FinTech & Banking Tech in January 2021
Articles, downloads, reports, opinion, news items and commentary on fintech and banking technologies
Our focus is on fintech news from the broad Asia-Pacific region primarily, but we also include a range of ‘rest-of-the-world’ fintech and banking technology news items and reports to provide readers with new points of reference, and a deeper understanding of the many issues arising from financial and banking related technologies.
Each fintech news headline listed touches on an aspect of banking technology in some way, and each headline is linked directly to the item, article, report or platform behind that headline.
- ICYMI: An overview of the current state of play for Facebook-backed Diem, formerly Libra
- FinTech In ASEAN report: How the pandemic has impacted FinTech firms and how they have responded, and what does the future hold for the ASEAN FinTech industry?
- ICYMI: McKinsey’s take on how quantum computing and how it could change the financial services industry
- ICYMI: A look at the potential benefits of adding an IoT – internet of things – presence to the banking experience
- Download: Payments trends 2020 from Deloitte – Strategies to prepare for the future of payments (pdf)
- ICYMI: A brief overview of the Forbes Fintech Awards 2020, which selected Jack Dorsey as Person Of The Year in Fintech
- ICYMI: MIT Sloan FinTech Conference 2021 set to run virtually, March 5-6, featuring Startup Pitch Competition – applications close January 29th
- Download: Financial Services Technology 2020 and Beyond – Embracing disruption, via pwc (pdf)
- Download: The 2020 McKinsey Global Payments Report (pdf)
- Indonesia: Bukalapak online marketplace giant raises funding from Standard Chartered, in part aiming for digital banking services collaboration
- Available to download: Australian Payments Network’s Australian Payment Fraud 2020 report (pdf)
- Download: The 2020 McKinsey Global Payments Report (pdf)
- Myanmar: An overview of KBZ Bank’s digital activities through 2020, focusing on KBZPay mobile wallet and its use in social aid
- Vietnam: MoMo payment app raises over $100M in new funding round, on back of 23M users and $14BN in transactions last year
- Australia: 86 400 neobank to be acquired by National Australia Bank
- EDGE196 Blockchain & Fintech Asia Competition applications close tomorrow, Jan 15th – virtual elevator pitch showcasing business ideas to experts, entrepreneurs and investors
- China: Blockchain-based Service Network aiming for beta release of central bank digital currency in H2 2021, with intent to incorporate CBDCs from other nation-states
- China: Shadow banking value estimated at $12.9trillion, equivalent to 86% of gross domestic product and 29% of China’s total banking assets in 2019
- eToro survey finds some of the largest, most risk-averse asset managers – including pension funds and endowments – now looking at crypto as an asset class
- Cryptocurrency: A look at 6 developing trends likely to emerge in the crypto world in 2021, touching on 5G, taxation and more
- India: Reserve Bank operationalises Payments Infrastructure Development Fund to create 3M new touchpoints yearly for digital payments in Tier-3 to Tier-6 cities
- India: Pine Labs launches AllTap App solution to help MSMEs, street vendors and drivers take NFC-based digital payments, partnering with Visa, Mastercard and others
- Indonesia: Ajaib online investment platform raises $25M Series A with focus on first-time investors and millenials
- Indonesia: BukuKas fintech secures $10M Series A with focus on the digital and accounting needs of SMEs, with sights on launch of SME-focused digital bank
- Indonesia Stock Exchange launches new classifications, including technology-focused classification in bid to lure investors
- Japan: An overview of Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s ‘FinTech Program – Asia meets Tokyo’ initiative, set for business plan pitching from January 18th
- Malaysia: Bank Negara Malaysia issues policy document on licensing framework for digital banks, including standards on Shariah, business conduct, anti-money laundering and beyond
- Malaysia: Bank Negara Malaysia issues policy document on licensing framework for digital banks, including standards on Shariah, business conduct, anti-money laundering and beyond
- Bank of Pakistan launches Raast instant payment system, backed by Gates Foundation, World Bank and UN, first in country to link gov’t and financial institutions
- Philippines: SquidPay now able to operate an e-wallet service after gaining Electronic Money Issuer license from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
- Philippines: Plastic Bank recycling system partners PayMaya digital financial services firm to boost sustainable communities with cashless rewards technology
- Singapore-based Bullion Asset Management closes $1.3M Series A with ‘digital gold’ token ownership approach
- Sri Lanka: HatchX Demo Day showcases 7 graduating fintech startups working in peer-to-peer lending, cashless payments, micro-insurance and more
- Vietnam: Be Group ride-hail startup partners Vietnam Prosperity Bank to roll out Cake digital bank, offering services on Be app via VPBank’s digital banking license
- The next normal arrives: Trends that will define 2021 and beyond, via McKinsey
- Download: Payments trends 2020 from Deloitte – Strategies to prepare for the future of payments (pdf)
- Indonesia: Gojek ride-hail and digital payments firm and Tokopedia e-commerce leader in advanced talks around $18BN merger
- Singapore’s YouTrip multi-currency mobile wallet signs 6-year partnership with Visa for SEA growth, sights on likely expansion to Malaysia and Philippines inside 12 months
- India: Reserve Bank operationalises Payments Infrastructure Development Fund to create 3M new touchpoints yearly for digital payments in Tier-3 to Tier-6 cities
Asia’s startup NEWS, Today
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ASIA’S startup NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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