Temenos (SIX: TEMN), the banking software company, has been awarded the ‘Most Innovative Banking Technology Partner of the Year’ in the Private Banking & Wealth Management’s Special Editor’s Award. Temenos Infinity Wealth impressed the judges with its capacity to deliver digital client experiences while driving considerable efficiency gains for banks from a single front-to-back platform.

More than 10 years after the invention of Bitcoin, there is still a tremendous gap between traditional banking on one side and decentralised finance on the other side. SEBA Bank, an integrated bank focused on digital assets, works as a bridge builder offering a comprehensive range of services in digital as well as in traditional finance. In August, it received a licence from the Swiss Financial Market Authority FINMA – the first time such a licence to a bank with a main focus on digital assets and crypto was granted.

Expansion into nine additional markets

Tech is disrupting the conventional banking sector from back office core banking to customer-facing processes. Islamic banking is no different. Wael Malkawi, executive director at ICS Financial Systems (ICSFS), spoke with IBS Intelligence about how technology has disrupted Islamic banks in recent years.

How has Islamic banking evolved/changed in the past few years?

Payoneer, the digital payment platform empowering businesses around the world to grow globally, has announced it has agreed to acquire optile, a Munich-based tech company that streamlines payment acceptance processes for merchants worldwide. Founded in 2010, optile’s open payment ecosystem puts merchants in control of their business with the flexibility to add payment options and partners as their needs evolve, boosting conversion and improving customer experience.

Nuvei, a leading global payment technology provider, announced today it has completed a US$270 million (CA$358 million) common equity financing, valuing the company at US$2 billion (CA$2.65 billion). The investment comes primarily from Nuvei’s existing shareholders: leading Canadian private equity firm Novacap, supported by some of its key limited partners, and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), one of the largest Canadian institutional investors. This financing allows Nuvei to further bolster both its organic and acquisition growth plans.

Addiko Group is to work with software firm Ideagen in a cross-border auditing project through several Central and Eastern European countries.

Headquartered in Vienna, Addiko - a specialist Consumer and SME banking group – will launch Ideagen’s Pentana Audit software across its operations in Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Mastercard today marked the first tests of a new digital service that has the potential to verify a person’s identity immediately, safely and securely in both the digital and the physical world.

The initial in-market pilot will take place in Australia through two separate efforts with Australia Post and Deakin University.

Eventus Systems, Inc., a leading global trade surveillance and market risk platform provider, has just won the 2019 FOW International Award for Best New Technology Product: Market Surveillance.  Officials from FOW, part of the Global Investor Group, announced the recognition for the firm’s Validus platform at the FOW International Awards Gala Dinner last night in London.

Disruptions that began with technological and business model innovations in other places are expressed in new ways in Asia. In banking, payments and retail, Asia is leading the wave of disruption.

In each case, these changing models, as well as unique situations, are enabling consumer choice, shifting profit margins and creating new opportunities.

Technology

Boomi™, a Dell Technologies business, today announced the results of its research on banks’ engagement with their customers. The research finds almost one in three (30%) UK adults consider the search for a better customer experience in digital interactions the main driver for changing banks. 

The research quizzed 6,000 adults across the UK and Europe on the customer experience provided by their bank, and how the bank meets their needs.