Robo advisers march in tracks of royal commission scandals
The shenanigans revealed by the banking royal commission over the past week will inevitably draw attention to the emerging batch of start-ups offering digital financial advice. Often referred to as “robo advisers”, these technology companies are cutting investment fees through automation thereby removing the human foibles dramatically exposed by Commissioner Kenneth Hayne’s inquiry. The commission has shown human adviser education levels can be appallingly low, and paper-based processes have led to poor record keeping. Meanwhile, customers are often apathetic and disengaged, and complexity reigns. Processes being digitised include the creation of broking accounts, executing trades, rebalancing portfolios and generating statements of advice. This can all be presented to customers for […]
‘Burning’ coins: how Bitcoin Cash became the world’s hottest cryptocurrency
Bitcoin Cash is the hottest cryptocurrency around right now for more reasons than you may imagine. The offshoot of the biggest digital token has surged about 25 per cent since Friday, in part because Antpool, one of the largest mining groups, is “burning” a portion of the coins it receives in exchange for solving the complete mathematical puzzles that serve as the backbone of the network, potentially reducing supply and driving up the value. The manoeuvre is the latest salvo in an escalating battle between backers of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash, which was spun off last year. Through a war of words playing out on Twitter and Facebook, some of […]
Brokers split on fintech competition
More than half of mortgage brokers are not concerned about increased competition from online broking platforms, according to a recent survey. Despite this, almost a third of respondents said they were looking to improve the digital capabilities of their businesses. The survey was completed by MyState Bank’s national broker network. More than 47% of brokers responded saying that in the face of increased competition from online broking platforms, they would remain focused on their existing business models, which they considered to be competitive. A further 13% said they believed the threat of greater competition from online platforms was not significant to them. However, not all of the broking community agreed […]
Change Financial looks to shake up the status quo for financial enterprise
US-based yet ASX-listed fintech company Change Financial (ASX: CCA) has announced three commercial deals to assist the growth of its enterprise division ahead of the full launch of its Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. The fintech newcomer has secured variously structured deals with Mastercard, Central Bank of Kansas City (CBKC) and Pulse, respectively. The deals aim to improve operating conditions primarily for its enterprise division, although upon further analysis, it seems Change will be able to derive synergies for all three of its business units, serving consumers, enterprises and blockchain users. Its consumer unit is focused on ChimpChange, an award-winning digital bank account and mobile app. ChimpChange makes free […]
Non-bank business lenders growing in popularity amongst SMEs
There is no doubt the big banks remain major players in the SME lending market however, there has been a steady rise in the number of non-bank lenders offering fast and flexible lending options in this space. They are able to move much faster than the traditional banker with their unique ‘fintech’ approach, giving small business owners across Australia alternative options when seeking business funding. Going hand-in-hand with this preference for more flexible finance solutions amongst SMEs is the demand for unsecured lending options. Business owners are demonstrating they understand the need to pay a small premium in return for fast, flexible finance options which do not require them to […]
Doshii and Bluflow integration
Doshii is thrilled to announce a partnership going forward with a Bluflow integration. Bluflow’s solution which creates advanced digital menu systems is already popular with many businesses, but thanks to a collaboration with Doshii for a reliable POS connection this technology is set to become even more efficient. After initially meeting with Doshii to discuss an integration strategy, Bluflow were able to implement a certified solution within weeks. Bluflow is excited about the benefits of this integration with Doshii, and the additional features gained by Bluflow customers from a linked POS system. About Bluflow Bluflow offers an innovative solution for POS systems. It allows businesses to coordinate their digital menus […]
Wealth management products make big leaps in digital sales readiness
Australians can now apply for 60% of all wealth management products offered by the country’s biggest banks from their mobile phones, according to a fintech which helps financial services companies acquire clients. Avoka measured digital sales readiness for the 50 largest banks across Australia, North America and Europe for products across three segments: personal banking, business banking and wealth management. Eleven of the 50 banks were Australian. Australia “leads them all” in digital readiness, the fintech said. “Banks have accepted that online account opening is a must have, not a ‘nice to have’. The focus now is on whether the largest banks can transform their entire customer engagement across all […]
HUB24 expands distribution with two appointments
HUB24 has announced Colonial First State’s (CFS’s) Shane Muscat and Paula Day have joined the platform provider to expand its distribution capability and support network. Muscat, former head of institutional sales at CFS, has been appointed as head of strategic sales at HUB24, and would lead new business initiatives with licensees, boutiques and new corporate partners. Prior to CFS, Muscat held senior roles at Macquarie Wrap and Avanteos. Day, former CFS head of strategic accounts has been appointed as head of key accounts and would manage and build strategic relationships with the platform provider’s large licensee clients. Day had previously worked for various firms including Westpac, ING Australia and BlackRock. […]
