Our biggest stories of the week are ...
The best mobile financial videos on the Web
During the conference yesterday, several presenters used video clips to illustrate the range of mobile payments options there are today. One of the longest and most comprehensive is a reworking of Microsoft’s Retail Banking Vision, which originally focused upon branch...
Australian Bank launches mobile innovation
Whilst Bendigo Bank in Australia is worried about Google and PayPal, Commonwealth Bank responded this morning by launching the first really innovative mobile app for payments that I've seen since BBVA's Strands.
Mobile banking and PFM is so last decade
Another conference focused upon financial innovation today, and all the talk is about mobile stuff, Google Wallets, mobile stuff, Banksimple, mobile stuff and Movenbank. I’m regularly stressing today that we must:: stop talking about mobile; and talk about the point-of-life....
In 2008, Gartner Group predicted that 10% of the consumer lending market would be provided through Peer2Peer (P2P) lending by 2010. It was a bold prediction but imagined change would happen faster than it has in reality. However, in reality, the impact of P2P lending is far greater as today's numbers show ...
Is Bitcoin the future of money, or are we smoking dope?
Bitcoin is a digital currency designed to be controlled through encryption rather than a centralised authority. Operating in exactly the same way as cash, Bitcoins are fully exchangeable as an anonymous form of currency in real-time across the internet and, shortly, at Point-of-Sale. Could such a system replace cash entirely in the future?
The Financial Services Club London Agenda, Winter 2011/12
We are often asked about the Financial Services Club's future agenda. It's always available on our website, but here are details as they stand right now. Some dates and speakers are still being confirmed (marked with '*'), but these are all going to happen over the next six months or so ...
The Future of UK Regulation (FSA Speech)
Margaret Cole, Interim Managing Director, Conduct Business Unit at the Financial Services Authority (FSA), gave a great speech at the Financial Services Club last week. Margaret's Conduct Business Unit will become the Financial Conduct Authority in 2013, when the Financial Services Authority splits into two units. Everyone is interested to know what this means …
The major general news stories of the week include ...
Santander faces £13bn capital shortfall - The Telegraph
Spanish banking group Santander said it faces a capital shortfall of close to €15bn, according to the European Banking Authority.
How roast turbot helped eurozone leaders swallow their pride on debt - The Independent
Shortly after 4am, looking exhausted but still impeccably dressed, Nicolas Sarkozy pushed through the closed doors of the European Council meeting room in Brussels to brief the media.
Madoff couple 'attempted suicide' - BBC
The wife of jailed US financial swindler Bernard Madoff admits to CBS that the couple attempted suicide after his $65bn fraud scheme was exposed.
Danish Banking Crisis Entices Buyers - Business Week
Denmark’s banking crisis has left in its wake a number of cheap acquisition targets that may entice buyers to take advantage of an industry brought to its knees by a sequence of insolvencies.
With Wikileaks Embargo, Payment Institutions Choose The Devil They Don’t Know - Techcrunch
You may agree with Wikileaks' mission. Or you may think they're a menace. Or perhaps something in between. But here's one thing you can't deny: they're an organization, with a leader, a name, and (however well hidden) servers, bank accounts, and so on. They also have principles — which, again,
Loyalty shown to supermarkets and banks - The Independent
Customers are most loyal to banks and building societies, supermarkets and mobile phone companies, according to the latest Ipsos Mori and the Logic Group poll.
New euro 'empire' plot by Brussels - The Telegraph
European Union chiefs are drawing up plans for a single "Treasury" to oversee tax and spending across the 17 eurozone nations.
FSA 'can't cope' with living wills - The Independent
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) will not be able to handle an influx of "living wills" next year, according to the British Bankers' Association (BBA).
Sarkozy tells Cameron to 'shut up' in euro clash - The Independent
David Cameron was given a vicious dressing down by French President, Nicholas Sarkozy, yesterday as tensions reached boiling point among European leaders arguing over how to save the euro.
Lloyds expected to float branches as sale hopes weaken - The Telegraph
The return made by the British taxpayer on its investment in Lloyds Banking Group
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Chris M Skinner
Chris Skinner is best known as an independent commentator on the financial markets through his blog, TheFinanser.com, as author of the bestselling book Digital Bank, and Chair of the European networking forum the Financial Services Club. He has been voted one of the most influential people in banking by The Financial Brand (as well as one of the best blogs), a FinTech Titan (Next Bank), one of the Fintech Leaders you need to follow (City AM, Deluxe and Jax Finance), as well as one of the Top 40 most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal's Financial News. To learn more click here...