CBA blocks credit card purchases of Bitcoin, other digital currencies
Commonwealth Bank customers will no longer be allowed to use their credit cards to purchase Bitcoin and similar digital currencies. The bank announced the new policy today. “Due to the unregulated and highly volatile nature of virtual currencies, customers will no longer be able to use their CommBank credit cards to buy virtual currencies,” the bank said. CBA customers will still be able to purchase and sell Bitcoin and its ilk through their transaction accounts and debit cards. “We have made this decision because we believe virtual currencies do not meet minimum standard of regulation, reliability, and reputation when compared to currencies that we offer to our customers,” the bank […]
Spendher bitcoin buying app launches in Australia
You don’t see instant verification, quick transfers and no daily limits, even for new customers, too often. A new cryptocurrency app called Spendher has launched in Australia. Unusually, it offers instant customer verification and no limits other than a whopping $100,000 per transaction. Unless you’re a big spend(h)er aiming to plonk down more than $100,000 on bitcoin, you won’t run into any limits at all. This is made possible with a fortuitous combination of timing, including the changing of rules around the InstantID system which Spendher uses. To get instantly verified, users can simply enter their details for on-the-spot verification rather than uploading photos, writing out statements or dealing with […]
Bitcoin on the map in Sydney’s city
Cryptocurrency has been hailed as the way of the future — digital assets which can be deposited, spent and exchanged for real world goods. Operating outside of central banks, cryptocurrency has increased in popularity since the concept found form in bitcoin — claimed to be the first of its type — just under a decade ago. At the end April last year the total value of all existing bitcoins exceeded $2.5 billion Australian dollars, millions of which are exchanged each day — including in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. Coinmap, a heatmap of registered businesses and ATMs which accept bitcoin, shows 30 locations in the City of Sydney — including […]
Ookami and National Currency eXchange to share IP, produce new digital asset technology
Ookami (ASX: OOK) has edged further into the cryptocurrency space after securing a collaboration agreement with National Currency eXchange Group, with the duo to share intellectual property to develop new synergies and technologies. According to Ookami, the collaborative agreement complements its business model to develop technological solutions that encompass blockchain technologies, smart contracts, anti-money laundering, identity management and verification, data markets, digital asset wallets and exchange platforms, security and encryption, among others. The National Currency eXchange is a platform for investors to trade cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. As part of the collaboration, Ookami and National Currency eXchange will create a “preferred” client model which enables people to use […]
The New Payments Platform Launches
Payments infrastructure that enables customers with accounts at different banks, building societies and credit unions to make real-time data-rich payments to each other any time of day, any day of the year, will commence rolling out to the Australian public from today. The New Payments Platform went live in November last year and has supported funds transfers between employees at a number of different banks, building societies and credit unions. The Platform’s public launch occurred in the very early hours of this morning — at 12.01am to be precise — when CEO of NPP Australia Adrian Lovney marked the occasion by making a donation to the Alannah and Madeline […]
Aussie Regtech secures recognition as leader in Compliance Innovation space
Leading Australian RegTech Lucsan, has been announced as a Fintech Business Awards finalist in the Compliance Innovator of the Year category. As one of the 10 nominees contending the award, Lucsan is thrilled to be named alongside some of the industry’s best in class by being acknowledged as a leading organisation making a contribution to the rapidly growing RegTech and fintech communities. The exciting development further signify Lucsan’s presence as an in-demand RegTech. It also follows on from the announcement late last year that one of Australia’s largest financial services technology providers, IRESS, took a minority stake in Lucsan. Additionally, Lucsan recently welcomed former ASIC man, Stuart Frith, as their Group […]
Moneysoft partners with managedaccounts.com.au
Moneysoft has partnered with managedaccounts.com.au to offer its personal money management solutions to all financial planning practices using the ASX-listed online platform provider. Under the agreement, advisers receive preferential pricing on both Moneysoft Lite and Pro. Those tools enable them to provide additional client services, build greater engagement and unlock further efficiency. Managing director of managedaccounts.com.au, David Heather, said that there is a natural alignment between the two companies with their shared focus on empowering advisers and their clients. “The growth in managed accounts is part of an industry-wide shift to more transparent and efficient investing. Pairing our next generation platform with Moneysoft’s money management, cash flow and budgeting services […]
Equity crowd-funding up and running to open new investment doors
FROM gin distillers to energy-boosting mouth strips, opportunities are popping up for investors to grab stakes in start-up Australian businesses with as little as $50. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission last month licensed seven online platforms that let anyone pump money into emerging businesses, and despite a slow start there is expected to be a surge in opportunities online soon. It’s equity crowd-funding, where individuals buy shares in businesses well before they list on the stock exchange. This early-stage investment potentially delivers them the biggest profits but also carries the greatest risks. One of the seven licensed companies, Equitise, is currently raising money for Xinja, Australia’s first independent digital […]
