Open banking could make expense checks easier for brokers
Brokers will be one of the many beneficiaries of the comprehensive credit reporting and open banking regimes, according to mortgage industry executives. Stephen Moore, CEO of Choice, believes brokers will significantly benefit from the mandatory comprehensive credit reporting (CCR) regime — which is yet to be legislated despite the government imposing a deadline on the major banks to submit 50 per cent of their CCR data by 30 September 2018 — and open banking more broadly. “We have a fundamental belief that the future of broking for many brokers is a combination of digital interaction with customers married with high-quality face-to-face advice,” Mr Moore told The Adviser. “The reason we say that is because […]
AI platform claims it can advise at 1/20th of cost
A US-based digital platform wanting to set up a presence in Australia says it is able to provide financial advice through artificial intelligence for 5 per cent of the cost of a human adviser. New York-based fintech firm Pefin said its platform uses AI technology to provide holistic, affordable and fiduciary financial planning and advice, encompassing every financial decision a consumer would need to take, all for 5 per cent of the cost of a human adviser. It said it is currently setting up an Australian subsidiary to customise the product for the Australian market. “Pefin will license its AI technology and create a uniquely customised Australian platform that provides […]
Can flawed credit rating systems be rebuilt on the blockchain?
Credit scores control people’s lives, and something that powerful needs to be decentralised. On 2 October 2018, Mastercard filed a patent for connecting an individual’s cryptocurrency and fiat accounts. It’s described as a “behavioural profiling method and system to authenticate a user.” This verification might be an important security element in the process where credit cards or accounts will be automatically frozen when a strange transaction is detected. Strange, in this case, is defined as a deviation from the user’s typical behaviour according to their established profile, such as a transaction taking place outside their usual country of residence. “Variations between the behavioural characteristics of the user interactions observed during […]
Personal loans: Young borrowers desert banks for better deals
Borrowers are turning away from traditional banks when applying for personal loans, flocking to digital, mobile-centric platforms and peer-to-peer lenders. A recent CommSec Economic Insights report showed loans by non-bank financial institutions were up 10.3 per cent for the year to August. This was an indication that banks were engaging in “more considered” lending and borrowers had other options, according to CommSec chief economist Craig James. “Banks are facing greater competition from non-banks,” Mr James said. “At the same time bank deposits are only lifting at a 2.5 per cent annual rate, putting greater reliance on external funding. It is clearly a competitive and challenging environment for financial institutions.” Peer-to-peer […]
Programmable money will be the trigger for governments to adopt blockchain
The original blockchain use case – bitcoin – involved making payments while circumventing government and banks. So there’s some irony that its latest local use case involves a big government agency and the country’s largest financial institution adapting the original blockchain to control how government payments are spent. But blockchain innovation is full of surprises. Like the internet itself, what was briefly a rebellious technology is fast becoming mainstream. The Australian Financial Review revealed today that Commonwealth Bank and the CSIRO’s Data61 unit have teamed up on a pilot that could see targeted payments made by the National Disability and Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The blockchain will be a private version […]
AxeTrading expands across Asia Pacific
Stone & Chalk sat down with e-Trading expert Kem Husain, Head of Asia Pacific Sales of fintech firm AxeTrading, after winning the Fixed Income Trading System of the Year at the FOW and Global Investor Asia Capital Market Awards 2018. Today, the startup has scaled to attract an international client base in over 20 countries across 4 continents, with its headquarters in London. In the last 12 months, AxeTrading has more than doubled its staff to 50. The company also has its own unique Innovation Lab just outside of Berlin. AxeTrading was founded in 2009 by trading technologist Ralph Henke (CEO), Dinos Daborn (COO) and Mark Watters (CCO) […]
Australian Fintech finalists at the 2018 Optus My Business Awards
Congratulations to the Australian Fintech companies nominated for the 2018 Optus My Business Awards: Fintech Business of the Year Airwallex AtlasTrend BGL Corporate Solutions Curve Securities Huddle Insurance Moneycatcha MoneyMe SocietyOne Tic:Toc Home Loans Wisr Business Leader of the Year Anthony Nantes, Wisr Young Business Leader of the Year Chaz Prezident, Crowdfunding.com.au Start-up Business of the Year Trade Ledger Winners of the 2018 Optus My Business Awards will be announced at The Star, Sydney on Friday 9 November 2018.
From corporate career to FinTech leader of the year. The amazing story of Katherine McConnell
Katherine McConnell is CEO and Founder of Brighte. 3 years ago, Katherine was in a comfortable corporate job. Today she is Fintech Leader of the year, running a successful, rapidly scaling business and has the backing of Mike Cannon-Brookes. Dexter Cousins has been recruiting leadership talent for 20 years and no one has impressed him as much as Katherine. She is rightly hailed as an inspiration to female entrepreneurs. But her courage, commitment, vision and focus serves as an inspiration to everyone. From corporate career to FinTech leader of the year. The amazing story of Katherine McConnell. What motivated you to start Brighte? Katherine: The idea for Brighte came in […]
