Bitcoin’s rapid rise gives reason to question all the hype
Bitcoin’s astronomical rally has cryptocurrency bulls feeling vindicated. “Not so fast!,” sceptics say. The digital currency’s more than 100 per cent surge in the past two months looks eerily familiar, argue the bears, pointing to November 2013, when the price quintupled in short order to top $US1,000 for the first time. By Valentine’s Day it was worth around half that, and spent the better part of the next two years languishing below $500. Then it absolutely exploded, jumping more than $1,400 in two months. At its height last week, one bitcoin could buy about two ounces of gold. Its champions touted the arrival into the mainstream of blockchain, the coin’s […]
MYOB founder Craig Winkler just backed a Sydney fintech’s $5 million funding round
A Sydney startup that creates accounting software has secured $5 million in a series A capital raising round. Practice Ignition announced Tuesday that Microequities Venture Capital Fund led the investment, while other new contributors included Black Sheep Capital and Right Click Capital. Craig Winkler, last week named the 12th wealthiest man in Australian tech, is an existing investor in Practice Ignition and chipped in an undisclosed amount for the latest round. Winkler is best known for establishing accounting software firm MYOB then, in 2009, investing $14.7 million in its rival Xero. Xero’s shares are now worth more than 20 times the 2009, as the New Zealand company celebrated passing the […]
Bitcoin move over – there’s a new kid on the blockchain
The digital currency bitcoin has broken new records – surging by more than 245 per cent since the start of the year. In just five months, the price of one bitcoin rose from $1,331 to its all-time-high of $3,894 on May 25. People buy bitcoins for all sorts of reasons. They range from those seeking to invest in safe haven assets in the face of political instability, speculators wanting to ride the wave of what some regard to be an asset bubble, to purchasers who want to purchase illegal goods anonymously on the dark web. Since mid-2010, when the highly-volatile currency was worth just 9 cents, it has surged by […]
The other credit risk to watch in China: Fintech-fuelled debt
China’s government has copped what Scott Morrison is so desperate to avoid: a credit rating downgrade. But in the discussion about Moody’s surprise move last week to cut its rating for our biggest trading partner, there’s one word that has been notably absent, even though it’s a risk of growing importance to investors and officials. That word is “fintech”. Nowhere are the large potentially huge benefits of fintech – and longer-term risks – clearer than in China. This realisation comes as financial regulators everywhere, including in Australia, start to turn their attention to how these risks could eventuate, if fintech one day grabs a larger share of the financial services […]
Bitcoin blows past $2,500, $2,600, and $2,700
The bitcoin rally just keeps going. Thursday’s action has run bitcoin above $US2,500, $US2,600, and $US2,700 for the first time. It hit a high of $US2,749 before paring its gains. Currently, the cryptocurrency trades up 11.2%, or $US270, at $US2,682 a coin. It has gained in 27 of the past 30 sessions and has tacked on more than 130% over that time. Bitcoin has climbed aout 20% since Tuesday’s close, propelled by news that the Digital Currency Group, representing 56 companies in 21 countries, reached a scaling agreement at the Consensus 2017 conference in New York. The announcement was the latest bit of good news for the cryptocurrency. In early […]
Private companies face public conundrum under new crowdfunding rules
The Federal Budget extended crowdfunding opportunities to private companies, but a closer look at the amended legislation reveals they may still be forced to act more like public companies. A sticking point from the Federal Government’s Corporations Amendment (Crowd-sourced Funding) Act 2017, was that there was no scope for private (proprietary limited) companies to access crowdfunding. Government sought to address this in the latest Federal budget, but there could be a catch. The Crowdfunding bill passed in March, and becomes law this September. Feedback suggested few start-ups would consider crowdfunding under the model due to private companies being unable to raise money from the new crowdfunding regime, and the compliance […]
ZipMoney lands largest debt facility in Australian fintech history with $260 million led by NAB
Sydney company ZipMoney has secured a $260 million debt facility led by the National Australia Bank, in what the startup claims is the largest such deal in Australian fintech history. ZipMoney announced to the ASX on Wednesday that the facility would consist of $200 million from NAB, $40 million through two-year bonds issued through FIIG Securities, and $20 million in junior notes and equity. An “immediate refinance of $70 million of existing receivables” will take place using the NAB facility, resulting in an instant reduction in interest for the business. The startup operates a “buy now, pay later, with no interest” service — integrating into online retail stores to reach […]
Winners at The Finnies!
Congratulations to those Australian Fintech companies and their fearless leaders who won awards last night at the inaugural Finnies Fintech Awards: Female Fintech Leader of the Year: Emma Weston, AgriDigital Co-Founder & CEO Joint Male Fintech Leaders of the Year: Greg Moshal & Beau Bertoli, Prospa Co-Founders Fintech Organisation of the Year: Afterpay Emerging Fintech Leader of the Year: Emma Weston, AgriDigital Co-Founder & CEO Emerging Fintech Organisation of the Year: Spaceship Best Fintech place to work: Prospa Best workplace diversity: Timelio Marketing Campaign or Brand Initiative of the Year: Equitise – Equitise Bubble Excellence in establishing Market Presence (Australia): BrickX […]
