Blockchain upgrade helps avert split in Bitcoin
A software revamp will help address transaction limitations in the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin has managed to avoid being split into two separate currencies after its community reached an agreement to significantly upgrade the capabilities of its underlying blockchain network. A compromise was reached between the developers behind Bitcoin and the mining community, which had become divided over how to improve the technology, with some fearing that the currency could be split into two different blockchain networks. Miners of the cryptocurrency issued overwhelming support for a software upgrade known as the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) 91 last Friday, which is the first in a series of steps attempting to address the processing […]
RBA study finds cards are king, overtaking cash for the first time
Credit and debit cards have overtaken cash as the most frequently used consumer payment for the first time, as food retailers and ridesharing apps such as Uber offer more cashless payment options. Cards were the most frequently used means of payment, accounting 52 per cent of consumer payments, followed by cash at 37 per cent, according to the Reserve Bank’s consumer payments survey released on Tuesday, which surveyed 17,000 day-to-day payments made by over 1500 participants during a week. A decade ago, cash accounted for nearly 70 per cent of consumer transactions, and cards 26 per cent. The RBA said credit and debit card use increased across the board in […]
Do fintech platforms spell the end of banking as we know it?
There are around 400 fintech companies in Australia at the moment, as a country we’re ranked fifth in the world for fintech adoption, and our use of mobile banking apps doubled in the last two years. So do emerging fintech platforms spell the end of traditional banking as we know it? According to a Swift Institute report on the API economy and digital transformation in financial services, the days of big banking aren’t over – but there are plenty of changes coming in the way we manage our finances. Collaboration is key Rather than fintech companies replacing traditional banks, it seems collaboration between the two may be the future of […]
This Australian Bitcoin exchange startup just raised $815,000 to expand globally and add Ethereum to its platform
An Australian Bitcoin trading startup has secured $815,000 in a series A round it says was oversubscribed by double the original target amount. Melbourne-based Bitcoin.com.au that allows everyday Australians to buy and sell Bitcoins — including the ability to have cash handed over at more than 1,200 physical locations including Commonwealth Bank and Westpac branches, and selected newsagents. Business Insider understands the startup was seeking $500,000 for the round, but ended up having more than $1 million offered to it for overseas expansion and diversification into different types of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin.com.au was formed in 2015 and charges a 5% fee on the spot rate to generate revenue. Sydney’s Alium Capital […]
Search for 2017 Fintech 100 innovators kicks off
Nominations are now open for the 2017 KPMG & H2 Ventures Fintech 100, the annual list designed to recognize leading fintech innovators. Visit www.fintechinnovators.com by Thursday, 31 August 2017 and nominate your company, or any fintech you think should be considered for the Fintech 100. The Fintech100, available at www.fintechinnovators.com, is compiled by fintech investment firm, H2 Ventures in collaboration with KPMG’s Global Fintech practice. The annual Fintech 100 includes both the leading 50 established fintechs, and the most intriguing 50 “emerging stars.” How to nominate and the judging process: Nominations for the Fintech 100 can be made at www.fintechinnovators.com website by Thursday, 31 August 2017. […]
Fintech the future
According to Kate Carnell, there have been less than 10 complaints about fintech operators in Australia since March 2016. “None of these have been fully-fledged complaints,” the small business ombudsman says. “It was more a misunderstanding or even confusion as to the contract they entered.” Burgeoning industry There are an estimated 600 fintech operators in Australia. The industry is burgeoning and continues to attract new players, so receiving less than double-digit complaints in 16 months isn’t a bad track record. “In addition to those 600 there’s probably another 20 to 30 overseas-based fintech companies that are operating here such as PayPal, Stripe and Square, for example,” says Cameron Dart, Australian […]
CommSec founder Paul Rickard is investing in HashChing and joining its board
CommSec founder Paul Rickard and finance media figure Marty Switzer are joining the board of Australian online mortgage marketplace startup HashChing after joining in the company’s $6 million capital raising round. “The HashChing business model of connecting home loan borrowers with customer reviewed brokers and the best rates is unique, and I am excited by the investment opportunity,” said Rickard. Rickard founded the CommSec online retail stockbroking service in 1994, and served as its managing director until 2002. He also served as Commonwealth Bank’s executive general manager for payments and business tech until 2009. HashChing, which has been recently incrementally extending out from purely mortgages to services like home insurance […]
International payments the winning application for blockchain
Start-ups and banking institutions around the world are investing heavily in blockchain and on paper it seems like the perfect solution to fixing banking systems, which often times lag behind current technology trends and in some cases were created before the internet. But, it’s never as simple as it seems. As a refresher, a blockchain are a decentralised, secure, digital ledgers that can be used to record many different types of information. First developed as the architecture behind the popular cryptocurrency Bitcoin, it allows for real-time transfers and a dramatic reduction in transfer fees. Theoretically, blockchain should be the perfect solution to the cumbersome process of international payments in particular. […]
