ECB: The End is Nigh for Bitcoin, “Rarely Used for Legal Transactions”

Yesterday, the UK government announced that it would assist the crypto industry by providing robust regulation of the emerging innovation. As industry insiders acutely understand, without clearly defined rules, risk increases, generating hesitancy and undermining acceptance of the technology. While policymakers in the US have yet to pursue a similar...

Iwoca reaches net profitability in Q4 2022 and experiences over 50% increase in the number of small and medium-sized businesses funded across the UK and Germany. This comes as iwoca “increases its funding line with Pollen Street Capital from £125m to £170m.” The total number of customers funded across the UK and Germany – “including all products and repeat customers – grew by over 50% in 2022 vs. 2021.”

Binance and Mastercard (NYSE: MA) are excited to announce the launch of Binance Card in Brazil. Brazil is among “the top ten markets for Binance globally and becomes the second country in Latin America to have the product, following its release last year in Argentina.”. The prepaid card is...

QED Investors has appointed Melissa Ho as its lead in Southeast Asia as the Fintech VC focuses on the hot Asian market. QED is one of the leading Fintech venture capital firms in the world. Ho, based in Singapore, will be looking for Fintech firms across stages with an emphasis on early-stage companies.

Blockchain Intelligence Group, a key player focused on blockchain investigations and training, owned by BIGG Digital Assets, Inc. (CSE: BIGG), announces that it has achieved significant company and industry milestones “in global crypto investigations.”. It added new customers, “including enabler of real-time clearing and Embedded Banking for financial institutions...

The crypto-asset industry might have been struggling during the past year, however, global banking institution HSBC (NYSE: HSBC) is looking to enhance its expertise in the area, advertising for senior digital assets and tokenization professionals. The new roles, both at HSBC‘s Global Private Banking and Wealth (GPBW) business and both...

TZERO, a financial technology company providing transformative market-based solutions for companies, entrepreneurs, and retail & institutional investors, announced the launch of Aurox’s crowdfunding campaign on the tZERO Markets platform. Aurox, a cryptocurrency DeFi-focused software development company, is “seeking to raise capital from the public to continue product development and...

The UK government has announced its intent to “robustly regulate crypto-asset activities.” In recent years, the UK has expressed its intent to become a crypto hub – supporting innovation while crafting a regime that provides sufficient consumer protections and transparency. The goal is to deliver on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to grow the economy while enabling innovation. Crypto assets will be regulated similarly to traditional financial offerings.

Mayfair, a Fintech startup backed by Tiger Global and Amity Ventures, is helping companies put “every last idle dollar to work.”. Its clients avoid “the price and liquidity risks of financial products typically marketed to businesses, and can take advantage of automated cash management to earn 4.02% APY.”

The European Investment Bank (EIB) priced its first ever £50 million digital bond using a combination of private and public blockchains operated and accessed via HSBC Orion – the bank’s tokenization platform. It follows the recently adopted Luxembourg legal framework tailored “to allow for the issuance, transfer,...

Treasury Prime, an embedded banking software platform, announced it raised $40 million in Series C funding. The investment round was “led by BAM Elevate with investment from The Banc Funds Company and Invicta as well as continued participation from Series B investors Deciens, QED and SaaStr.”. With this latest...

Personetics, the global leader in financial data-driven customer engagement, released a report titled “Spotlight on North America: Banks and Credit Unions Need to Promote Customers’ Financial Well-Being.”. The report, based “on a study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Personetics, details the opportunities and challenges associated with...

Wise (LSE:WISE), a global transfers and payment platform that is also an emerging neobank, says that in Q3 FY 2023 its 5.8 million customers moved 28% volume or £26.4 billion, in comparison to the same quarter year prior. Wise said that for its third consecutive quarter, more than 50%...

Strike, which claims to be the world’s “leading” digital payments platform built on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, announced the expansion of its “Send Globally” product to the Philippines. Send Globally now “enables fast, secure, and low-cost money transfers between the U.S. and the Philippines, revolutionizing...

TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) has announced a strategic investment in Bud Financial Limited, a key player focused on Open Banking and data intelligence. This dynamic partnership will “help drive innovation and growth in the personal finance market and support better outcomes for consumers, with greater financial inclusion.”. Open Banking plays...

S&P Global Market Intelligence is out with a research note that is predicting a “wave” of mergers and acquisitions in the Fintech sector as the economy slows. The firm states that an unforgiving stock market and declining cash reserves will compel US Fintechs to consolidate in 2023, adding that some Fintechs will survive, but others will not. Some may take a significant valuation haircut and sell to competitors or investors.

The European Central Bank (ECB) raised its benchmark rate by 50 basis points today, as was broadly expected. In explaining its decision, the ECB said that the underlying inflation pressures will necessitate another 50 basis points at its next monetary policy meeting in March. After that, the ECB will evaluate...

BNP Paribas Asset Management (BNPP AM) announces the appointment of Geoff Dailey as Deputy Head of US Equities, with effect from February 2023. He will succeed Pamela Woo as Head of US Equities “following her planned retirement at the end of June 2023.” Pamela retires after “a long and successful career spanning 30 years in the industry, including almost 20 years at BNPP AM.”

Cowbell, the provider of cyber insurance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), announced the launch of Cowbell Academy, a unique institution that “offers insurance agents and brokers lessons on cyber insurance.”. The program “includes general classes such as Cyber Insurance 101, assessments to help brokers evaluate their level of...

A report published by Mobey Forum’s Digital Identity Expert Group has identified unique opportunities for banks “to leverage their position as custodians of personal data to offer value-added digital identity services and become brokers of trust in the digital economy.”. The report suggests “that for digital identity systems...