Westpac joins Swift blockchain test
Second Aussie bank after ANZ to take part. Westpac has become the second Australian bank to join a proof-of-concept by payment messaging service Swift that aims to test blockchain for facilitating cross-border payments. It is one of 22 global banks to join the PoC today, adding to the six foundational banking participants, one of which is ANZ Bank. It was always envisaged that a number of other banks would join the project to further validate the concept. The project aims to prove whether or not banks can reconcile their international nostro accounts in real-time using blockchain technology. Nostro accounts are those held by banks in other countries in the local […]
Optimo introduces robo platform
Optimo Financial is releasing its online financial modelling solution for advisers as it aims to make the provision of goals-based advice more seamless. The Optimo Pathfinder personal finance modelling system is now available to dealer groups, financial advisers and paraplanners, using an algorithm developed with a goal orientated approach. In a statement, Optimo said the solution will optimise clients’ financial strategy to best achieve financial and life goals, accounting for tax and superannuation legislation, family tax benefits, the Age Pension and a host of other factors including the client financial status to develop its strategies. Optimo Financial chief executive Hugh Bannister said: “We believe there is a market niche for […]
AMP backed fintech startup Macrovue completes funding round
Macrovue, an investment service backed by AMP, today announced that it has concluded a funding round of approximately $1.25m and has appointed James Goodwin, previously the Joint Managing Director of Arena Investment Management to its Board. Macrovue is an online investment platform that uses in-house research to construct theme-based equity portfolios, giving Australians a unique and easy route to holding domestic and international investments. It’s best performing portfolios of the past year have been “Social Media” and “Luxury Goods”. The oversubscribed funding round included AMP, James Goodwin, Inception Asset Management and other high net-worth investors. Macrovue has experienced rapid growth since being launched in September 2016 with its […]
Beyond bitcoin: what emerging blockchain technology means for your organisation
Crypto currency Bitcoin is gaining increasing attention as an alternative to existing financial options. It offers a highly secure way for parties to exchange funds without the need for an intermediary such as a bank. Yet Bitcoin is only one application of the technology that underpins it. Dubbed blockchain, this technology has the potential to revolutionise everything from billing systems and contracts to supply chains and even electronic medical records. In reality, Bitcoin is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to blockchain deployments. According to analyst reports, usage is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 61.5 per cent until 2021. This means […]
Bitcoin seen surging to $US50,000 in decade
Ronnie Moas, who for the past 13 years has made more than 900 stock recommendations via his one-man show at Standpoint Research, is now venturing into cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin will double to $US5000 next year, and reach $US25,000 to $US50,000 in the next decade, the Miami Beach, Florida-based Moas said in a note to clients overnight, where he also disclosed he bought “a little bit” of litecoin, bitcoin and ethereum in a Coinbase.com account. It’s a testament to the exuberance around bitcoin, ethereum and other blockchain assets that equity investors who hadn’t been involved in cryptocurrencies are now starting to analyse and make bets on the sector along with established bitcoin […]
440,000 transactions per second with Red Belly Blockchain
The University of Sydney has recently announced that it has developed a new Blockchain-based system that can perform more than 440,000 transactions per second. Researchers from the School of Information Technologies at the University of Sydney, who developed the new Blockchain, named this system after one of Australia’s most deadly snakes – Red Belly Blockchain, and claim that it has a game-changing potential for the financial transfers industry. Moreover, according to them, the Red Belly Blockchain allows for the exchange to occur in a peer-to-peer fashion, as well as in a commercial environment restricted to certain users, which makes it the first blockchain being built to work both in public […]
What Monopoly? Blockchain startup Setl sets sights beyond Australia
Setl founder Peter Randall isn’t waiting for permission to build the first competing platform in an Australian post-trade system long dominated by a monopoly. While the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) enjoys exclusive rights to clear and settle transactions for the nation’s financial institutions, Randall’s startup has already built a service he believes can process the load more quickly and at lower cost than ASX’s proprietary CHESS platform. Ironically, ASX’s exploration of distributed ledger tech with partner Digital Asset Holdings has boosted the blockchain industry in Australia, yet its monopoly means less competition in bringing solutions to market. Nevertheless, Randall isn’t waiting for the nation’s regulators to begin loosening older, monopolistic […]
Pitch@Palace – a chance for FinTech Startups
What is Pitch@Palace? The Duke of York founded Pitch@Palace in 2014 to provide a platform to amplify and accelerate the work of Entrepreneurs. In 2016, HRH founded Pitch@Palace Global to help Entrepreneurs build connectivity around the world. Pitch@Palace Global helps Entrepreneurs seek new markets and find partners and investors building prosperity and creating jobs. Developing this connectivity supports the growth of all Pitch@Palace Alumni. In 2016, Pitch@Palace Global events took place in Estonia, Malaysia and Mexico. In 2017, Pitch@Palace Global hosted Pitch@Palace Africa, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering, and Pitch@Palace China took place in May, 2017. Later this year further events will take place in Australia, the […]
