nine out of the 10 biggest European fintech deals. The deals grew 124 per cent compared with 2011’s total, in contrast to an 8 per cent drop-off in deal activity in the US to 422 deals — identical to 2014 levels, the […]
China leads the way in FinTech investments
China has emerged as a leading FinTech (financial technology) hub in terms of capital investment, which was estimated to be worth £6.5 billion (US$8.1 billion) in 2016, more than triple the £2.05 billion in 2015. “The significant growth and magnitude of FinTech investment into China is underpinned by robust access to capital, both through public and private sources of funding”, accounting firm Ernst & Young claimed in a UK government-sponsored report entitled China and UK FinTech: Unlocking Opportunity. Over the last few years, FinTech investment in China has seen strong support from the PRC government, with more than 750 government-led funds investing in the sector, in addition to £4.3 billion […]
PayPal acquires Vancouver-based TIO Networks in $304m deal
PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) is acquiring Vancouver-based TIO Networks in a deal worth $304 million. The companies announced the definitive sales agreement Tuesday (February 14), which will see PayPal pay $3.35 per share in cash — a 22.6% premium above its 20-trading day average price. TIO Networks chairman and CEO Hamed Shahbazi told Business In Vancouver he was “very excited” his company was becoming a part of the PayPal family. “It’s an incredible company,” he said. “Dan Schulman, the [PayPal] CEO, has a tremendous vision that really aligns well with us and his vision of financial inclusion is one we think gives us an opportunity to really amplify the scale […]
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 […]
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 […]
