Tom Blomfield started Monzo over five years ago and has now decided to step down as CEO; he will now...
Former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair writes in the FT that in light of the recent hack to Equifax should regulators be providing more entry points to customer data; she goes on to explain past bank hacks are typically done using a third party who has gained access to a customer’s data; other key points include can these service providers cover potential losses and are regulators forcing service providers into the most secure process. Source.
The Fintech Delivery Panel (FDP) is a new industry group focused on helping promote the UK fintech in the wake of Brexit; members include TransferWise, Funding Circle, Onfido, Monzo, FreeAgent, MarketInvoice, Starling Bank, Barclays, HSBC, RBS and Santander; the group plans to meet four times a year and post meeting minutes on the website of TechCityUK. Source
The UK government has announced plans to strengthen regulation around interest-free buy now, pay later credit agreements to protect “millions of people”.
Vibrant sees mobile POS systems as an essential tool for micro SME recovery. They plan to support the 10 million European merchants.
The UK recently visited China on a trade mission and signed a number of fintech deals worth more than $1.8bn; the deals are looking to create a deeper partnership between the nations and potentially create more than 850 jobs; deals include Innovate Finance and NIFA's memorandum of understanding, CurrencyCloud and X-Transfer's partnership and UK fintech R5FX's collaboration with Shanghai Clearing House. Source.
Trustly shares how how loan companies can best differentiate themselves from others and details their partnership with Lendify. Source
Online lender 4finance has reported its earnings for 2016 with an increase in revenue and net income; revenue increased 24% in 2016 to 393.2 million euros ($413.35 million); it reported another year of net profit with net income increasing to 63.2 million euros ($66.4 million), up from 58.2 million euros ($61.2 million) in 2015; in 2016 the company's net loan portfolio was 493.9 million euros ($519.21 million) and the average interest rate on its loans was 120%. Source
Surveys by finance site Smart Money People and RFI Group both point to an important time for UK based digital banks; Starling Bank and Monzo were the top two banks in customer satisfaction according to Smart Money People; RFI Group found UK customers willing to use a digital only bank dropped from 78 percent to 54 percent in the past year; while the digital only banks please customers more they are beginning to run up against incumbent competition for a similar experience; digital only banks need to begin thinking about building long term businesses as the old guard catches up. Source.
UK firm Populous is seeking to provide a new innovative approach to invoice financing using blockchain technology; the firm plans to utilize smart contracts for invoice financing operations which will lower costs and also provide safer and more secured investments with competitive yields; the platform has been in development for 24 months and plans to launch in May 2017. Source