Global Corporates chasing technology innovation in banking
Some of the world’s largest enterprises are prepared to switch financial providers should their banks not keep up with technological innovation, new research from East & Partners has found. According to the exclusive report, titled Financial Technology and the Corporate, around 13 percent of corporates have either partially or fully switched banks in direct response to newly released financial technology solutions, with a further 20 percent currently considering doing so. The research is based on direct interviews with 737 corporate treasurers and chief financial officers (CFOs) from the Top 100 firms across eight key markets including Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK and USA. […]
NAB is adding 600 fintech jobs
The National Australia Bank has announced 600 new tech jobs to “reshape” its workforce as it moves to compete against more agile fintech startups. Recruitment for the new positions — in software engineering, data, architecture and security — will take place immediately. It comes after the bank last week revealed it would cut 2,000 jobs in other areas by 2020. “We know this is an ambitious target and acknowledge the war for talent is intense, but these are the essential skills and roles we need in order to deliver our plan,” said NAB chief technology and operations officer Patrick Wright. The recruitment drive, according to the bank, will “rebalance” the […]
Brighte shines a light on new finance options
Innovative fintech companies have an opportunity to offer services banks can’t or won’t provide. Here’s how Brighte is doing that with interest-free finance for home improvements. Imagine having your hot water system break down and being told you need a replacement. How would you pay for it? What about if you want to install solar power but find the interest charges send your budget through the roof? It’s these types of issues that fintech startup Brighte is designed to address. Launched in 2016, the company offers homeowners an interest-free payment solution for home improvements up to $30,000. Company founder Katherine McConnell said this type of finance hasn’t been looked at […]
Australian Fintech companies amongst 2017 Finder Awards
Once again the 2017 Finder Awards was dominated by Australian Fintech companies, like they have done in previous years. Congratulations to all the Fintech winners: Best Investor Home Loan (PI 3-Year Fixed) UBank UHomeLoan Best P2P Personal Loan RateSetter 2 Year Personal Loan Best Personal Loan Pepper Money Unsecured Variable Personal Loan Best Personal Finance App Acorns Best Online Customer Service UBank Best Banking Innovation Spriggy Most Innovative Team Mario Hasanakos & Alex Badran, founders of Spriggy
CommBank, Westpac, NAB to launch new mobile payment app Beem
Three giants of the Australian banking sector are collaborating to create a new mobile payments platform for consumers and businesses. The application is called Beem and will allow users to store their debit card information and make instant contactless payments using the same technology as applications like Apple Pay and Android Pay. Beem will also allow users to request payments and split bills, making it useful for both personal use and for businesses. Although being created by Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and NAB, the app will be open for use by all Australians regardless of which bank they use. Like regular online transfers, Beem will include built-in encryption of payment details […]
Biggest winners from fintech are customers
The biggest winners from fintech are the customers as it revolutionalises customer engagement and removes institutional, bureaucratic impediments, according to Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison. Addressing the Financial Services Council’s (FSC’s) and BT’s breakfast event in Sydney on Monday, the Treasurer said fintech was not just transformational for financial services but for all businesses around the country. “The technology is exciting. It can be distracting, it can sometimes over promise and under deliver. But at the same time it’s hard not to appreciate the potential,” he said. “And like any new sector where innovation arrives, there are misfires, there are misstarts. But it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the […]
Data revolution to transform four pillars model
You’re browsing through Facebook when a message pops up, asking if you’d like to check whether you’re getting a decent interest rate on your savings. Curious, you tap the screen to find out more. It asks you to provide a bit more information about your financial goals – you’re saving for a deposit on a house and hope to buy in about two years. You are then asked to give consent to securely share some key bits of financial information online: your income over the last six months, and your spending over this period. Within seconds, the app has a recommendation: it’s found a bank account and term deposit that […]
Cards are going to go away, says Citigroup CEO Mike Corbat
It’s a testament to his pragmatism, but Michael Corbat, the chief executive of Citigroup, the world’s biggest issuer of credit cards, is quite happy to concede that the popular financial product is doomed to extinction. “We know, at some point, cards are going to go away”, Corbat says in an exclusive interview with The Australian Financial Review, “and it’s just going to be digital wallet, digital payments.” This is why Citi is putting a major emphasis on “fintech” – from cutting-edge banking apps for mobile phones through to blockchain, artificial intelligence and robotics, to forging partnership with big players such as Alipay, Amazon and WeChat – to make sure that […]
