SME lending is a valuable source of diversification for brokers says fintech lender OnDeck Australia
The Banking Royal Commission has highlighted the perils of relying on a single revenue stream, and SME lender OnDeck Australia is urging mortgage brokers to think beyond home loans and diversify into SME lending. Research by commercial lending fintech OnDeck Australia[1] confirms that 25 percent of Australia’s small to medium enterprises plan to seek additional business finance. Michael Burke, Head of Sales at OnDeck Australia, says, “There is clearly strong demand for SME finance, making this a revenue channel that brokers cannot afford to overlook. Moreover, our discussions with brokers indicate that, on average, one in four of a broker’s existing home loan clients are SME owners, providing a ready […]
Blockchain boost as HSBC links Australia and China
Blockchain has long been cited as one of the upcoming technologies to solve many of the world’s current financial problems when it comes to cross-border trade, and it appears to have taken another step forward this week as HSBC confirms it has been able to link a transaction between Australia and China. The development is based on the use of a Letter of Credit (LC) format, which is typically a paper-based format that makes up a significant proportion of trading in China and being able to digitize this is expected to create plenty of savings in terms of time and invested resources. HSBC set up the link between two of […]
The Winners of the 2019 Fintech Business Awards have been announced
The Winners of the 2019 Fintech Business Awards have been announced. Congratulations to all the Australian fintech companies and leaders – well done! Individual categories Femtech Leader of the Year Jodi Stanton – SendGold Fintech Entrepreneur of the Year Ruth Hatherley – Moneycatcha Fintech Mentor of the Year Peta Tilse – Sophisticated Access Fintech Thought Leader of the Year Charmian Holmes – The Fold Legal Fintech Business Excellence Award (Individual) Ruth Hatherley – Moneycatcha Company categories Accounting Innovator of the Year Class Limited Compliance Innovator of the Year Advice RegTech Financial Advice Innovator of the Year Myprosperity Fintech Start-Up Business of the Year Trade Ledger Insurance Innovator of the Year […]
New Square Invoices app helps small businesses get paid fast
Today, global payments provider Square announced it’s releasing the standalone Square Invoices app, providing small businesses with a self-serve tool for creating, managing, and sending electronic invoices no matter where they are. From sending quotes and requesting deposits, to issuing recurring invoices and automated reminders, the Square Invoices app adds all the extra functionality small businesses need to ensure they get paid fast. Australian payment times have been identified as among some of the worst in the world, with invoices paid on average 27 days late. With the Square Invoices app, businesses can get paid quickly and easily in just a few taps – no more mailing invoices and […]
Australian fintech Airwallex confirmed as latest fintech unicorn following Series C fundraising
Airwallex confirms unicorn status following a successful Series C fundraising round of $100m USD, valuing the company at over $1bn USD. Founded in Melbourne in 2015, Australian fintech Airwallex has grown from an emerging start-up to a global challenger in the crossborder payment space, supporting a client base of internet titans including JD.com, Tencent and Ctrip, and large financial service companies including MasterCard. Top-tier investor DST Global led the Series C fundraising round, which closed at $100m USD. DST Global has been a primary investor across a number of global technology success stories, including Facebook, Airbnb and Spotify, and other fintech leaders, such as Robinhood. Alongside new investor DST Global, […]
Why more Aussies are turning to peer-to-peer loans
The Royal Commission into the banks and financial services unveiled a series of disturbing, infuriating and unsurprising truths. Australia’s response to the findings could send tremors through the financial services sector as the search for alternatives to the incumbent providers becomes more urgent. It means peer-to-peer loans – which have already seen significant gains – could become even more prominent in the lending landscape, the CEO of peer-to-peer loan provider SocietyOne, Mark Jones believes. SocietyOne is an online peer-to-peer loan platform, connecting investors’ funds with borrowers’ needs. The majority of loans SocietyOne writes are personal loans. Speaking to Yahoo Finance, Jones said Australians have been resigned to accessing credit from […]
Australian house to go under the hammer in world-first cryptocurrency auction
In a world first, Australia will host a live auction in which bidders are being asked to pay not in cash, but in cryptocurrency. The “Jetsons house”, a futuristic-style beachfront home in northern NSW, will be auctioned on April 8, with interested bidders able to buy the luxury property using either Bitcoin or Binance Coin cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is a decentralised digital cash system – the technology behind it lets users, in this case bidders, to send currency directly to others without going via a third party like a bank. The futuristic home is expected to fetch 700-800 bitcoins, or $3.5 million, when it goes under the hammer. Bidding will be […]
Novatti joins IBM World Wire network as a foundation member
Novatti Group Limited (ASX: NOV) announces it will join IBM Blockchain World Wire1, a real-time global payments network for regulated financial institutions such as Novatti’s subsidiary Flexewallet Pty Ltd. IBM World Wire is designed to optimize and accelerate foreign exchange and remittance services through a New Cross-Border Payments Network Supporting Real Time Payments and Foreign Exchange on the Stellar Protocol. By connecting to the World Wire network, Novatti now has access to a single unified network for foreign exchange and cross-border payments clearing and settlement built on blockchain technology and the Stellar public protocol. This will allow Novatti to offer clients the ability to conduct transactions across additional currencies and […]
