Embed banking the future of digital transformations
Embed banking will be the next wave of the digital transformation of the Australian banking industry according to one expert. Derek Corcoran, customer and marketing operations executive for fintech Avoka said that the next few years would see banks start to embed their operations where people think of them. “Embed banking is where we see the future of banking heading, so those banking services will become embed in the places that people are thinking about them,” he said. Mr Corcoran said that most people did not want to go into a bank, so banks needed to make it easier for people to connect with their products. “One of the challenging […]
How game theory and Blockchain can help support a better banking network
Banking today is far from what it used to be. Increasingly, in order to power the services that consumers demand, banks need to have access to wider arrays of tech as well as new methods of interaction and transaction. While this may seem like it would only lead to further inefficiencies in banking, it can actually streamline the industry thanks to new innovations in blockchain tech, all taking inspiration from game theory. Modern banking, the type that you access on your phone when you deposit a check with a photo or when you send money using Venmo, often functions according to a Banking as a Service (BaaS) model. This lets […]
Will Australians trust startups with their money as the cashless economy takes hold?
F5 Networks today announced new research showcasing that while Australians are moving towards a cashless economy, they remain divided when it comes to the future of payments. The study, The Changing Face of Payments & The Rise of the Cashless Economy, revealed over a third (34%) of Australians wouldn’t trust a startup with their money despite 58% of people using digital banking apps today. The F5 research explores the intersection between traditional and digital transactions with 60% of Australians indicating their behaviour will be guided by security. This builds on F5’s earlier Curve of Convenience survey, where 63% of Australian respondents emphasised valuing security over convenience. Jason Baden, Regional Vice President, AN/Z of F5 Networks commented, “With a major shift to […]
OpenInvest platform gives SMSF trustees direct access to quality investment managers
An online marketplace and platform offering investors access to a diverse range of Australian and international investment managers launched last night in Sydney with self-managed super fund (SMSF) trustees the primary market. The OpenInvest platform will give SMSF trustees and other investors the means and ability to choose from a range of highly credible and experienced managers, with Schroders, Shaw and Partners, SG Hiscock, JBWere, InvestSense (in collaboration with Magellan and Pimco) and Clime Investment Management among the foundation partners. Other managers will follow in the New Year. These investment managers will provide content, information and regular updates explaining their thinking on key issues that influence their investment decisions. This […]
Satoshi vs. Bitcoin Jesus: Australian at centre of crypto name squabble
Australian Craig Wright, the self-proclaimed inventor of Bitcoin under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, is poised to win a fight that will likely lead to the creation of another version of Bitcoin Cash, the original offshoot of the biggest cryptocurrency. A group headed by Wright is expected to take control tomorrow of the world’s fourth-largest cryptocurrency following a software upgrade. A rival faction that disagrees on how to best expand has been trying to persuade the community of computer operators running the network to adopt their version. About 70 per cent of the so-called miners that process the transactions that keep the network afloat are signalling they support the version backed […]
DIY super funds getting into Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies
More do-it-yourself super funds are investing in cryptocurrencies as interest in investing in digital currencies rises among investors generally. While no hard data will be available until later next year when the Tax Office releases figures for the first time on how much cryptocurrency is held by funds, industry players say there are more self-managed super funds (SMSFs) investing. Fred Schebesta, a co-founder of comparison site Finder as well as digital currency exchange HiveEx, notes a marked increase in enquiries from SMSFs looking to buy cryptocurrency. And Adrian Przelozny, the chief executive of Sydney-based digital currency exchange Independent Reserve, has about 6000 self-managed super funds on the platform, with half […]
Wisr tech upgrades lower average interest rate, drive growth and creditworthiness
Wisr, Australia’s first neo-lender (ASX: WZR), saw continued strong loan growth and customer acquisition in the first quarter of the 2019 financial year. Between July and September 2019 the company saw loan origination value grow by 49% when compared to the previous quarter, as well as 22% increase in overall loan volume. The result is the third consecutive quarter that Wisr has recorded quarterly loan growth in excess of 45%. The company also announced it had surpassed $50 million in loan originations since beginning operations, almost half of which were written from the beginning of 2018. Anthony Nantes, Chief Executive Officer, Wisr said borrower shift away from traditional lenders, brand […]
Young, male and educated: Australian fintech has a type
Australia’s typical fintech founder is a bloke in his 40s with a postgraduate degree. That’s one of the findings of the 2018 EY Fintech Australia census, which shows 72 per cent of Australia’s financial technology startup employees and 81 per cent of founders are men. FinTech Australia chairman Alan Tsen says the sector is focused on boosting the participation of women, noting female fintech staff numbers are up 4 per cent in the past 12 months. “The Fintech Australia board, which is 50:50 gender balance, remains committed to driving tangible actions and initiatives to help further increase female participation in the sector,” he said in a statement when the census […]
