OFX’s UK e-money licence shows up relatively sluggish Aussie fintech laws
ASX-listed online foreign exchange provider OFX will issue a trading update alongside its annual general meeting on Tuesday, and it is part of its aspirations to be a fintech player of global scale. A central element to this vision is the ability to expand its range of payment services. And so its announcement last week that it has acquired an “e-money licence” from the Financial Conduct Authority, the UK regulator, was significant for OFX (formerly known as OzForex). It also reveals how progressive UK regulators are about encouraging fintech innovation in the payments system. Ride sharing company Uber applied for an e-payments licence in the Netherlands in March. The regime […]
Buy Bundy by bitcoin: Cryptocurrency coming to QLD attractions
Queensland’s gearing up to become Australia’s most crypto-friendly state. It’s a match made in heaven. Australian state governments are looking for ways to bolster tourism, and these bitcoin and cryptocurrency things have recently gotten quite popular. TravelbyBit is an Australian company, based in Queensland, that emerged to take advantage of both, with cryptocurrency point of sale systems that accept bitcoin, Litecoin, Dash, Ether and XEM. From there, it’s inked deals around Australia. For tourists, cryptocurrencies have especially clear utility. There’s no chance of it falling through a hole in your pocket; there’s no need to mess around with expensive exchange rates or travel cards; there’s no need to fret overseas […]
Australia’s first index-style cryptocurrency fund launched
Fintech start up CoinJar, has launched Australia’s first index-style cryptocurrency fund, allowing wholesale investors to gain exposure to digital currencies without holding and trading the assets themselves. Investing in cryptocurrency to date has been notoriously difficult with limited investment options for wholesale investors. The CoinJar Digital Currency Fund (The Fund)1 takes on the management and security of the assets on behalf of the investor. The underlying cryptocurrency assets will be secured safely in multi-signature digital wallets which provide an additional layer of security for investors. The Fund has two classes; Bitcoin Class, which provides exposure to Bitcoin (BTC) only; and Mixed Class, which aims to track the performance of four […]
The one ASX company Bronte Capital thinks could be a $100b global tech giant
Bronte Capital’s John Hempton, one of the country’s most vocal and aggressive short sellers, owns just one ASX-listed company in his fund: Xero. And he says the accounting software group, which has a $5.4 billion market capitalisation, has a shot at being a $100 billion company. “If any Australian company has the potential to be a $100 billion tech giant, it’s Xero,” Mr Hempton told The Australian Financial Review. “In order to pull that stunt, they need to succeed in what the global ambition of Xero should be – we are the backbone accounting system all round the world and everyone plugs into us.” Xero, bought at much lower levels, […]
Bizmoto in partnership with leading Filipino Remittance Co
Peppermint Innovation Limited today announced its online international remittance business, Bizmoto, has signed a partnership agreement with Direct Agent 5, Inc (DA5) – one of the Philippines’ leading non-bank remittance payout providers. Under the agreement, Bizmoto will be able to use DA5’s 1000+ locations in the Philippines as trusted remittance payout providers for its customers and DA5 will be able to use Bizmoto’s online remittance platform to payout money transfers to Australia. DA5 is an authorised direct agent of Western Union Money Transfer and offers international and local remittance services, airline ticketing, bill payment facilities, mobile phone loading services, foreign exchange transactions and mobile payment services. Bizmoto will earn revenue […]
OnDeck Australia secures $75m Credit Suisse loan
Small business lender OnDeck Australia has secured a $75 million funding line from Credit Suisse, the latest partnership between fintech players and established institutions. The subsidiary of the New York-listed OnDeck Capital said the asset-backed revolving credit facility would be used to refinance OnDeck Australia’s loan book and to fund new loans. The facility is due to mature in June 2020. On Deck Australia managing director Cameron Poolman said the lender was striving to lower its cost of funding, origination and to build a “leading credit model”. He said the online small business lending market is growing at a faster pace than it did in the US at a similar stage in […]
Bitcoin just hit $8,000 – Here’s what’s pushing it up
The bitcoin price has today climbed above the $8,000 mark for the first time since mid-May — leading many to predict a return to the bull run that last year powered bitcoin to almost $20,000. The latest boost for bitcoin comes after a week that saw it add almost 20% to its price on the back of news that established financial giants are looking to get in on bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, and a raft of positive regulatory news around the world.Meanwhile, the so-called bitcoin dominance rate — a measure of how much of the total cryptocurrency market is controlled by bitcoin — rose to 47% this week, the highest level […]
