How the bank can beat fintechs
According to the Millennial Disruption Index, 71 per cent of young people would prefer go to the dentist than listen to their bank. Perhaps even more worrying for the banks is that 75 per cent would prefer to access their financial services from start-ups. It is not just the younger generation that feels this way. According to research from TransferWise’s Future of Finance Report 2017, Australians of all ages are among the most likely to seek alternatives to the mainstream banks. We’re also early adopters of fintech solutions. The same report revealed that 53 per cent of Australians already use an alternative financial service provider (one that’s not part of […]
FinTech Australia announce finalist for The Finnies 2018
FinTech Australia and Jobs for NSW have come together for the second year to host the national fintech awards, The Finnies. The Finnies will culminate in a Gala Awards Night Wednesday 13 June 2018 in Sydney. For more information go here. Here is the full list of finalists for the 2018 Finnies: Best Workplace Diversity ● BRICKX ● FirstStep Investments ● Link4 ● Valiant Finance Emerging FinTech Leader of the Year ● Brad Delamare – CEO, Tank Stream Labs ● Louis Edwards – Head of Renewable Energy Finance, RateSetter Australia ● Nick Molnar – Co-Founder & CEO, Afterpay ● Jack O’Reilly – Director, funding.com.au ● Rebecca Schot-Guppy – Community Manager, […]
Royal commission reforms boost investor opportunities in fintech
With the banks taking a battering at the Hayne royal commission, a raft of new fintech or alternative lenders is looking to take advantage of a more competitive playing field. For generations, risk-averse banks have been able to pick and choose to which consumers and small businesses they were willing to extend credit and at what price. But things are beginning to change. Ahead of any recommendations from the royal commission, the federal government is taking steps to foster competition. Last week, it followed the UK by flagging so-called open banking reforms, which will allow customers to direct personal data held by their existing banks to alternative lenders. Another reform, […]
Andrew Thorburn explains the fintech forces reshaping NAB
The emergence of fintech has fundamentally changed National Australia Bank’s strategy and the thinking of its chief executive, Andrew Thorburn. He’s deploying more start-up lingo, and said last week the nation’s largest business lender is no longer benchmarking its performance against its rival banks, but rather technology players. Thorburn and his newish tech chief, Patrick Wright, who was previously with Barclays in the United States, went to Seattle and Silicon Valley last month and met with Amazon, Microsoft and Google for some inspiration. Like the tech giants themselves, NAB is pumping up technology spending with sums that would make wannabe disrupters salivate. With a plethora of start-ups nipping at NAB’s […]
Fintech heads list of growth companies across Asia-Pacific
When Prospa launched in Australia in 2011, the online lender to small companies had an intimidating task before it: taking business from the country’s biggest banks. Small companies in search of working capital had long relied on traditional lenders, before the global financial crisis curtailed banks’ appetite for risk. Seven years on, Prospa has topped this inaugural list of high-growth companies, in revenue terms, from the Asia-Pacific region. The expansion of digital services combined with a desire for flexible financing fuelled Prospa’s growth. It is hardly a lone disrupter. Hot on its heels at the top of the list are New Zealand-based fintech firms Pushpay, a mobile payments service, and […]
Reckon smashes $10 million loan milestone for Aussie small businesses
Australian cloud accounting provider Reckon’s (ASX:RKN) strategic partnership with leading fintech outfit Prospa has hit yet another milestone for the burgeoning non-bank finance sector, delivering over $10 million in funds to small businesses across the country within its first 18 months. The continued growth of the Reckon Loans platform further cements the role of small businesses – the engine room of Australia’s economy – in fuelling the nation’s fintech revolution. Launched late-July 2016, Reckon Loans empowers small businesses with swifter loan processes and easier access to capital, with the approval of funds from $5,000 to $250,000 available within one business day and no security required to access up to $100,000. […]
Fintech business lenders to self-regulate
A lack of transparency around fintech borrowing costs for small businesses has prompted the industry committing to adopt a code of conduct and standardised interest rate and fee disclosures. The fintech sector hopes moves to self-regulate will help start-ups win trust and avoid concerns that helped prompt the royal commission into the banks. The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, FinTech Australia and the Bank Doctor, an SME advocate, will drive start-ups to improve disclosures that will allow small business customers to compare total costs, understand obligations and penalties if payments are missed, and ensure disputes are dealt with quickly and fairly. The moves come after a survey of […]
Numerous Australian Fintechs on the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 2017
The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 2017 Australia recognises and profiles fast growing technology companies. Now in its seventeenth year in Australia, the program ranks the 50 fastest growing public or private technology companies, based on percentage revenue growth over three years (2015 to 2017). Congratulations to all the Australian Fintech companies on the winners list: 2017 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Winners: No.2 – zipMoney No.10 – Metamako No.12 – GetCapital No.15 – Prospa No.21 – EML Payments No.24 – MoneyMe No.31 – Zetaris No.36 – Avoka No.47 – HUB24 2017 Leadership Award Winners No.2 – Prospa No.3 – EML Payments No.7 – HUB24 Go here to read more […]
