AltFi takes an in-depth look at the oldest P2P lender Zopa and how they are positioning themselves for the future; recent partnerships with the Saffron Building Society and the coming PSD2 regulatory changes are key ingredients to the company’s future; Zopa also has plans to introduce a number of new products when it launches their bank in 2018. Source
Aviva purchased a majority stake in robo-advisor Wealthify only 18 months after their head of retirement solutions criticized automated advice; Wealthify will sit alongside other Aviva products and services through the insurer’s digital hub, MyAviva; the insurer sees this as another important step in their digital strategy. Source
As more banks start utilizing new technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain current employees are beginning to worry about their future; Lyn Hall-Fore, U.S. director of BSA/AML compliance tells American Banker, “We told them, this is to make your job easier and better and give you more capacity to think, but still meet your production quotas”; finding the right balance will be a struggle as banks continue to innovate. Source
The new rule forces lenders to to assess whether borrowers can repay the loans and limits rollovers, where customers take out new loans to repay old ones; the new rule is likely to face legal challenges and is primarily focused on loans under 45 days. Source
The UK based online real estate platform raised a £7mn ($9.2mn) series A round led by Berlin Hyp; in addition to the capital infusion Berlin Hyp struck a strategic partnership with BrickVest; the deal will allow BrickVest to continue building their technology, growing their investor network and increase dealflow. Source.
deBanked reports that Google searches including “cash advance” do not include advertisements when searching; this is likely due to Google clamping down on payday loan advertisements and the term cash advance being related to payday loans; Merchant cash advances however are for businesses, making this a possible unintended consequence on the clamp down of payday loan ads. Source
The short-term consumer lender has originated over €5bn ($5.8bn) since launching in 2008; the company has focused on markets in Europe and the Americas; the company’s mix of funding sources includes bond issuance and bank deposits from the acquisition of TBI Bank; Moody’s also recently upgraded their corporate rating from a B2 to a B3. Source.
The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) has published their annual report sharing that they are monitoring P2P lending, digital crowdfunding and online advisors; to date the OSC has supported 38 fintech companies with the OSC LaunchPad; the LaunchPad was created for businesses that don’t fit neatly under existing regulation. Source
Oliver Wyman’s new report, Beyond Restructuring: The New Agenda - European Banking 2017, points out that banks have recovered from the crisis but face digital headwinds; for the most part banks have restructured into a new regulatory environment with more capital and smaller balance sheets; but they now they face digital challenges from fintechs and customers looking for better experiences. Source.
In a move that goes counter to the current regulatory trend the Taiwanese government has taken a positive approach to the new cryptocurrency market; "Just because China and South Korea are banning, doesn't mean that Taiwan should follow suit – there is a huge opportunity for growth in the future,” explained Wellington Koo, Chairman of Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission. Source.