Blockchain technology – why all the hype?
As one of the most talked about emerging technologies, some say blockchain technology could revolutionize everything from stock exchange settlements and transport logistics to voting or welfare payments. So what is it and why is it relevant to financial advisers? Internationally, the benefits and wide range of possible uses for blockchain technology have been touted for a couple of years now. Within Australia, it’s gained some ground after a recent Australian Securities Exchange decision to examine its use for a new clearing and settlement system that’s faster and cheaper than the existing CHESS system. To enable this effort, the ASX bought a five per cent stake ($14.9 million) in Blythe […]
Banks and fintechs at war over password sharing
Micro investment company Acorns has accused ANZ Banking Group and other banks of telling customers they can’t share account passwords with the start-up, retarding its growth. Fintech Australia, the new lobby group for financial services start-ups, has formed an “open data subcommittee” to push for changes to the ePayments Code to make it clear that bank customers can give passwords to fintechs without banks having to provide approval. Sharing passwords with fintechs is a legal grey area. Acorns, which invests small change in exchange traded funds, lets users see their bank account activity and round up transactions to the nearest dollar. The app then invests the “change” in an investment […]
Reserve Bank says Australian dollars could come in digital form in future
Death of the cheque and the rise of Bitcoin? FinTech is certainly gaining momentum in Australia with the RBA hinting at digital dollars, or a form of Bitcoin, in the future is quite a possibility. It is entirely possible that Australian dollars will come in digital form in the future, breaking the link entirely between material notes and coins, the Reserve Bank says. In a speech where he also flagged the end of the cheque, Mr Richards said the RBA had been watching the growth in demand for privately-established virtual currencies like Bitcoin, and believed there was a place for a central-bank-issued digital currency in Australia. It thinks digital […]
Will Bitcoin Finally Bring Down The House Of Medici? | TechCrunch
This article makes a great argument for Bitcoin and explains why we should use it instead of the current process. In the 14th century, the Medici family used the power of its newly invented, double-entry accounting system to build a cross-border banking empire that banks still use today. Now more than 600 years later, cross-border payments total more than $22 trillion. Source: Will Bitcoin Finally Bring Down The House Of Medici? | TechCrunch
FinTech Currency Technology
Currency Foreign Exchange, Cryptocurrency and Digital Wallets make up the largest aspects of the FinTech revolution in Currency. Foreign Exchange This is one area that as a consumer you can almost feel the banks taking advantage of you. Whether it’s the currency conversion fees that are added to the ‘pedestrian’ exchange rate they give you or the additional fees a bank charges for you to access your own cash. The introduction of digital wallets, cryptocurrency and new approaches to foreign exchange and payments all form part of the FinTech currency movement. By introducing the ability for you to trade currency with a traveller looking to come to Australia when you’re […]
Peer-to-Peer
Peer-to-Peer Peer-to-Peer is perhaps the biggest driving force behind FinTech. By using technology to directly link peers you can increase efficiency and reduce the points of contact in any transaction. As each point of contact requires some form of payment for their facilitating role they simply add additional costs and complexity. Consider a loan from a bank as an example in simple terms: I deposit my money in the bank for which I expect to receive a return for letting them use it to make loans rather than holding it outside the banking environment. You borrow money from the bank so that you have access to funds that you would […]
