How Aussie women are breaking ground in the blockchain sector
For a long time the tech sector has been dominated by white men. Manels (male only panels) were commonplace at conferences, more male-led startups received venture capital funding and there were a lot more visible male success stories. But when it comes to blockchain, an emerging group of female entrepreneurs are leading the way, not just in Australia, but globally. While cryptocurrency may still have a skew towards males, if you think about a successful Australian blockchain startup, the chances are it has a female co-founder. Last month Queenslander Leanne Kemp’s blockchain startup Everledger, was named by the World Economic Forum as one of the 61 most promising technology pioneers […]
Afterpay surges 20pc after earnings increase
Shares in Afterpay Touch gained as much as 20 per cent after the company said underlying sales has increased by almost 40 per cent to $736 million over the quarter. The buy now, pay later payments provider said group revenue for the 2018 financial year would be around $142 million while earnings before interest, tax depreciation and amortisation was forecast to be around $33 million to $34 million. Afterpay, which allows millennial consumers to pay for goods in instalments by charging merchants, said that $2.18 billion of underlying sales had been processed through its payment platform during the 2018 financial year. That is almost a threefold increase from the prior […]
CFA exam to include blockchain and cryptocurrency parts from 2019
With cryptocurrencies here to stay, education needs to start meeting student and employer demand. Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies will be making an appearance in the level I and II Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams from 2019 onwards as part of a broader new reading called Fintech in Investment Management. The material will be released in August this year, giving exam-goers time to start logging their recommended 300 hours of study time on the topic. Like crypto uptake elsewhere, it’s being largely driven by popular demand from participants, with surveys and focus groups showing strong interest from future analysts and employers. The organisers might be equally onboard. “We saw the field […]
$2bn of broker commissions in fintech’s crosshairs
An Australian fintech has set its sights on disrupting the dominance of the mortgage broking industry by appealing to the banks who it claims are keen to reduce the $2 billion they spend on broker commissions. Adelaide-based online home loan platform Joust has distanced itself from its competitors in the fintech space, which has seen a flurry of mortgage disruptors in recent years. “Joust is not a comparison site with a myriad of static rates. It is also not an online broker or aggregator. We are a revolutionary marketplace model for home loan customers and lenders,” Joust co-founder and CEO Mark Bevan said. Joust is leveraging the negative press that […]
Decentralised forms nation’s first crypto vault, says bitcoin not a bubble
Stephen Moss-led Decentralised Capital has formed a partnership to capitalise on growing interest in digital currencies and new-age vaults, reflecting his view that bitcoin is not a bubble waiting to burst. The blockchain assets and investments firm has teamed with safety deposit box group Custodian Vaults to set up what they claim is Australasia’s first insured cryptocurrency vault. Custodian Vaults is part of precious metals firm Pallion Group. “This is a solution for the next phase of the industry and it gives real security,” Mr Moss, the son of former Macquarie Group veteran Bill Moss, said in an interview. “You can’t hack your way into the safe.” “In my opinion […]
Robo-investment – Retirement takes the crown
A customer insights study by automated investment service Six Park has found that more than half its clients are using the robo-investment service to grow wealth outside of super (36.5%) and for retirement savings (28.6%). These long-term goals ranked higher than the desire to save for property or saving for short-term goals such as holidays and weddings. The study results were released as Six Park celebrates its second birthday. The highest percentage of customers using their Six Park investment as a way to generate wealth outside super came from age groups under the age of 45, suggesting that long-term investing is increasingly a focus for younger generations. “It’s very encouraging […]
WealthO2 passes half a billion FUA
WealthO2, the fintech for financial advisers, has surpassed half a billion in funds under administration, an increase of more than 60% in six months.
AFL’s Ted Richards and the human side of robo-investing
There is a lot of talk about the entry of ‘robo advisers’ into the financial advice market. Revelations by the banking royal commission have accelerated calls for technology to provide the answer to the broadening trust deficit and intractable problem of advice being too expensive for the average investor. However, despite these tailwinds, the take up of digital advice in Australia has been relatively modest. This compares to the United States where a significant proportion of investors are embracing technology-enabled advice solutions, such as Betterment and Wealthfront. Home-grown Australian providers, such as Clover and Stockspot, have made inroads with their low cost, automated investment offerings. The challenge remains for consumers […]
