China’s Central Bank Official Urges the Acceleration of Digitization of the Chinese Economy with Blockchain
China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) Financial Technology Committee held its first meeting of the year this week, after months of delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fan Yifei, the PBoC’s deputy governor echoed President Xi Jinping’s call for the acceleration of the country’s blockchain development adoption. The president pointed out that it is necessary to strengthen fundamental research of blockchain technology and enhance innovation, enabling China to take a leading position in the blockchain field. The bank’s deputy governor met with the central bank’s officials as well as the heads of their affiliated financial institutions. Fan emphasized the importance of blockchain and financial technology (FinTech) industries and wanted to ensure China’s adoption plan would be laid out and implemented by 2021 to be in line with the deadline they have set out.
Digitization vs. Digitalization: FinFabrik CEO Explains Digitalization of Asset Investment in Private Markets
FinFabrik, a leading capital markets FinTech startup based in Hong Kong has recently launched a new Private Equity module on its proprietary DLT infrastructure that helps private markets institutions digitalize their operations. The platform named “CrossPool” rides on Corda Enterprise for transaction and contract management and Hyperledger Indy for identity management. With extensive experience in the financial industry and entrepreneurship, Alex Medana, the CEO of FinFabrik, talks about the core values of FinFabrik in the maturing DLT and FinTech industry and the firm’s digital assets issuance and investment platform CrossPool.
Why Hong Kong is Still Not Ready to Become Asia's Leader in Crypto and Blockchain
During a live webinar, as part of the UK FinTech Week, Clara Chiu, the Head of Fintech Unit & Director of Licensing at the SFC explicitly stated that Hong Kong does not have the mandate to create a large regulatory regime for cryptocurrencies or to attract more investors or players in the crypto field. Rather than promoting the crypto sector, Hong Kong is rather focused on protecting investors and promoting new regulations for the same reason. Is focusing on licensing enough for the city?
World Bank Pushes to Raise the Bar for FinTech and DLT for Cross-Border Interoperability and Financial Inclusion
The World Bank Group has recently published a study, issued by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) on “Payment aspects of financial inclusion in the FinTech era,” highlighting the concepts derived using blockchain, including stablecoins, and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
FinTech Giants PayPal, Intuit and Square Capital Approved to Digitally Distribute US Govt COVID-19 Small Business Stimulus
PayPal, Square and Intuit have received the government’s approval to take part in the US Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program which was established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic triggered global financial crisis.
China’s Blockchain and FinTech Sector to Brace for 'Capital Winter' Even After the Coronavirus Pandemic Subsides
Investment activity in China’s tech sector has seen a massive drop in the past four months since the coronavirus outbreak has emerged from the city of Wuhan. The venture capital market has been suffering a tremendous impact on its existing drop in activity.
LocalBitcoins Seller Charged by US Homeland Security for Money Laundering
Kenneth Rhule, a localBitcoins seller is charged by the US Homeland Security for conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business. Rhule can face up to forty years in prison on account of fraudulent activity alongside illegal marijuana production and distribution.
Coinbase Takes a Step Further into the Japanese Crypto Market
Coinbase has been licensed in Japan since 2019, and has registered as second-class members of the Japan Virtual Currency Exchange Association (JVCEA), a self-regulatory organization for the crypto industry in Japan.
CFTC FinTech Research Wing Welcomes Innovators to Discuss with Regulators With its New Office Hours
LabCFTC, the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s FinTech research wing, is planning to host office hours during the New York FinTech Week.
Insurance Firms in China and Hong Kong Count on Blockchain to Fast Track Coronavirus Claims Amid Outbreak
Xiang Hu Bao, an online mutual aid platform, a subsidiary of Ant Financial, is a “collective claims-sharing mechanism built on blockchain that offers basic health plans to its 104 million participants.” Most of its users are Chinese citizens from lower-tier cities, and in rural areas. By utilizing blockchain technology, settlements have been made more efficient, and fraudulent claims have been reduced.