Ripple wants to invest in startups that will put its XRP cryptocurrency to work
Payments company Ripple says it plans to invest in startups and technology companies to develop more uses for XRP, its cryptocurrency that is currently the third largest digital token behind bitcoin and Ethereum based on total market cap. The value of XRP shot up in December and January following a crypto market rally that saw bitcoin reach nearly $20,000 per coin. The collective value of XRP was worth more than $128 billion at peak before a market crash in January walked those prices back significantly. Today, the token has a total market cap of around $30 billion but Ripple has come under fire for a perceived lack of use for […]
Australia’s AtlasTrend releases voice-activated finance bot
AtlasTrend, the financial investment platform helping Australians invest in global trends, is launching Australia’s first voice-activated personal investment assistant, Astro, once again challenging traditional institutions and approaches to investing money. One of the first voice-activated fintech bots in Australia, Astro is available on Google Home, Google Home Mini and Google Assistant devices, and uses verbal commands to allow transactional capabilities for AtlasTrend investors, and provide users with real-time responses and information on AtlasTrend’s investment portfolios and general investment info. Following Astro’s initial launch, the team are set to develop and roll-out additional capabilities throughout the year, further enhancing its functionality and user experience. Astro will inform users of AtlasTrend’s investments, […]
Chinese blockchain delegation hunts Aussie opportunities
A high-powered delegation of Chinese technology executives is in Australia this week for discussions on blockchain, including how China plans to apply it to trading relationships. The companies are a who’s who of China’s fintech elite. Senior managers from Ant Financial, WeBank, JD.com, ZhongAn, Wanxiang and OnChain have made the trip south. They’re being led by Ming Li, director of the China Electronics Standardisation Institute, which has responsibility for setting blockchain industry standards under China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Blockchain records and verifies transactions in synchronised databases providing transparency and security. The architecture will end up underpinning an “internet of value”, which proponents reckon will be as important […]
ASX-listed US fintech Credible shrugs off recent share drop with US mortgage play
The founder and chief executive of ASX-listed US fintech start-up Credible has shrugged off a declining share price since its December initial public offering and pointed to a strong financial performance and new plans to target the US mortgage market as a sign that investors can expect significant growth in the long term. Credible, which was founded by Australian Stephen Dash, was the largest ASX tech IPO of 2017, raising $67 million, having built up a significant niche in the US market by creating an online marketplace for student loans. However, despite posting full-year results that beat the important metrics laid out in its IPO prospectus, the shares have slowly […]
Blockchain technology is shaping the future of business
Since the dawn of the internet, businesses have faced the challenges of trying to integrate themselves into the digital world. Traditionally customer involvement was not present within large corporations where their opinions were considered law. Blockchain technology is shifting the market to promote more customer involvement. Blockchain refers to a decentralised platform where transactions are made via cryptocurrency and all of the records are recorded in a chronological order for the public to view. The major fact to note about blockchain is that anyone can view the economic transactions and form their opinion based around that. This could sprout a new era of customer involvement with companies and businesses if […]
What is a Neobank and what can it do for me?
Australia’s big bank monopolisation might finally be getting a kick up the butt. This article is supported by Xinja, who are building the first Australian 100 percent digital bank designed for mobile. In this series, we look at our relationship to money. It’s a very familiar story: at various times through the year, the big banks take turns in announcing another round of record-breaking profits. Last year the big four earned a combined $31 billion in profit. That’s $58,980 a minute. Unsurprisingly, the people that run these behemoth moneymakers do quite nicely for themselves as well. Australia’s highest paid banking CEO, Nicholas Moore, made a whopping $18.2 million last year. […]
Fintech vs Banking: Which sector controls the future of money?
There could be trouble ahead at the top of the financial market arena. In the red corner is Banking — one of the world’s most pre-eminent industries represented by a handful of stalwart banks, who’ve been around for centuries and considered the bedrock of a modern financially-savvy society. In the blue corner is Technology — in the form of a cloud of hovering tech firms, buzzing around consumers and serving up the most connectible and value-added premium products ever seen. Most innovations that have improved financial services have been down to “financial technology” or “fintech” for short. Separating the two is a wall of compliance and a patchwork of regulatory […]
Digital currency exchange opens Australia’s first OTC desk for institutions
Independent Reserve, the Australian Digital Currency exchange, has opened Australia’s first over-the-counter trading desk for institutions wanting to make large digital currency trades. CEO Adrian Przelozny said the lack of block trading venues had been a barrier for institutions to participate in digital currency investment. “Digital currency markets are just like any other asset class, in that when the market sees a big trade coming through it will move the price against whoever is making that trade,” he said. “In equity markets they solve that problem with dark pools and sales trading desks, but there is no digital currency equivalent in Australia as yet. By establishing an OTC desk with […]
