Ignition Wealth announces new XPLAN consultancy division assisting advisers to prepare for robo-scale
Ignition Wealth CEO Mark Fordree today announced a new division of Ignition Wealth which will offer full XPLAN support and consulting to help advisers get the most out their XPLAN solutions and prepare to add ‘robo’ services to their businesses. Ignition Wealth will deepen its existing digital advice integration with XPLAN, creating a seamless pathway between automating ‘robo-advice’ and full service advice. “XPLAN is the leading financial planning solution in the market and we are delighted to now offer our clients a range of XPLAN services to help them better leverage technology in their businesses. We believe the true scale of digital advice is best delivered by integrating […]
Apple claims banks want digital wallets as a new revenue source
Apple says three of the big four banks are pushing to pass the costs of Apple Pay on to their customers as a way to “condition the market” into paying extra fees when using a mobile phone to make a ‘tap and go’ payment. One of the issues in the long-running battle between Apple and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank, Westpac Banking Corp and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is whether the banks can pass through to their customers the fee that Apple will require them to pay to use the iPhone infrastructure. But Apple has described the argument as a “trojan horse”. In a submission published by the […]
Wallet packed with loyalty cards? Solve the problem with Stocard digital wallet
Stocard, a leading mobile wallet app, has announced that it will use recently secured funding to expand its reach in the Australian market and launch a new mobile payment function. While digital wallets have been around in Australia for some time, what makes Stocard’s offering unique to existing mobile wallet apps, is the functionality that allows users to store all their loyalty cards easily in their smartphone, rather than in their wallets. Loyalty programs are becoming increasingly popular for Aussie shoppers, with 50% saying they’d be more likely to spend with a store that offers a loyalty program than with one that doesn’t, according to Nielson’s latest Global Loyalty Sentiment […]
Kate Carnell urges pressure on banks to change
Small business ombudsman Kate Carnell will today issue a strong warning to government that after 17 inquiries into the banking industry since the GFC the time has come to put pressure on the banks to change their practices. Carnell’s report on small business lending is due to be released today by Revenue and Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer and Small Business Minister Michael McCormack. It will say the banks have treated small business unfairly. The recommendations include blocking default action on loans under $5 million where the business has complied with the terms. It also wants a revised code of conduct from the banks written in plain English and with […]
A UBank co-founder has joined Australian fintech startup Tyro
Tyro, the first-ever fintech startup to get an Australian banking licence, has continued on its high-powered recruitment spree, nabbing financial industry veteran Natalie Dinsdale to its leadership team. Dinsdale, who was one of the founders of NAB’s online-only brand UBank, has been appointed Tyro’s head of brand & marketing. “Tyro is one of Australia’s most remarkable growth stories, and the opportunity to be part of an organisation dedicated solely to giving SMEs a better deal is incredibly exciting,” she said. While Dinsdale has been involved in the high-profile launch of Virgin Money’s mortgages business and was a part of Bankwest’s push into the east coast, her latest gig was leading […]
Fintech platforms disrupting business finance
The term ‘fintech’ covers a wide and ever-growing range of technologies. This article explores some of the biggest game-changers, and how they’re impacting the way businesses are managing their financial affairs. Treasurer Scott Morrison said of fintech in 2016: “It has the power to completely bring in a new environment of competition. For small businesses out there who find it difficult to attract capital, for large government agencies who are struggling with convoluted and difficult payment systems … to medium-sized businesses that are trying to bring their products up to date and to connect with their consumers in ways they haven’t before.” Then on his visit to a G20 Conference […]
Goodbye to the property middle man?
Our property industry has many “middle men” businesses that help get deals done and make a profit as a result. Sometimes their role is very important and they provide a valuable and efficient service, and sometimes they are little more than a tax on doing property business. These “middle men” businesses are set to be challenged profoundly as Blockchain technologies start to enter the market over the next five to 10 years. A whole lot of hype is taking place around Blockchain at the moment, in particular how the Blockchain technology behind Bitcoin will revolutionise the way we do business, trust each other, and interact without middle men. Blockchain is […]
Robo-advice using algorithms are replacing financial planners
Robo-advice is part of a new financial marketing system that could chug along without much human intervention and is aimed at giving you a sense of financial security.
