Big four banks disrupt Apple’s mobile payments expansion
Apple is struggling to persuade the big four banks to sign up for its Apple Pay mobile payment system, people familiar with the matter say, as the technology giant works from an unfamiliar negotiating position: weakness, not strength. Apple rolled out the service in Australia last month with support for payment cards issued directly by American Express. The move is part of the iPhone supplier’s global drive to extend its mobile consumer electronics prowess into financial services, with a China launch expected soon. But the firm has yet to strike a deal with any of the big four – ANZ, National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank and Westpac. That sets it […]
How fintech lender zipMoney boosted retail sales by 20 per cent
With $10 million worth of loans already allotted and having recently listed on the ASX, the innovative consumer finance company, zipMoney, appears to be taking the retail industry by storm. Distributing finance through more than 200 retailers and merchants, the fintech lender provides customers with access to loans of up to $2000 via a simple smart phone application within minutes. zipMoney CEO, Larry Diamond, said “there are two million small businesses around Australia and most are locked out of consumer purchase financing.” By taking the benefits of a credit facility without the burden, some of zipMoney’s users have reported increases in sales of up to 20 per cent. Source: How […]
Invoice2go gets $15M to compete more directly with Square and PayPal
Since 2002, Invoice2go has provided small businesses with one tool—a simple way to create an invoice and send it to clients. Now, with $15 million in new funding, the company is preparing to expand more deeply into the small business product territory. Today, Invoice2go is partnering with Stripe to allow invoice recipients to pay their bills through its platform. With this integration, Invoice2go joins the growing number of companies dedicated to building out services for small businesses. It also puts Invoice2go more closely in competition with Square, PayPal, QuickBooks, and FreshBooks — all of which offer invoicing as a feature in their overall back office ecosystem. Invoice2go got its start […]
BPay first to offer instant payments on banks’ New Payments Platform
Getting paid instantly by quoting a mobile number or email address will soon be possible. Big-bank-owned BPay will bury the need to memorise bank account numbers and allow people and businesses to pay each other with mobile numbers, emails or ABNs via the first payment service to be offered on the $1 billion New Payment Platform (NPP) being built by banks, payment companies and the Reserve Bank. The move echoes the plans of the failed MAMBO (Me At My Bank Online) project run by the big four banks and BPay that had a similar plan but collapsed after NAB and ANZ pulled out over fears some banks would get a […]
NAB does 10-year deal with Visa amid banks’ Apple battle
As the battle between tech giants, card companies and banks for a slice of their substantial unsecured lending profits heats up, NAB has announced a decade-long deal with Visa on new payment innovations. Source: NAB does 10-year deal with Visa amid banks’ Apple battle
Apple Pay to launch in Australia through American Express in 2015
Apple has bypassed banks who are unwilling to give up their card fees by launching Apple Pay with American Express in Australia and a host of other countries. Amex’s global head of mobile products and payments, Tony Prentice, said its customers in Australia and Canada will be able to use Apple Pay for transactions on iPhones, Apple Watch and iPads this year and in Spain, Singapore and Hong Kong in 2016. “We believe it is critical to be on the forefront of seamless and innovative payment solutions for our card members and we are pleased to be able to deliver on that with Apple Pay,” he said in a statement. […]
Helping Kids Become Financially Savvy
It’s rare to meet a person who has never experienced anxiety about money, at least once in their lifetime. For many of us, it all comes down to a lack of knowledge. But imagine if you were well-educated in the basics of money, from childhood? That’s the intention behind fintech start-up Piggy – a digital piggybank (pre-paid debit card) for 8-18 year olds. Piggy is the brainchild of former investment banker Mario Hasanakos, and Alex Badran, a recent PhD USyd graduate in mathematics. Piggy is a financial education product for families, built around a pre-paid debit card for kids, aged 8-18. They get a card which is useable for wherever […]
Why these giant Chinese companies could destroy Australia’s fintech ambitions
Fintech companies are some of the hottest startups around right now. Incredibly, more than 20 are now valued over $US1 billion. Australian credit reference fintech, Veda, might get bought for $2.2 billion. The possibilities offered by fintech are enormous. Mobile payments, payment terminals, smart contracts, smart bonds, P2P lending and crowdsourcing are all examples of new technologies that pose a risk to core services provided by the financial establishment. This is why they want in. According to some, Australia has the potential to be a leader in the sector. Australian super funds are investing heavily, with First State Super launching its own venture capital platform just weeks after putting $110 […]
