The finalists of the 2019 Fintech Business Awards have been announced
The finalists of the 2019 Fintech Business Awards have been announced. Congratulations and good luck to all the finalists – both individuals and companies.
First Growth Funds to emerge as force in crypto and digital assets investment
Diversified investment company, First Growth Funds (ASX:FGF), generated $160,584 in new income in the December quarter, with over half of new revenue generated from fees. The make up of new revenue breaks down as $86,000 in fees, $26,000 in dividends and interest and the balance in trading revenue. The numbers are indicative of First Growth Funds’ steady growth, along with its strict fiscal policy and its cryptocurrency and digital asset investment strategy. FGF invests across a broad range of asset classes and industry verticals, and is the only ASX-listed company that invests in the crypto and digital assets sector. The company leads the field in Australia with regard to crypto […]
US firm triples its stake in Radium
Rocketing growth at a fledgling Perth fintech has prompted its US financial partner to buy a bigger slice of the firm under “a multimillion-dollar” deal. New York-based Brevet Capital has tripled its stake in Radium Capital to 50 per cent by buying stock from the WA group’s seven other shareholders led by company promoter Tony Brennan. Mr Brennan’s son David founded Radium with schoolmate David Weir nearly two years ago to give cash-poor companies quick access to the Federal Government’s research and development rebate. While others also operate in the same space, Radium believes it is differentiated from those rivals by its sole focus on the R&D rebate, proprietary technology […]
‘Collaboration’ key to seeing full potential of AI
New calls have been issued for the finance industry to change its mindset and embrace “greater collaboration” to leverage the full potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning technology. Education provider Kaplan Professional and regtech company Red Marker issued the call after noting that the financial advice industry had been looking for automated compliance solutions given that new reforms require financial advisers to be covered by a compliance scheme by 1 January 2020. However, before an artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning solution is put in place, the automated solutions are not a panacea for all compliance needs, Kaplan Professional and Red Marker suggested. According to the two bodies, financial […]
Research shows that budgeting and cashflow management the top advice priority for younger Australians
Younger people overwhelmingly rank budgeting and cashflow management as the most valuable type of financial advice they can receive, according to a recent ING and Rice Warner survey of more than 1000 Australians. Gen Z (66 per cent), Gen Y (60 per cent) and Gen X (40 per cent) all cited budgeting and cashflow management as more valuable than holistic advice and retirement planning advice, according to the report. Baby Boomers understandably rated retirement planning as their most valued advice service (more than 45%), however almost 30 per cent said budgeting and cashflow management services was most valuable. Source: ING My Generation report, which surveyed 1040 Australians between the ages […]
Symple targets A-grade borrowers, leaves F-grade to big banks
New marketplace lender Symple Loans says it will lure in creditworthy borrowers with cheap loans and leave subprime loans to traditional banks. Symple Loans, which opened its personal loan book last month after raising $10 million, said it would use a risk-based pricing model and offer low interest rates to responsible borrowers who showed discipline with their finances. “Those customers are very predictable and the returns we earn on those loans are also very predictable. Those customers tend to be more resilient during times of economic volatility,” Symple Loans co-founder and chief executive, Bob Belan, said.Mr Belan and co-founder Paul Byrne previously were personal lending specialists at ANZ. Mr Belan […]
IRESS tipped to win 80% of wealth management market
Morningstar has high hopes for listed technology provider IRESS and anticipates the group’s wealth management software business to increase its market share significantly, driven by strong demand for holisitc financial advice. In a research noted released this week, Morningstar analyst Gareth James notes that the share price of IRESS has fallen 21 per cent over the last 90 days, despite the lack of trading updates since the group posted its interim results last August. Over the first half of FY18, IRESS delivered a strong result with group segment profit up 11 per cent and operating revenue up 6 per cent compared to 1H17. Morningstar’s Mr James believes the weaker share […]
