In the world of online transactions, businesses have traditionally placed a strong emphasis on payment fees, often striving to minimise them to maximise profits. 

However, as the digital landscape evolves, there has been a shift in focus towards prioritising user experience in payment platforms. This shift is driven by the understanding that an exceptional user experience fosters customer loyalty, drives repeat business, and ultimately leads to higher revenue in the long run. 

The notable failures of regional banks in the US, such as Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and First Republic, have acted as a warning to financial institutions across the globe. Rapid increases in interest rates, unstable funding, and turbulent economic conditions are just some of the factors that led to recent banking upheaval and the collapse of SVB.

Mentioning the convergence of AI and crypto may seem a bit overwhelming, but it's a thrilling concept to explore. Far from being unrelated or antagonistic, these two fields are discovering profound synergies that can redefine the boundaries of technology and economy. Let's delve into the intertwined world of AI and crypto and their emerging collaborative innovations.

To appreciate this convergence, it's essential to understand the individual strengths and purposes of both AI and crypto.

iDenfy, a global RegTech startup offering AI-based ID verification and fraud prevention tools, announced partnering with Syntropy, a Web3 network software and real-time blockchain data company. iDenfy will be responsible for ensuring Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance by providing swift identity verification checks for Syntropy’s clients and partners. 

ZetaChain, the layer-one blockchain that brings universal interoperability to crypto, has closed a $27 million equity funding round from a range of top participants. The participants in the equity round include Blockchain.com, Human Capital, VY Capital, Sky9 Capital, Jane Street Capital, VistaLabs, CMT Digital, Foundation Capital, Lingfeng Capital, GSR, Kudasai, Krust, and others.

NCR Corporation, a leading enterprise technology provider, today announced it has expanded its partnership with Kiwibank, the largest New Zealand-owned bank. NCR will run the bank’s ATM fleet through its ATM as a Service solution, and Kiwibank’s 200+ ATMs will be incorporated into NCR’s Allpoint Network in New Zealand.  

Dock, a B2B technology company for payments and banking, announced today that Tenpo, Chile's largest digital bank with more than 2.2 million customers, is now a customer of the Brazilian company.

The British Business Bank has appointed Esi Eshun OBE as its new General Counsel and Company Secretary, effective from November 2023.

Esi joins the British Business Bank from UK Export Finance, the UK’s export credit agency and a government department.  In recent months, Esi has been the Interim Director of Business Group with oversight of the department’s underwriting, origination, marketing, and communications, and also a member of its Executive Committee. 

We are delighted to announce the forthcoming  The FinTech Festival Asia 2023,  a highly anticipated event set to showcase a dynamic array of industry trailblazers. This event is held to unveil an exciting lineup of industry luminaries, offering an immersive exploration of the fintech landscape on September 27th and 28th at the prestigious Royal Paragon Hall in Bangkok, Thailand.

OT cybersecurity platform vendor Radiflow announced today a partnership with Taiwanese vendor CyCraft, a company focused on generative AI detection, investigation, and response to nation-state-sponsored APTs (advanced persistent threats). The partnership leverages over 20 years of real-world threat intelligence from both East and West.