Central banks say digital currency is definitely coming, crypto is maybe coming
Neither cash nor card looks like it will be king in the future. Uruguay, Sweden and emerging economies are among the countries most likely to implement digital currencies first. Most central banks don’t really know what’s going on with cryptocurrency usage in their countries, but believe it to be minimal. Central banks perceive more current and future use of cryptocurrency in cross-border payments than domestic payments. Most countries have given at least a passing glance at central bank digital currency (CBDC). This is exactly what it sounds like – a digital currency issued by a central bank. And many of them are now getting more hands on, according to a […]
XRP reaches Australia as FlashFX adopts Ripple’s cryptocurrency
In a move that has given a boost to the cryptocurrency market, FlashFX, a payment transfer platform, has announced the launch of its latest cross border payment solution using XRP that is targeted to improve the concept of foreign exchange in Australia. Nicolas Steiger, the Chief Executive Officer of FlashFX stated that: “We are excited to be part of the evolution in international payments processing. It’s about time that consumers and businesses saw a meaningful change in how money is sent across borders. The service provides an alternative for Australians who want to send a payment faster and cheaper than banks currently provide.” FlashFX has always worked with the mantra […]
Square launches payments SDK, enabling developers to process payments with Square in their mobile apps
Today Square announced the launch of the Square In-App Payments Software Development Kit (SDK), enabling developers and businesses to process payments with Square within their consumer-facing mobile apps for the first time. With just a few lines of code, developers can easily and professionally build a fully secure and elegant Square-powered payments flow in their Android or iOS apps. With this SDK, developers leave the complexity of payments to Square and focus instead on providing a more enjoyable customer experience. The In-App Payments SDK provides a customisable payments flow that works with the most popular payment types. The SDK includes a beautifully designed, interactive user experience that guides buyers as […]
Millions looking to leave major banks
New research has found that over two million Australians are currently seeking new banking providers, with many currently customers at one of the big four. The research produced by Nielsen found that 2.1 million Australians are seeking new providers and 67 per cent of them are currently customers at one of the big four. The research found that Australians were increasingly looking away from the established banks and instead looking at digital banks, with a five-percentage point increase in Australians looking to change to digital banks in the past twelve months. Nielsen’s head of financial services and insurance Jo Brockhurst believed that the open banking legislation would see this number […]
DiviPay launches Australia’s first virtual corporate expense card
DiviPay, an Australian fintech start-up, has launched a virtual corporate expense card and expense management platform.
Fintech space set to grow in 2019
The Australian fintech industry is due for strong growth over the next year, with platforms as one of the most active areas for financing, according to a law firm. According to DLA Piper’s analysis of 70 venture deals it has advised on in Australia for the 2018 calendar year, fintech is the most funded category of start-up companies. Forty-one per cent of those deals involved funding into fintech companies. The law firm said the most active areas for fintech financing are payments, platforms improving use of data including through open banking, anything that is neo-banking related, and alternative lending and mortgage platforms. DLA Piper partner Joel Cox sees strong growth […]
Ten years of bitcoin is about more than boom, bubble and bust
This weekend will mark the 10th anniversary of the very first transaction involving bitcoin. A decade later the future of bitcoins and the host of the so-called cryptocurrencies that it spawned is still uncertain. On 12 January 2009, someone who called themselves Satoshi Nakamoto sent 10 bitcoins to a US software engineer, Hal Finney (they may, some believe, have been one and the same). The coins were virtually worthless and it took more than two years before the first exchange of bitcoins for goods – 10,000 bitcoin for two pizzas worth about $US30 ($42) – occurred. For most of their history cryptocurrencies have been a curiosity, a peer-to-peer anti-establishment version […]
Australian University awards funding to local Bitcoin exchange
A Brisbane-based Bitcoin exchange has caught the eye of Queensland’s University of Technology (QUT), which awarded the start-up $15,000 in funding. Digital Surge was selected among eight innovations to receive the money, as part of QUT’s ‘Bluebox Accelerator’ program. “We look for the most innovative start-ups across all disciplines,” said the program mentor Dr Tim MacTaggart. “This year we have a bright group who cover the emerging Queensland interests including cryptocurrency, retail and some of our most pressing social issues such as homelessness.” The QUT Bluebox accelerator is a three month intensive program aimed at getting start-ups reading for fast-tracking commercial growth. As well as the funding, selected teams receive […]
