Back from a couple of weeks in Mexico where it seemed the whole world was going steadily insane (or maybe that was just the tequila). Anyways, it was reassuring to start the week with another “wow is that what they really meant?” moment whilst gorging on the never-ending box set known as MiFID 2. This time it’s about the obligations on brokers to report annually their top venues of execution. A sensible(ish) pointer towards disclosure and best execution, but there’s a catch.

Leading UK legal systems innovator Zylpha has launched the first PayPal utility for legal practices. The new integration enables law firms to take clients’ payments easily including: initial ‘on account’ funds, disbursements, diarised invoice sums and final settlements. Zylpha believes that the new solution, which operates within LexisNexis Visualfiles, provides a fast, easy and customer friendly method of securing client funds. In addition, where required, The PayPal integration can be used in conjunction with leading eSignature product Adobe Sign.

 Blom Bank the major Lebanese bank, has chosen Wolters Kluwer’s OneSumX to provide it operational risk software solution. The bank joins a growing and global list of clients who have opted for the solution to manage a range of areas, ranging from operational risk to market and credit risk and regulatory reporting.

Whether or not you voted for Brexit, whether or not you believe it’s a done deal, there’s one thing post-referendum that surely isn’t up for debate. For British companies wanting to trade with Europe, the bureaucracy of Brussels isn't going away. And that particularly applies to data protection. 

 Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. signed an agreement with SEI that will provide SEI private banking clients access to Broadridge's global securities class action services.

KCG Holding has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Neonet Securities AB ("Neonet"), an independent agency broker and execution specialist based in Stockholm, Sweden from its shareholders, Hay Tor Capital, KAS BANK and Cidron Delfi Intressenter Holding. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Challenger banks and building societies are redoubling their mobile banking efforts in a bid to take market share from the Big Four (Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and RBS), according to new research from Aspect Software.

Wirefund, a provider of quick and simple business loans, today launches in the UK. Created to improve the flow of British business, Wirefund will provide loans to help protect and grow small and medium sized companies by keeping their cash flowing.

Banks are beginning to adopt some digitisation in their traditional trade offerings but the dilemma for banks today is how to replicate the low risk attributes and intermediation given by traditional trade, in an environment where customers want the simplicity and low cost efficiency of open account with the choice of taking finance on a transactional or portfolio basis. A combination of Cloud and Blockchain will potentially transform the current paper-based trade finance approach for the processing and management of trade transactions into a more inclusive digital and efficient platform.  All parties connected to the transaction will have easier access and greater visibility, timescales will be reduced and the financing bank will retain the transaction control, coupled with a security interest in and, where appropriate, actual control of the underlying physical goods.