Category: Talking fintech

As part of the priority task to establish the Capital Market Union (CMU), and broaden access to finance for SMEs with a focus on start-ups and scale-ups, European Commission (EC) has announced plans to draft a proposal that would regulate crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending market in the European Union. EC aims to finish this project in the first quarter of 2018 and has already published an Inception Impact Assessment in order to inform and get feedback from interested stakeholders, that now have until November 27, 2017, to submit their comments.  All related companies and other stakeholders are welcome to give their feedback on the proposal here. Continue reading Common framework for crowdfunding and P2P – the proposal from European Commission

The big three in technology – Amazon, Facebook, and Apple – could one day become the big three in banking. While it may seem a little farfetched, remember it didn’t end well for those who were too quick to dismiss Amazon as a serious e-commerce player. Continue reading Tech Giants Hover Over the Banking Space

Just about every industry has found its way to the blockchain and fintech is no exception. Fintech was one of the early arrivals using distributed ledger technology (aka blockchain) led by payments platform Ripple, which is famous for removing friction, or costs and time, associated with cross-border transactions. While payments led the way, other aspects of alternative lending are raising their profile on the blockchain as well now and in the coming years. Continue reading P2P Lending Makes Its Way Onto the Blockchain

The Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) is an essential legislation act developed by the European Union, that is expected to enter into force on January 13, 2018, and is set to revolutionize the online payments industry and the banking sector. Continue reading PSD2, Open APIs and Opportunities for Businesses

There has been persistent speculation tied to the impact of Brexit on fintech. Currently, the UK enjoys a leadership position in fintech including peer-to-peer lending, and EU members may have expected to be jockeying for position from any industry fallout. They may be surprised to learn, however, that both fintech and P2P is as strong as its ever been in the UK even as the reality of Brexit draws near. Continue reading Brexit and Fintech – The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Persistently low interest rates are a phenomenon that’s unfolding in major economies around the globe, from the United States, to the UK to Australia. In Australia, the frustration has built to a point that savers are increasingly dipping into their low-yielding cash accounts and redirecting the funds into peer-to-peer loans where they can fetch returns that are three times higher than the interest attached to term deposits, the latter of which remain at record lows. Continue reading Aussie Investors Flock to P2P Loans for Yield

How would you imagine the ‘typical’ P2P investor? Is it a young, tech-savvy millennial or a more experienced long-term saver? While there is no definitive answer, various studies and datasets have been released by peer to peer lending companies which gives us some insight into the demographics of P2P lending (and borrowing). This article first looks at some of the wider demographics of investing before looking at the existing P2P market studies. Continue reading Who is Investing in P2P Lending?

Fintech is growing rapidly in Europe with over $8 billion investments made since 2010 and a sharp increase in the interest from big corporations and well established financial institutions. But the interest is not coming only from the private sector. The European Commission is giving fintech a priority in its agenda, proposing to reform financial supervision by increasing attention to the development of the financial technology industry. And as this sector matures, Germany is in a great position and has all preconditions to become a key market regarding fintech. Continue reading A snapshot of fintech investments in Germany

Brazil might be in the deepest recession in the country’s history, but that doesn’t mean that fintech is forgotten. In fact, it has been the fintech segment that has largely been the hero, facilitating loans to borrowers that would otherwise be subject to some of the highest interest rates in the world charged by Brazilian banks. Continue reading Fintech Set to Mature in Latin America

Financial technology is growing like never before with funding to fintech companies that set a record in the second quarter of 2017 increasing by 83% and reaching an astounding $5,2 billion invested in total. Continuing at such pace, this year we are going to see the highest numbers both regarding fintech deals and in the total funding. While waiting for the data from the last two quarters, you can find some notable trends we have saw so far within the fintech industry in 2017. Continue reading 6 Biggest Fintech Trends in 2017