Investing

Aug
03

Bitcoin cash is essentially printing money

The creation of a second bitcoin asset this week did almost nothing to dilute the price of the original unit, with the value of the new asset instead rocketing skyward, generating almost $US7.5 billion ($9.5 billion) out of thin air. This week, a group of bitcoin activists and developers created a second version of bitcoin, within a few hours, the value of the new unit – bitcoin cash – leapt to over $US600. The original bitcoin price however, remained fairly steady, still trading at about $US2700 a coin, despite an almost 1:1 duplication of itself. “Everyone who has bitcoin now has bitcoin cash and because the market reckons this is […]

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Aug
03

Bitcoin cash is already the 3rd largest cryptocurrency

Bitcoin cash has already secured its place as a top cryptocurrency, just a day after it entered the marketplace. According to Coinmarketcap.com, the cryptocurrency is trading at about $US490 per coin and its marketcap now stands above $US8 billion. As such, it is the third largest cryptocurrency by marketcap, surpassing big name coins such as Ripple ($US6.7 billion) and Litecoin ($US2.2 billion). Bitcoin cash came to fruition Tuesday after it split from the original network that powers its crypto-cousin, bitcoin. To recap, the split was preceded by a years-long war between power brokers in the bitcoin space over the rules that guide the digital currency’s network. Supporters of the newly […]

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Aug
02

Sydney is challenging Singapore as the region’s fintech startup hub

The number of fintech startups in Australia has increased to 579 companies from less than 100 in 2014, according to a study by KPMG launched today. Australian fintech investment is strong with $US675 million invested across 25 deals in 2016 despite an overall global decline in investment in the sector. And about 60% of fintech companies are based in Sydney, which has been the major recipient of fintech venture capital investment at $US171 million between 2014 and 2016. The report, Scaling the Fintech Opportunity: For Sydney and Australia, has been produced by KPMG for the think tank, Committee for Sydney. The report finds, based on interviews with the Australian fintech […]

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Aug
02

Buy a share in a brewery: Pozible launches equity crowd-funding site Birchal

The co-founder of Black Hops Brewing is keen to use equity crowd-funding platform Birchal to raise further funds for his business.

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Aug
01

Super sector split on fintech opportunity

Superannuation funds were split into “two clear camps” when it came to dealing with fintech disruption, with half the industry pushing to integrate new technologies into their business, while the other half was running scared from the potential risks of partnering with fintechs, according to PractiFI. Speaking to financialobserver, PractiFI chief executive Glenn Elliott said there were “massive differences” between how super funds were responding to the opportunity digital innovation presented them, but that did not necessarily depend on the size or age of the fund, with some traditional industry players excelling as much as new industry entrants. “There are those that are embracing fintech with great vigour and are […]

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Aug
01

Sydney at the centre of booming Australian Fintech industry

Sydney is home to over half of Australia’s Fintech companies and is helping to drive unprecedented growth in the industry, according to a new report by the Committee for Sydney and KPMG.   The report, Scaling the Fintech Opportunity: For Sydney and Australia, finds that the number of Fintech start-ups in Australia has increased from less than 100 in 2014 to 579 companies today, with around 60% of all Fintech companies basing themselves in Sydney. It will be launched at a special event at 7pm this evening by NSW Minister for Trade and Industry, the Hon. Niall Blair.   Fintech is by-and-large driven by local companies, with 512 Australian and […]

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Aug
01

NSW urged to lift fintech efforts to protect jobs

The NSW government needs to lift efforts to ensure Sydney captures new financial services jobs in fintech as competition from the likes of Melbourne and Singapore to attract them intensifies, says a report prepared for the Committee for Sydney by KPMG, to be released on Tuesday. With fintech automation set to slice thousands of paper-pushing jobs in financial services incumbents over the coming years, a battle is in progress to attract the start-ups and technology giants redefining the future of banking. The Committee for Sydney report, titled Scaling the fintech opportunity for Sydney and Australia, urges government to get more active promoting Australia and Sydney as a leading global financial […]

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Netwealth fronts fundies on path to listing

Investment services and superannuation advice company Netwealth has booked fund managers for meetings in Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong and Auckland this week, as it ramps up plans for an initial public offering. It’s understood Netwealth management will present to fundies starting on Monday, in meetings arranged by sponsor brokers Credit Suisse and UBS. The company is expected to pitch the high growth it has seen in its investment platform, with $14.3 billion in funds under advice and more than 2000 advisers on board. The non-deal roadshow comes as Netwealth’s shareholders push for an ASX-listing later this year. It’s understood to be eyeing about a $150 million to $200 million raising as part […]

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