Startup Muster report outlines Australia’s fintech strength
Fintech has strengthened its position as Australia’s most popular startup sector among company founders, according to a major survey released today. The Startup Muster 2017 report is based on responses from 2,214 people to an August 2017 survey, including 1,184 people who identified themselves as a startup founder. The report finds that 19.7% of startup founders nominated fintech as their industry, up from 15.9% in 2016. Overall, fintech remains the number one startup sector for founders in Australia for the second year in a row. The report also lists fintech as one of the top five industries targeted by startup supporters such as mentors, professional services firms and coworking spaces, while […]
Loan fintech launches recruitment drive
Digital mortgage service uno has embarked on a new recruitment drive to expand the firm’s staff by 50% over the coming six months. This initiative has been the result of recent insights gained from consumers – learnings which have grown the business rapidly over the past few months, uno founder and chief executive officer Vincent Turner told Australian Broker. “As a result, we’re ready to take this up a notch,” he said. uno is now recruiting across three separate roles within the company: consultants, home loan advisors and support. “A lot of what people are joining uno for is we have a massive focus on the training and mentoring approaches […]
Collaboration with industry and regulators key to enhancing RegTech innovation
Industry delegates gathered at a high-level event in Singapore on the 16th of November, calling for financial institutions and regulators to work more collaboratively with start-ups to enhance RegTech innovation across the region. Hosted by Deloitte, Austrade and The RegTech Association, the event was held as part of Singapore’s inaugural FinTech Festival, and was attended by the Australian High Commissioner, the Hon. Bruce Gosper. At the event, industry influencers, government officials, tech start-ups and entrepreneurs came together to discuss strategies for driving cross-industry and cross-border collaboration, and opportunities to safeguard against financial crime with RegTech solutions. Julian Fenwick, Chair of The RegTech Association and Managing Director of GRC Solutions, a […]
Bitcoin speeds past $US8000 as its white-knuckle rollercoaster ride accelerates
Bitcoin’s relentless and volatile rally shows no sign of abating, with the world’s largest cryptocurrency defying growing bubble fears to hit yet another milestone. Bitcoin rose as much as 6.7 per cent to a record $US8224 ($10,898) as of 9.27am in New York. It’s been a tumultuous year for the virtual currency, with three separate slumps of more than 25 per cent all giving way to subsequent rallies. “The inflation in this thing is massive,” Luke Hickmore, a senior investment manager at Aberdeen Standard Investments in London, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. “When will it collapse? Who knows. It will cause a lot of pain.” Even as many […]
Fintech start-up Douugh scores partnership with US mutual bank Choice
Sydney-based fintech start-up Douugh has scored a partnership with US mutual bank Choice Financial, as it readies to launch its smart banking personal assistant, Sophie. As part of the open banking partnership, Douugh will launch an integrated bank account and debit card with the bank, giving it the ability to accept deposits. Choice Financial has also invested in Douugh, as part of a $2.5 million seed round. Founder and chief executive Andy Taylor, who was also a co-founder of successful peer-to-peer lending platform SocietyOne, told The Australian Financial Review he wanted to reduce society’s reliance on credit cards and help people save money. “I’ve always been quite passionate about the […]
Facebook’s Messenger payments looms over Australia’s big banks
Facebook’s challenge to Australia’s big banks is coming as early as next year, when the social media giant is expected to introduce peer-to-peer payments within its Messenger service, hot on the heels of local banks’ expected launch of their own P2P payments network. In July, The Australian Financial Review revealed Facebook had been awarded a patent to allow it to launch Messenger payments in Australia, which will allow users to pay family, friends and groups once they have linked up a bank-issued debit card to their social media account. More than 13 million people use Facebook Messenger in Australia each month, a figure that will have local banks – who […]
Blockchain will change finance forever
Blockchain is the technology behind the phenomenon that is bitcoin – and it may end up changing how the finance industry operates forever. From payment processing that bypasses the banking system to cryptocurrencies launched by central banks, its impact could be significant. However, this technological disruption is unlikely to happen overnight, as regulators will want to keep tight reins on the global financial system – but what could we have in store? A blockchain enables any type of encrypted data – from electronic money to medical records – to be shared between members of a closed network. A blockchain enables any type of encrypted data – from electronic money to […]
Equity crowd-funding’s Australian launch opens doors to small investors
YOU no longer need to be wealthy to buy into innovative business start-ups, thanks to a new type of investing set to launch early in 2018. Investors seeking to own a slice of start-up small businesses will soon be able to dive in. Equity crowdfunding – which will turn everyday Aussies into venture capitalists and angel investors – has been given the green light by the Federal Government and is likely to start matching investors and businesses early next year. Equity crowdfunding started globally in 2011 and start-up businesses have raised more than $3 billion using its platforms in countries including the US, Britain and New Zealand. Australian group OnMarket […]
