Innovation


SCU launches AI service for customer queries

SCU (formerly Sydney Credit Union) has partnered with Australian fintech firm Epictenet to implement an artificial intelligence (AI) powered platform for customer queries. The new platform, called “Let’s Chat” (in its initial phase), is programmed to respond to general queries related to home loans, personal loans, credit cards and insurance products. At a later phase, […]

CFTE Supercharger-s fintech learning in Asia

The Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CFTE) has teamed up with SuperCharger, a fintech accelerator in Asia with offices in Hong Kong and Malaysia, to help its students learning with CFTE. UK-based CFTE cites SuperCharger’s accelerator programmes – which offer a B2B sales focus, closing 14 commercial proofs of concept (PoCs) in 12 weeks […]

SEB and Nasdaq working on blockchain prototype for Swedish mutual fund market

Swedish financial services group SEB and Nasdaq are working on a joint project to test a developed prototype for a mutual fund trading platform based on Chain’s blockchain ledger. The aim is to increase efficiency in the processing of purchases and sales of fund units and to create a unit ledger – an area which […]

R3 and TradeIX plan open account trade finance DLT network

Enterprise software firm R3 and trade finance specialist TradeIX are developing an end-to-end open account trade finance business network which will be powered by TradeIX and R3’s Corda distributed ledger platform. The initiative is a joint undertaking between the duo, and 12 financial institutions including Bangkok Bank, Barclays, BBVA, Bladex, BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, CTBC Bank, […]

Intel unveils self-learning “neuromorphic” AI chip

It might not have totally nailed artificial intelligence (AI) yet, but with its new research project, Loihi, Intel claims to have crossed a bridge which many are still trying to build; on-chip learning, reports Telecoms.com (Banking Technology’s sister publication). In its search for a new growth area, Intel has focused on the burgeoning world of […]

SunTec Xelerates its open banking ambitions

SunTec has unveiled its out-of-the-box open banking solution, offering preset configurations and definitions, through its Xelerate billing system. With the rise of open banking, SunTec wants to join the throng looking to prosper in a very competitive and crowded market. The firm says banks can use the layer to get business value from their APIs […]

BBVA analyses urbanites for big data dynamite

BBVA has launched Urban Discovery, an interactive tool open to everyone that analyses the cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Mexico City through the prism of their commercial activity. The bank says the analysis led to the creation of new maps that redraw urban borders and identify the most touristic and residential areas or those where […]

Japanese banks to launch new national digital currency

A consortium of Japanese banks has confirmed they are to launch a new national digital currency in time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. As Banking Technology reported last week, there was talk about plans to establish this currency by 2020. At that time, the name was mooted to be J-Coin. Now, and according to the […]

What’s hot and what’s not in US fintech

Finovate (Banking Technology‘s sister company) teamed up with the Fintech Cocktail Club earlier this month to play another game of Fintech Tinder (otherwise known as hot or not), writes Julie Muhn. Here are the rules – we shouted out a list of 20 fintech trends and our cocktail-fuelled audience shouted their opinion on whether the […]

White paper: From traditional bank to marketplace bank

Many industries have already been technologically disrupted. Financial services and banking won’t be any different. New digital banking platforms will emerge with an automated, compliant core and a connection layer for all kinds of third party services to tap into. This is API banking, or marketplace banking.

Fintech alliance round-up: 25 September 2017

Move closer, move your fintech body real close, until we feel like we’re really making innovation. Our latest super-friendly fintech alliance round-up features Switzerland and Hong Kong; Japan and Abu Dhabi Global Market; and the UAE loving itself. The State Secretariat for International Financial Matters (SIF) under the Swiss Federal Department of Finance and the […]

Blockchain and Bitcoin round-up: 25 September 2017

Exchange traded funds, certification, a rewards network and a new cryptocurrency. Our latest blockchain and Bitcoin round-up features Evolve Funds Group, DNV GL, Deloitte and Codemojo. Evolve Funds Group has filed a preliminary prospectus with the Canadian securities regulators for Canada’s first cryptocurrency exchange traded funds (ETFs), Evolve Bitcoin ETF (aka BITS). “Accessing Bitcoin is […]

Japanese regulator and banks plan shared ID system on blockchain

The Financial Services Agency of Japan and some of the nation’s banks are planning to develop a shared identification system on blockchain. According to the Nikkei Asian Review, consumers will be able to open accounts at multiple banks and financial houses without having to re-enter personal information. The first step will see an administrative body […]

Big banks back Canada’s $150m digital ID system

Canada’s big banks have joined the charge for a CA$185 million ($150 million) digital identity supercluster bid that plans to solve the identification challenges of the digital economy. According to IT World Canada, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Bank of Montreal, Scotiabank, CIBC, TD Bank and National Bank of Canada – are on board, along […]

Banks going Kodak

When was the last time you visited a bank branch? While the rise of the internet, banking shifted the customer interaction from the branch to the web, the business was still owned and run end-to-end by the bank and at lower cost. For a few years now, the landscape has altered significantly bringing Kodak to […]

Europe’s top venture capital investors by country – CB Insights

CB Insights has mapped the top venture capital (VC) investors in Europe by country, based on number of portfolio companies the investor had backed. The research company analysed the most active investors in the last five years (2012-2017), including VCs, corporate VCs, growth equity firms and super angels.

Kasasa rolls out Kasasa Loans

Fintech and marketing services company Kasasa unveiled its newest offering, Kasasa Loans, which lets consumers pay ahead to reduce debt and take that extra money back if they need it.

AutoGravity teams up with Hyundai Capital America

Thanks to a new partnership between AutoGravity and Hyundai Capital America, California car buyers using AutoGravity have new financing options when looking to buy a Hyundai, Kia or Genesis vehicle.

FinovateFall 2017: a look back at the four-day flow

Adding a pair of discussion days to Finovate’s traditional demo days format, has made it that much easier for FinovateFall attendees to answer the question perennial post-conference question: “So. What did you think?”

State Street unveils Quantextual Idea Lab for investment research

State Street has launched its Quantextual Idea Lab, a hybrid of machine learning and human knowledge, for improved investment research. According to the firm, investment professionals are inundated with research reports from the sell side, the buy side and academia. It reckons financial research teams can produce enough content to consume 24 reams or 12,000 […]

Sun Life looks for life with fintech start-ups

With the unveiling of its new corporate headquarters at One York Street in Toronto, Sun Life Financial has made it loud and clear it’s on the prowl for fintech start-ups. The super-shiny, 35-storey, 800,000 square foot office tower, is a mighty site/sight and will offer connection to Toronto’s Union (railway) Station and PATH network (i.e. […]

Hitachi creates IoT focused big data company Vantara

When we hear Hitachi two things come to mind; 80s style radio and construction vehicles. This might be a perception the team will want to address as Hitachi enters the internet of things (IoT) world, reports Telecoms.com (Banking Technology’s sister publication). Combining the capabilities of three separate brands, Hitachi Data Systems, Hitachi Insight Group, and […]

SEI and Coinfirm concur for blockchain-powered asset transfers

Wealth management firm SEI is partnering with London-based blockchain company Coinfirm as they plan to tap into the UK’s asset transfer market. Coinfirm and the SEI Wealth Platform will use digital ledger technology (DLT) – and as with 99.9% of comments on any blockchain project, SEI says its solution will reduce costs and risks. Brett […]

Kenya leads Africa in financial inclusion innovation

Kenya is leading the way when it comes to digital innovation for financial inclusion in Africa, according to research by the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP). Earlier this year, CGAP says it invited firms and organisations to submit proposals for digital innovations they believe have the most potential to advance financial inclusion in […]

Interview: Aleksey Chubar, VTB – leading a fintech revolution in Russia

If you’ve got preconceptions about what fintech looks like and where it’s happening, then Aleksey Chubar, head of digital transformation at VTB, has news for you. Russia is becoming a hotbed of fintech innovation – not just domestically, but internationally too. More than that, the rapid pace of technological change in the country means you’ll soon wonder how you got left behind.

Avoid a regtech downfall with The Bunker’s new sandbox service

The Bunker, a UK-based data storage and managed services provider, has launched a new sandbox service for start-ups seeking to develop applications for the financial services market and cope with regulations. It’s got some backing for its plans as innovation network Barclays Rise “will also play a supportive role in helping to identify early stage […]

Can money buy friends? Intel is hoping so

Intel has shown its defensive side with a humble-brag that it has invested $1 billion in artificial intelligence (AI). We didn’t realise Intel had to use money to make friends, but each to their own, reports Telecoms.com (Banking Technology’s sister publication). In an editorial piece by CEO Brian Krzanich, Intel has decided to shout at […]

Zambian start-up Zazu plans to be digitally true

Zambia-based Zazu is readying for launch – as it targets being “Africa’s first digital-only bank” and offering a “more personalised solution” than a traditional bank. In November, it will launch with 1,500 prepaid debit cards. It wants to give these out to people who regularly use cards to make payments, so it can improve and develop […]

App it. The future of banking

This morning I was having breakfast with a colleague. I paid the bill, and he sent me his share of the bill using our Monzo app. Before we’d walked out of the café, the money was in my account. Simple!

Fintech alliance round-up: 15 September 2017

The power of love, a force from above, cleaning my soul – flame on burn desire, love with tongues of fire, purge the soul, make fintech alliances your goal. Our latest cuddly round-up features the Securities Commission Malaysia, Dubai Financial Services Authority, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Taiwan Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. The Securities Commission Malaysia […]

BitFlyer competes for Japanese Bankers Association’s blockchain experiment attention

Tokyo-based Bitcoin exchange BitFlyer has been selected as a partner vendor to provide an experimental environment for the Japanese Bankers Association’s “collaborative blockchain platform”. BitFlyer’s proprietary blockchain technology – Miyabi – will be used and the platform is scheduled to begin operation in October. Miyabi is a private blockchain “exclusively” for enterprise users. The experiment […]

Royal Bank of Canada pilots AI-powered finance guide

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), with the help of Personetics Cognitive Banking’s applications, will deliver two new services this autumn that provide AI-powered financial guidance and an automated savings programme through the bank’s mobile app. The development follows on from last month, when RBC unveiled these two digital services – called NOMI Insights and NOMI […]

Startupbootcamp InsurTech seeks storming start-ups

London-based accelerator Startupbootcamp InsurTech is on the search for the next wave of insurance-inspired start-ups to “take the industry by storm”. Startupbootcamp InsurTech says the process of searching for and purchasing something on Amazon or booking peer-reviewed accommodations in a different country at the touch of a finger, condition people to “expect this fluidity and […]

UK to get New Payment Systems Operator by year’s end

The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) and Bank of England (BoE) have revealed that the UK will be getting the New Payment Systems Operator (NPSO) by the end of 2017. The duo says that the Payment System Operator Delivery Group (PSODG) has completed the necessary steps to deliver what was asked and so with the NPSO […]