FINTECH
KPMG: Fintech Funding Fades in 2023
The global fintech market experienced its most challenging year since 2017, with investments dropping to $113.7 billion. Singapore's AI fintech sector saw a 77% increase in funding.
UAE Central Bank Pioneers Digital Dirham Transfer to China via mBridge
The UAE Central Bank achieved a significant milestone by executing its first cross-border digital dirham transfer worth 50 million dirhams ($13.6 million) to China using the mBridge platform on January 29, marking a new era in digital currency transactions.
Nasdaq Embraces AI to Spearhead Financial Crime Prevention
Nasdaq is investing heavily in AI technology to combat financial crime, strengthening its position as a technology-driven financial services company and addressing sophisticated financial crimes.
BondbloX Secures $6M in Series B Funding Led by Beacon Venture Capital
Singapore-based FinTech company BondEvalue has raised $6 million in a Series B funding round, led by Beacon Venture Capital and supported by MassMutual Ventures and Citigroup. The funding will expand BondbloX Bond Exchange, a distributed ledger technology that democratizes bond market access through fractional and full-size trading.
Sui Donates $1M to London Business School for Web3 Research
Sui, a leading blockchain platform, has donated $1 million to London Business School for Web3 research and education, aiming to prepare future technology and business leaders.
Kazakhstan Blocks Coinbase, Citing Digital Asset Law
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Culture and Information has blocked Coinbase due to legal conflicts with digital asset regulations, revisiting previous restrictions on other financial platforms.
Nansen CEO Predicts Six Key Trends in Crypto
Nansen.ai CEO, Alex Svanevik, outlined six pivotal crypto trends on Twitter, emphasizing the synergy of fintech and crypto, DeFi's potential in gambling, the growing relevance of real-world assets like T-bills, the impending rise of Web3 gaming, SocialFi's development, and Physical NFTs' retail integration. The thread also welcomed community input, reflecting on other emerging trends like blockchain in fantasy sports.
Hong Kong Monetary Authority Emphasizes AI and DLT in Fintech Roadmap
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has released a Fintech Promotion Roadmap, aiming to promote fintech adoption in the financial services industry. The roadmap includes key fintech sectors like Wealthtech, Insurtech, and Greentech, and introduces AI and DLT. It aligns with HKMA's "Fintech 2025" strategy.
Tachyum's Prodigy Processors: A Game-Changer for Blockchain in Banking and FinTech
Tachyum, a leading tech company, has recently published a paper titled "Credit Unions, Blockchain, CBDC, FinTech and Tachyum Prodigy", which highlights the potential of Prodigy to revolutionize transactional banking and significantly reduce the environmental and financial costs associated with blockchain's energy consumption.
Nigeria Plans to Regulate Digital Asset Platforms
Nigeria’s SEC is considering new regulations for digital asset platforms, allowing licensed digital exchanges to list tokens backed by certain assets. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether will not be among those assets. Nigeria aims to register fintech firms as digital sub-brokers, crowdfunding intermediaries, fund managers, and tokenized coins issuers. Crypto exchanges will not be registered until the central bank provides clear regulations.
FDIC Orders Self-Correction from Cross River Bank
The FDIC has asked Cross River Bank to correct and address issues in its lending activities. A consent order executed in March alleged that the bank had engaged in "unsafe" banking practices regarding compliance with fair lending laws and regulations in 2021.
Twitter to Add Cryptocurrency Trading
Twitter is partnering with fintech firm eToro to offer a new feature allowing users to trade cryptocurrencies and stocks. The feature will be accessed via a "view on eToro" tab, taking users to eToro's trading platform. This is the first major deal for Twitter since Elon Musk took over as CEO.
FINEXPO Brings FinTech Industry Leaders and Enthusiasts Together at FinTech Festival Asia 2023
Bangkok, 3 April 2023 – FINEXPO, the world's leading event organiser, announced today that it is hosting its first-ever FinTech Festival Asia (FTF Asia) on 27 and 28 September 2023 at the Royal Paragon Hall in Bangkok, Thailand.
US Crypto Crackdown Could Push Industry to Hong Kong
Paris-based Kaiko's CEO, Ambre Soubiran, has suggested that the recent US crackdown on cryptocurrency regulation could lead to a shift in the industry's center of gravity towards Hong Kong, which has been more favorable towards crypto. The Hong Kong government has been rolling out progressive regulation to support crypto and fintech firms in 2023, with over 80 virtual asset-related firms expressing interest in setting up shop there.
Revolut faces issues with 2021 annual report
UK-based fintech Revolut, known for its crypto-friendly services, experienced issues with its annual report for 2021, despite reporting its first-ever full year of profit. Independent auditors confirmed the report’s accuracy, but noted certain qualifications related to the report.