Ping An’s Blockchain Whitepaper (2019) titled ‘Establishing An Open and Shared Financial System with Blockchain’ has featured a major fintech firm in China, OneConnect Financial Technology Co., Ltd. The Senior Product Director of OneConnect explained, “We believe the value of blockchain could be truly realized only when every participant are linked to blockchain network sharing profits and responsibilities.”
Klarna (an online payment firm) which has recently raised $460 million in a funding round becomes Europe’s most valuable fintech startup. Sebastian Siemiatkowski, co-founder and CEO of Klarna commented, “We, all 2,500 of us at Klarna, are humbled and honoured, and now also further empowered, to play a role in this improvement of an industry for the benefit of the consumer, worldwide and in the US in particular.”
A collaboration has been made between a fintech firm based in Brazil, Banco Maré and a blockchain firm, R3 in launching a stock exchange for individual and institutional investors. The CEO of Banco Maré, Alexander Albuquerque explained, “Focused on big investments funds want to know what the startups are doing, but when they find out they are working in the most dangerous regions of Latin America, they do not want it anymore.”
The Central Bank of Barbados and the Financial Services Commission has announced that the Bitt Digital Inc is the first company to complete and exit the Regulatory sandbox. The Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, Cleviston Haynes clarified, “On behalf of the panel, I can confirm that the Regulatory Review Panel (RRP) Considers the type of business activity trailed by bitt to be a candidate for regulation under legislation that is currently being drafted.”
The Afro-Asia Fintech Festival, will take place at Nairobi, Kenya during July 15 – 16, 2019 which will be co-hosted by the Central Bank of Kenya and the Monetary Authority of Singapore and will see participation of President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta and the CBK Governor, Patrick Njoroge. The event will be packed with keynote speakers from various fintech and financial institutions.
The UAE-based Fidor Solutions has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC, a fintech hub) for blockchain development. The Governor of AIFC Kairat Kelimbetov expressed, “We are proud to be growing our fintech network by signing an MoU with Fidor, a European fintech that has successfully developed internationally. Their contribution will be valuable to all our members and partners.”
A fintech company headquartered in Barbados, Bitt, has been invited by the Central Bank of the Republic of Haiti, La Banque de la République d’Haiti (BRH) to showcase the potential of blockchain-based Central Bank Digital Currency. The BRH reported are now “considering a pilot to create a digital version of the Haitian Gourde, which aims to improve the domestic payments system and promote financial inclusion in Haiti”.
The Royal Bank of Scotland has hired Marieke Flament a former managing director at the crypto firm Circle. Marieke Flament, who formerly worked as the European managing director of Circle, as CEO for its fintech wing called Mettle which will provide digital service for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Flament commented: “There is a huge opportunity for disruption in SME digital banking.”
Block Adventure will be bringing outs its inaugural ‘Fintech Disruption’ event in Whitechapel, London on coming 31st May. The event is expected to attract a range of investors, blockchain startups and leading experts in venture capital arena. There will be a panel discussion focusing on crypto banking, financing early-stage blockchain-based businesses, and the evolution of Institutional liquidity providers.
The Hong Kong’S Fintech Association which represents the country’s local and global Fintech community has recently welcomed its newest member, Cardano Foundation. In an announcement made in Cardano’s Foundation social media have shared, “Cardano Foundation is proud to announce that they have joined the Fintech Association of Hong Kong as its newest member.”
Sep 20, 2019
Sep 20, 2019