This week’s main blog headlines are …
Why bankers only see horses and technologists are creating cars
I was at a large bank’s wealth management conference recently, where the CEO was being quizzed about various areas including a lot about technology and FinTech. He made several statements that I noted with interest: “Roboadvisory services improves our speed-to-market and human productivity, but does …
A global currency is coming, whether you like it or not
Continuing yesterday’s discussions about a big bank’s conference, I was intrigued at how often the subject of cryptocurrencies and bitcoin came up. But there again, it’s a topical thing at the moment with the price of bitcoins surging past the $4,000 mark and Goldman Sachs going …
It’s been an interesting few weeks, watching bitcoin’s rollercoaster ride as it rises to valuations over $4,000 and then dives to almost $2,000 before rising again to near $6,000. This is for an asset that just a year ago you could have purchased for a …
The truth about Ant Financial …
I finally finished writing my new book. I’m not going to say too much about it, as it now has to go through a lengthy editing cycle and will be released next year. A key theme in the new book is financial inclusion and, to those …
Answering the hardest questions in the world
I recently stumbled across a marketing campaign being run by UBS, which tries to answer the hardest questions in the world. The questions cover everything from equality to politics and, to illustrate what they are debating, here are a few examples: Why is there such a …
The latest news headlines …
Special Report: Backroom battle imperils $230 million cryptocurrency venture - Reuters
ZUG, Switzerland/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Just three months ago, a tech project called Tezos raised $232 million online in a wildly successful "initial coin offering," in which new digital currency is parcelled out to buyers. At the time, it was the most money ever raised from the public in the
UK banks 'exposed to money laundering in South Africa' - BBC
HSBC and Standard Chartered may inadvertently have been conduits for laundered money, Lord Hain says.
To change how you use money, Open Banking must break banks - Wired
On January 13, 2018, the UK's big banks will be forced to show startups their most precious data. But is Open Banking too revolutionary for its own good?
Bank of America's Return to 1950s Style Banking Is Paying Off - Fortune
No sooner had Brian Moynihan taken the helm of Bank of America at the start of 2010, than the giant lender suffered wave upon wave of giant, potentially fatal, losses on its stricken mortgage portfolio.
Virgin Money insists its credit card business is safer than the bigger banks - The Telegraph
FCA agrees to RBS report scrutiny - BBC
A committee of MPs had threatened to force publication of the report if the FCA did not agree.
City warns transition deal 'disappearing by the day' as May heads to Brussels - The Telegraph
Fintech market moves beyond lending - Financial Times
‘Regtech’ is a fast-growing area as Mifid draws close
Wi-fi security flaw 'puts devices at risk of hacks' - BBC
Researchers have revealed details of a major problem with the way wi-fi data is protected.
A Bank of England rate hike would be 'extraordinary' step for Britain's Brexit economy - Business Insider
The Bank of England hiking interest rates next month would be an "extraordinary" step and should be avoided given the current economic climate in the UK, an influential business lobby groups said.
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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...
