Updates from June, 2016 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • user 3:36 am on June 20, 2016 Permalink | Reply
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    MasterCard Will Bring Apple Pay To Swiss Customers This Summer 

    announced that it will its and cardholders Pay, which is transforming mobile payments with an easy, secure and private way to pay that&;s fast and convenient.

    Apple Pay allows MasterCard cardholders to use their cards where and how they want with a seamless payment experience. For consumers and merchants alike, that means that every purchase made with Apple Pay will offer the security, benefits and guarantees of any MasterCard transaction. MasterCard is working with several and card issuers to enable cardholders to use their MasterCard credit or prepaid cards with Apple Pay.

    Security and privacy is at the core of Apple Pay. When you use a credit or prepaid card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are neither transferred to Apple, nor stored on the device or on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device. Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique dynamic security code.

    mastercard applepay swiss

    Image source: Apple.com

    &;Apple Pay allows consumer to pay easily and securely, wherever contactless MasterCard cards are accepted at POS or Apple Pay is accepted for in app payments, be it in Switzerland or across the globe,&8217; said Guido Mueller, Country Manager Switzerland. &8216;MasterCard was the first in the world to offer contactless and mobile payment solutions, and the Swiss are rapidly adopting well-established global standard for convenient, secure payment with a tap. In Switzerland, at more than 100,000 locations including Migros, Coop or Kiosks, more than 3 million contactless purchases are made every month, up 100% compared to the previous year[1] .

    With this clear shift in payment preferences, we are excited that MasterCard cardholders will soon be able to make payments in store or in app with Apple Pay, knowing that every purchase brings the unrivaled ease and security of NFC payments to mobile payments, together with all the same guarantees and benefits they&8217;ve come to expect from using their MasterCard.&8217;

    Apple Pay is easy to set up and users will continue to receive all of the rewards and benefits offered by their card of choice. In participating stores, Apple Pay works with iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE and Apple Watch. Online shopping in apps accepting Apple Pay is simple, without needing to repeatedly fill out lengthy account forms or type in shipping and billing information. When paying for goods and services within apps, Apple Pay is compatible with iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4 and iPad Pro.

    For more information on Apple Pay, visit here

     

    The post MasterCard Will Bring Apple Pay To Swiss Customers This Summer appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News – FintechNewsCH.

    Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News – FintechNewsCH

     
  • user 12:18 am on June 20, 2016 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , 24, , , , , , , , , , , , roboinvesting, , ,   

    Wrap of Week #24: Robo-advisors, Blockchain; Insurtech and Small Business; in-store mobile payments; Marketplace lending 

    The UK is in the spotlight for many reasons (some good, some bad). We gave it first position this but we also traveled from Australia to the US. 21 ventures in the UK &; the Blackrock tale. Sizing the UK -advisory market, which seems on the way to triple its size. An in&;Read more of Week : Robo-advisors, ; and Business; in-store ; &;
    Bank Innovation

     
  • user 7:22 pm on June 19, 2016 Permalink | Reply
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    Financial technology matures as government steps in 

    govmoney You would be hard pressed to read the news and not know that is seemingly at a crossroads. Indeed, some are already declaring dead as a space for the near-term. Not so fast. Read More


    fintech techcrunch

     
  • user 6:01 pm on June 19, 2016 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , Smoke, , , Usually   

    With Blockchain, Where There’s Smoke, There’s Usually More Smoke 

    In this op-ed, Jonathan and Robert Wolinsky of the Genesis Project focus on the industry’s inability to deliver on its promise.
    fintech techcrunch

     
  • user 3:35 pm on June 19, 2016 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , DigitalZurich2025’s, , , internationally, , , Kleij, ,   

    Eric van der Kleij joins DigitalZurich2025’s Kickstart Accelerator program to develop and internationally connect FinTech in Switzerland 

    220px-Eric_van_der_Kleij

    van der &; Source: wikimedia.org

    The founding partners of Kickstart Accelerator – an initiative of DigitalZurich2025 &8211; are delighted to announce that Eric van der Kleij, former CEO of TechCity UK and founder of Level39, together with an experienced international team will lead the development of the scheduled to launch in August 2016.

    Eric and the team bring with them a wealth of experience from setting up and delivering world-class accelerator programs and hubs such as Level 39 in London, to supporting and investing in high potential startups in Silicon Valley. Working for the team they will apply their expertise and international connections throughout August to November 2016 at the Kickstart Accelerator program in the heart of Zurich.

    I am impressed with the level of ambition, resource and access that Kickstart and its leading banking, insurance, telco and consulting partners have brought together” says Eric van der Kleij. “Adding the international FinTech connections to Zurich as a world financial centre will prove hugely attractive for pioneering new talent and I believe that the close links being organised between founders and the partner companies will help to both high potential new concepts and the connections to rapidly scale for world markets.

    The FinTech program is part of the Kickstart Accelerator, an initiative of DigitalZurich2025 and one of the largest accelerators in Europe, which aims at promoting as one of the leading locations for digital enterprise. Operated by Impact Hub, the Kickstart Accelerator and its distinct FinTech program will provide unrivalled access for selected start-ups to leading players in the Swiss and global financial marketplace.

    Furthermore, successful applicants will benefit from financial assistance for three months, a workplace in Zurich, industry-leading mentorship, exclusive meetings with prominent voices in the FinTech ecosystem, introductions to investors and, of course, the expert guidance of Eric van der Kleij and the international accelerator team.

    As of today more than 900 teams from 40 countries have applied for the coveted places at one of the four Kickstart programs which are organised into four themes: FinTech, Smart & Connected Machines, Food and Emerging & Future Technologies.

    For FinTech more than 200 start-ups have submitted their business cases with focus areas in , Smart Contracts, Wealth Management, InsureTech and Digital Identity.

    A detailed selection process is currently underway to identify applicants that have the most compelling concepts as well as the largest potential to benefit from the three months acceleration program. Final selections are to be expected no later than July 2016.

    The FinTech program within Kickstart Accelerator is funded and facilitated collaboratively by several leading Swiss-based organisations including Credit Suisse, EY, Global FinTech Association, Swisscom, Swiss Life and UBS.
    kickstart accelator program

    DigitalZurich2025

    digitalzurich2025

    DigitalZurich2025 is a cross-industry initiative which aims at making Switzerland a leading digital innovation hub in Europe. Its focus lies on enabling digital start-ups, companies and talents as well as supporting Swiss companies in managing the digital transformation. The initiative was set up in 2015 by over 20 well-known companies, academic institutions and political representatives.

    Kickstart Accelerator

    kickstartaccelerator

    Kickstart is the most ambitious Swiss startup program to date. Never before has Switzerland or Europe had a multi- corporate and equity-free accelerator program welcoming over 100 founders from around the world. Backed by academia, corporates and the local startup ecosystem, it aims to put Switzerland on the map by bringing some of the most promising early-stage startups from different fields to Switzerland for three months. Operated by Impact Hub Zürich, Kickstart Accelerator was founded in 2015 and is an initiative in cooperation with DigitalZurich2025.

    Impact Hub Zürich

    Impact zurich hub

    Impact Hub Zürich is a community of creators building a radically collaborative world. Being part of the largest network of entrepreneurship and innovation centers across the globe, Impact Hub Zürich sets out to create a thriving innovation ecosystem where people collaborate across organizations, cultures and generations to solve the grand challenges of our time. Impact Hubs offer community memberships, workspace, incubation & acceleration programs and corporate innovation services.

    The post Eric van der Kleij joins DigitalZurich2025’s Kickstart Accelerator program to develop and internationally connect FinTech in Switzerland appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News – FintechNewsCH.

    Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News – FintechNewsCH

     
  • user 3:19 pm on June 19, 2016 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Dilemma, , , ,   

    Blockchain and Payments Infrastructure: A Regulator’s Dilemma? 

    Epiphyte’s Gabrielle Patrick discusses the balancing act faced by in a fast-changing world and how ‘s could help.
    fintech techcrunch

     
  • user 12:18 pm on June 19, 2016 Permalink | Reply
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    Registration for Bank Innovation Israel 2016 Officially Opens 

    has opened today. The only Western event in Startup Nation, the 2016 Bank Innovation Israel will take place 1-3 November at the Dan Tel Aviv. The event is presented by Bank Innovation, one of the world’s leading fintech blogs.
    Bank Innovation

     
  • user 3:35 am on June 19, 2016 Permalink | Reply
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    Blockchain to Optimize and Secure Client Data Information – Part 3 

    Blockchain-based Enigma system

    Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of , therefore, have developed a guaranteed privacy system based on , in which can be stored, verified and shared without ever being revealed to any of the network’s parties. ‘Enigma’, which is powered by the blockchain, is essentially “different computers that are talking to each other, but they don&;t do mining, they just provide resources to the network, bandwidth, some of their hard drives, some of their CPU power&;, according to co-founder Oz Nathan, a technology entrepreneur with experience working with the Counter Terror Unit of the Israeli Defence Forces. This will purportedly allow , for instance, to confidently sign up to private blockchains, knowing that sensitive data will remain private.

    Enigma’s founders are also speaking to medical companies, particularly those who are unable to put huge swathes of client medical onto the blockchain. As a solution, Enigma breaks down data into smaller pieces, and rather than performing conventional encryption, a “secret sharing” method is used, according to co-founder Guy Zyskind where the system “guarantees mathematically that each of these pieces are completely masked, completely random and completely &8221;.

     

    Blockchain is to prevent industrial data breaches

    Moreover, there does not appear to be a limitation to the magnitude of projects that can be put onto the blockchain. The UK government is now looking to blockchain technology to protect itself against data breaches within some of its biggest industries. Guardtime, which provides cyber-security services and uses blockchain to secure sensitive data, recently announced it will be in charge of protecting the UK’s nuclear power stations, flood defence systems and electricity grids from cyberattacks.

    According to a recent report by think tank Chatham House, a ‘culture of denial’ currently exists in the UK’s nuclear power industry with regards to the risk of cyberattacks. Blockchain’s permitted ledger, however, can be used by Guardtime to boost the security of some of the largest systems of UK infrastructure. The system uses hash-function cryptography that is based on ‘signature’ authorization, known as Keyless Signature Infrastructure (KSI). Ultimately, the technology allows all data across the system to be securely authorized, while allowing for independent verification of the records, without the need for centralized authorities.

    Although blockchain’s technology has been synonymous with the rise of , Guardtime has been using similar technology for the purpose of security prior to Bitcoin’s emergence. The company employs cybersecurity experts who have experience in the US military, as well as state-level digital security experts from Estonia, who resolutely defended the country from a comprehensive cyberattack by Russia in 2007. Indeed, Estonian innovations in addressing confidentiality and data integrity have been deemed by the US as cutting-edge, which has in turn led to the formation of the partnership.

    Defence systems, telecommunications companies and financial-services firms are all looking at the technology, according to CTO Matt Johnson, who also believes that Guardtime&8217;s permitted blockchain can provide proof of time, identity and authenticity, while preserving confidentiality of the data, on an industrial scale.

    The post Blockchain to Optimize and Secure Client Data Information &8211; Part 3 appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News – FintechNewsCH.

    Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News – FintechNewsCH

     
  • user 12:18 am on June 19, 2016 Permalink | Reply
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    Ally Launches Cashback Credit Card [VIDEO] 

    Bank announced today that it offers a rewards to its customers, but Ally is not the card issuer. The issuer of the card is TD Bank. &;Our customers wanted a credit card and through our relationship with TD, we were able to deliver a customized solution inRead More
    Bank Innovation

     
  • user 10:54 pm on June 18, 2016 Permalink | Reply
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    Fintech Life after Brexit 

    shutterstock_438699346

    Let&;s assume will happen. How will the the UK community react? We already know that more than a few financial services firms &; mostly I believe &8211; have drawn plans to relocate some of their staff away from London and scale back operations in the UK. Will FinTech firms follow suit? Have some started planning for Brexit? Are Brexit responses being hatched as we speak? Will moves out of the UK be sudden and immediate or gradual? All are questions worthy of an answer.

    With the demise of its offshore business, London needed to reinvent itself to retain financial services relevance. Fintech, while maybe not being THE answer, was one of the answers. In the past years we have seen the City of London, the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority and Government signaling they were all opened for FinTech business, launching initiatives and making it altogether easier, relatively speaking, for FinTech entrepreneurs to choose London as their home base.

    The attractiveness of the UK as a homogenous market (think South East England with a concentration of tech savvy and affluent individuals in one time zone), a skilled workforce, the lure of a flexible UK economy and labor laws all helped. The relative strength of venture capital funding (both in terms of quantity and quality) compared to Europe should not be discounted.

    There has also been a fair bit of regulatory arbitrage going on. There is no question many entrepreneurs will chose a country where the regulator is more sophisticated, enjoys a positive reputation globally, is &;open for business&; and easier to deal with than in one&8217;s home country; especially when this choice will result in a FCA approved license that is recognized across the European Union, thereby providing optionality around a bigger addressable market. In other words, resisting the allure of London as a FinTech hub while noting all what you build can and will be applicable all over the EU is very difficult to do.

    What happens if the EU link is altered? I doubt an FCA license would be recognized across Europe then, which means increased licensing and compliance costs, presumably.  Further, as mentioned above, some financial services firms will reduce their operations in the UK and relocate &8211; to continental Europe, to the US&; Plus there is the rising uncertainty of how will be Brexit &8211; financial services life, business life, how removed the UK will be from EU, the types of barriers that will exist.

    If you are a Fintech startup thinking of moving to the UK you are going to think twice. The decision will not be as easy as it was.

    If you are a Fintech startup already in the UK, in the early stages of of building your operations you will start thinking whether a move is the right decision.

    If you are a d2c Fintech startup with aspirations for European roll out you may decide to relocate some of your operations to continental Europe sooner than you had planned or more than you had planned.

    If you are a b2b Fintech startup you will tend to follow your clients and their operations wherever they go.

    Additionally, if Brexit results in a less opened environment for foreign workers, the tech community might see a net outward flux of engineers out of the UK which may sway Fintech startups to follow talent.

    All in all, these trends are not net positives for UK Fintech dominance.

    Where would Fintech startups move? There is no obvious FinTech hub that can immediately challenge London. None of the potential contenders are ideal candidates.

    Berlin has a strong pool of tech talent and a vibrant startup scene and Frankfurt is the financial services center of Germany. Fintech startups relocating to either would deal with Bafin, the German regulator which is a strong and very well regarded regulator. Yet, language is an issue and the German market is not that easy to crack for a non German entity. Bafin would also have to show a tad more forward looking intent a la FCA.

    Paris enjoys great infrastructure and a deep pool of tech talent, but the language is also an issue and the local regulator is not well known for its international and forward looking bent.

    Stockholm, Amsterdam, Zurich/Geneva are also interesting candidates.

    New York might even be a candidate &8211; same language, much larger market, strong financial services hub.

    I tend to think there will not be one clear winner among the above mentioned candidates. Most if not all will benefit. Although this might not be a good thing from a geopolitical point if view for Europe &8211; as London&8217;s Fintech star wanes relatively speaking compared to its global competitors and as no clear European city emerges as the clear leader &8211; there may be a silver lining. Indeed, sensing an opportunity to gain market share, Euro regulators may become more open and forward minded &8211; sandboxes, friendliness and collaboration with startups &8211; thereby creating a healthy competitive environment across the continent towards tech innovation; Euro legislators in Brussels and Strasbourg may help with that process; City Councils may jockey for position with local laws and initiatives to attract startups. Further, UK Fintech VCs may allocate more funds to continental Europe. I can think of many intended and unintended positive consequences and far from putting a damper on Fintech in Europe we may see a revitalization of Fintech across Europe.

    If you are a UK based Fintech, I am curious what your current thinking is. Or maybe Brexit will not happen.

    FiniCulture

     
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