Platform businesses face a unique challenge. When it comes to user acquisition, they have to attract a two-sided audience to enable the success of their product. For an online marketplace, these two sides are made up of buyers and sellers, for the sharing economy, they are made up of listers and renters - and so on.

Improving data and the quality of decisions are two of the top strategic priorities for credit management professionals in the next three years. A new study of credit management professionals from Equifax Ignite reveals nearly three quarters (72%) believe there is scope for future improvement of data analytics at their current companies.

 Despite banks playing a fundamental enabling role in the development of national digital ID schemes to date, their uniquely strong position in the field is under increasing threat from web giants and other globally networked firms. This is the view expressed by Mobey Forum’s Digital ID Expert Group in a new research report launched today.

Solactive concluded its strategic investment in scientific climate data start-up right. based on science. The Frankfurt-based company’s software enables clients to measure the contribution of a company or a portfolio to climate change. Backed by the peer-reviewed XDC Economic Climate Impact Model, results are expressed tangibly and easy to interpret in °C. The software features scenario analysis and a variety of use cases ranging from portfolio and product design to climate reporting and risk management.

Your business involves cross-border payments. You deserve a payments services provider who can deliver a really good customer experience. What should you look for?

The marketplace for business-to-business (B2B) payments services is a very competitive one. Whether they are banks or non-banks (like Safenetpay), most payments services providers have little scope to cut fees further.

Copper.co, the London-based custodian for digital assets, has raised a USD $8 million Series A to grow globally by expanding its commercial team and launching new products.

In February, the number of registered investors on the European P2P platform Robo.cash reached 10,000. Remarkably, last year the geographical distribution of its users changed significantly, due to a large influx of investors from Bulgaria, Spain, Italy and Portugal.

Financial IT caught up with Victor Fredung, CEO of Shufti Pro.

Financial IT: Could you please tell us more about Shufti Pro and your background?

Victor Fredung (VF): Shufti Pro is an AI-based identity verification services provider. Our KYC/KYB and AML screening solutions powered with biometric authentication enable businesses to screen their customers in real-time. Our solutions can deliver 98.67% accurate verification results within 15-60 seconds.

National Bank of Yemen (NBY), one of the largest commercial banks and a prominent contributor to the economic and social development in Yemen; has gone live with ICS BANKS Universal Banking Software from ICS Financial Systems Limited (ICSFS), the global software and services provider for banks and financial institutions, to grow its operations domestically and internationally.