Bank rules get tougher so technology’s importance grows
Borrowers who embrace apps and budgeting technology that tracks their spending are giving themselves a better chance of grabbing a good loan amid a crackdown by regulators. Stricter rules around loan serviceability means people able to prove what they spend are getting the upper hand. Financial regulator APRA last month called for more realistic living expense details on loan applications and increased vigilance by lenders. People’s Choice Credit Union spokesman Stuart Symons said reliable records were becoming increasingly important, and borrowers could help themselves “by being on the front foot”. “If you can’t show what you spend, a lender may look instead to an estimate that shows a higher level […]
2nd Annual APAC Blockchain Conference 2018
The APAC Blockchain Conference, developed in partnership with the Australian Digital Commerce Association (ADCA), looks beyond the hype at the real impacts and potential of blockchain technologies in Australia. The 2nd annual event will be held from 13 – 15 March in Melbourne and bring together blockchain innovators, business leaders and regulators to help you build your blockchain strategy and assess the viability of the technology. Across the globe organisations are scrutinizing how blockchain technology can transform current processes, free them of the middle man and save significant costs. The potential is huge and possibilities limitless, however, there are considerable challenges to overcome before the benefits can be […]
Credible founder Stephen Dash comes home for biggest ASX tech IPO of 2017
A 33-year-old Australian tech entrepreneur, who left Australia five years ago for Silicon Valley, will return home to ring the bell at the Australian Securities Exchange on Friday as his fintech company Credible becomes the biggest local tech float of the year. Stephen Dash, a former investment director at Mark Carnegie’s private equity, venture capital and advisory firm M.H. Carnegie, already raised over $US20 million ($26.5 million) in external funding for the US-focused online student loan marketplace before raising $68 million through an initial public offering, which valued the company at $306.6 million. Credible has carved out a potentially lucrative niche in the US market, where students have typically paid […]
Bitcoin shakes off bubble warnings in race past $US16,000 mark
Bitcoin touched $US16,000 for the first time on Thursday, extending its advance this month to almost 70 per cent as concerns mounted the cryptocurrency’s rapid rise masks risks. The world’s biggest cryptocurrency is surging on expectations that new bitcoin derivatives products expected to begin trading this month will boost mainstream demand. Some of the world’s biggest brokerages criticized those plans on Wednesday, telling regulators the contracts have been rushed to market without enough due diligence. Bitcoin jumped as much as 23 per cent to $US16,374, before paring gains in New York trading, according to Bloomberg prices. That takes the digital currency’s surge this year to more than 1,500 per cent […]
ANZ announces Garmin Pay partnership
ANZ has today introduced Garmin Pay to its customers after signing a partnership with the wearable tech giant. ANZ customers will now be able to load their credit and debit cards on the Garmin app and use their Garmin smartwatch to make purchases anywhere they go without having to take out a wallet or phone. ANZ’s Managing Director of Products, Bob Belan, was excited to announce the latest partnership today. “At ANZ we are determined to bring our customers new payment experiences so they can pay the way they want to,” Mr Belan said. “We’re pleased to be partnering with Garmin to bring our customers a payment option with one […]
Fingerprint payments to be ‘commonplace’ within a year: Visa
Shoppers will soon be able to take a scan of their fingerprint or face to authorise a credit card purchase, instead of entering a PIN, as part of a crackdown on payment fraud. With online card fraud rising quickly as stolen card details are used for website purchases, payments giant Visa is rolling out a suite of new changes aimed at stopping fraudsters. In a bid to counter fraud, it has issued new standards that will remove the need to enter a personal identification number (PIN) when making purchases in-person. It is also beefing up its systems for detecting fraudulent transactions made online. Instead of using a PIN for purchases […]
Australia’s stock exchange is moving to a blockchain style system for trade settlements
Australia’s equity market the ASX has decided to replace its CHESS system to record changes in shareholding with distributed ledger technology found in blockchain. The global equities exchange community has been watching the ASX as it develops and tests a system to cut the cost of transactions, and make them faster and more secure. Blockchain uses computers with advanced encryption to keep track of transactions, giving confidence to both buyers and sellers. Transactions of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin are tracked used blockchain. Dominic Stevens, the ASX managing director and CEO, says the exchange has been carefully examining distributed ledger technology for almost two-and-a-half years. “We believe that using DLT (distributed ledger […]
Fintech Startups Prospa and Credi take out the top spots in the Inaugural Australian National Techboard Awards
Australia’s top trending companies were celebrated at the Techboard 2017 National Awards on 30 November 2017. Over the course of 2017, Techboard has been tracking metrics on Australian Startups and publishing monthly rankings that rank companies on the extent to which the metrics indicate they are trending or gaining mindshare. The Techboard 2017 National awards are a culmination of those monthly rankings and comprised two company categories, the highest trending company overall and the highest trending up and coming company. Techboard held the event in conjunction with StartCon, Australia’s largest startup and growth conference with the backing of leading sponsors MYOB. In this, its first National Awards, the winners […]
