Bitcoin move over – there’s a new kid on the blockchain
The digital currency bitcoin has broken new records – surging by more than 245 per cent since the start of the year. In just five months, the price of one bitcoin rose from $1,331 to its all-time-high of $3,894 on May 25. People buy bitcoins for all sorts of reasons. They range from those seeking to invest in safe haven assets in the face of political instability, speculators wanting to ride the wave of what some regard to be an asset bubble, to purchasers who want to purchase illegal goods anonymously on the dark web. Since mid-2010, when the highly-volatile currency was worth just 9 cents, it has surged by […]
Vic govt eyes blockchain’s potential
The Victorian government has become a member of Australian Digital Currency and Commerce Association (ADCCA) through the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources. The government is looking to partner with the organisation “to explore the potential application and impact of blockchain across the economy, including but not limited to the financial services, health and food sectors,” the state’s minister for small business, innovation and trade, Philip Dalidakis, told Computerworld. Blockchain is the distributed ledger technology (DLT) that underpins Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies. “Backed by the strength of our digital technology sector, Victoria’s fintech sector and its capabilities are growing, and so is our global reputation for developing innovative […]
The other credit risk to watch in China: Fintech-fuelled debt
China’s government has copped what Scott Morrison is so desperate to avoid: a credit rating downgrade. But in the discussion about Moody’s surprise move last week to cut its rating for our biggest trading partner, there’s one word that has been notably absent, even though it’s a risk of growing importance to investors and officials. That word is “fintech”. Nowhere are the large potentially huge benefits of fintech – and longer-term risks – clearer than in China. This realisation comes as financial regulators everywhere, including in Australia, start to turn their attention to how these risks could eventuate, if fintech one day grabs a larger share of the financial services […]
What is Blockchain Technology and why is it so popular
In 2008, a cryptographer named Satoshi Nakamoto—a name used by the unknown person or persons—invented Bitcoin. It is a digital currency that enables people to conduct peer-to-peer transactions without the help of any third party such as banks. Whenever we do any transactions, it happens through a third party such as a bank and regulatory laws, but in the blockchain schema, these transactions happen securely but anonymously without the involvement of any intermediaries. So you might ask how the current transactions are happening online with debit and credit cards? Current transactions happen through electronic intermediaries where we depend a lot on the third parties for trust and fraud detection. More […]
One fintech in ASIC’s sandbox, so government to expand it
Only one start-up has entered the “regulatory sandbox” set up by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to foster fintech innovation, prompting the federal government to broaden its eligibility criteria through new legislation. Six months after the launch of the sandbox, the single start-up using the regime is Goodments, a share trading application which matches retail investors to shares based on their ethical, sustainable and social values. Described by ASIC chairman Greg Medcraft as “essentially a ‘lighter touch’ regulatory environment”, the sandbox was opened to entrepreneurs in December after being announced in last year’s federal budget. It allows start-ups to test business models and products on a limited number of […]
Bitcoin blows past $2,500, $2,600, and $2,700
The bitcoin rally just keeps going. Thursday’s action has run bitcoin above $US2,500, $US2,600, and $US2,700 for the first time. It hit a high of $US2,749 before paring its gains. Currently, the cryptocurrency trades up 11.2%, or $US270, at $US2,682 a coin. It has gained in 27 of the past 30 sessions and has tacked on more than 130% over that time. Bitcoin has climbed aout 20% since Tuesday’s close, propelled by news that the Digital Currency Group, representing 56 companies in 21 countries, reached a scaling agreement at the Consensus 2017 conference in New York. The announcement was the latest bit of good news for the cryptocurrency. In early […]
Private companies face public conundrum under new crowdfunding rules
The Federal Budget extended crowdfunding opportunities to private companies, but a closer look at the amended legislation reveals they may still be forced to act more like public companies. A sticking point from the Federal Government’s Corporations Amendment (Crowd-sourced Funding) Act 2017, was that there was no scope for private (proprietary limited) companies to access crowdfunding. Government sought to address this in the latest Federal budget, but there could be a catch. The Crowdfunding bill passed in March, and becomes law this September. Feedback suggested few start-ups would consider crowdfunding under the model due to private companies being unable to raise money from the new crowdfunding regime, and the compliance […]
ZipMoney lands largest debt facility in Australian fintech history with $260 million led by NAB
Sydney company ZipMoney has secured a $260 million debt facility led by the National Australia Bank, in what the startup claims is the largest such deal in Australian fintech history. ZipMoney announced to the ASX on Wednesday that the facility would consist of $200 million from NAB, $40 million through two-year bonds issued through FIIG Securities, and $20 million in junior notes and equity. An “immediate refinance of $70 million of existing receivables” will take place using the NAB facility, resulting in an instant reduction in interest for the business. The startup operates a “buy now, pay later, with no interest” service — integrating into online retail stores to reach […]
