VakifBank, a leading Turkish bank, is expanding the functionality of its self-service channel by introducing new software and cash recycling systems from Diebold Nixdorf (NYSE: DBD), a world leader in enabling connected commerce for millions of consumers each day across the financial and retail industries. 

Continuing its investment in the Canadian artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, Borealis AI, an RBC Institute for Research, today announced that it will open a lab in Montreal, one of Canada’s most prominent AI hubs. 

SEPA Instant Payments (SCT inst) is the first instant payment scheme to be inter-operable in a region as large as SEPA and is a response to European customer needs for faster payments.

From November 2017, customers of participating banks will be able to send money to accounts in 10 seconds regardless of the SEPA countries involved in the transaction, and can do this 24/7/365.

Synechron, Inc, the global financial services consulting and technology services provider, has won the global ACORD Insurance Innovation Challenge Award for Industry Disrupter for 2017. ACORD, the global provider of insurance data standards, recognized Synechron’s Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Accelerator for Visual Risk at an event in Boston, the firm has announced today.

• Robo money saver Mespo takes newcomer crown, with mobile banking app Pockit winning two prizes - the established fintech category and special Experian Spotlight award

• Almost 100 high calibre entries to UK’s first Fintech For All Competition

• Competition launched at request as part of the Government’s Digital Strategy

Winners of Tech City UK’s first ever Fintech For All Competition were revealed last night in a thrilling final in the heart of the City.

For a long time, conversation about European fintech has seemingly revolved around London. Indeed, since its coronation as king of the industry, London has enjoyed considerable inflows of investment, innovation and talent. However, casting the spotlight on London's fintech scene alone ignores the myriad exciting developments springing up across the continent.

FSS AadhaarPay, a biometric-enabled merchant payment acceptance solution, has won the Payments Awards UK in the “Best Alternative Payment Award” category. The awards were announced at the 5th Edition of the Annual Payments Awards, at a prestigious awards ceremony in London.

While this period brings great opportunity, it also creates considerable challenges. Retailers must respond to evolving behaviors and manage huge increases in footfall, but still deliver the exceptional in-store experience consumers demand. They must also contend with increasingly sophisticated fraudsters and react to rapidly evolving security threats.

The good news is that the tools retailers need to successfully address these challenges are already available to them.

Putting the smartphone front and center

The hot topics in retail banking are becoming increasingly clear as banks start to consider much more strongly their approaches and strategies for the digital economy.