NetOTC, a provider of innovative risk solutions, today announced the launch of NetOTC Bilateral, the end-to-end bilateral market infrastructure for the margining of non-cleared OTC derivatives.

NetOTC Bilateral is connecting to Euroclear’s Collateral Highway in an effort to answer the market demand for greater transparency, resilience and addressing the market need for funding, capital and operational cost efficiencies.

 Gresham Computing plc, a leading provider of real-time financial transaction control and enterprise data integrity solutions, today confirmed a further four new customers will implement its flagship Clareti Transaction Control (CTC) platform. The deals span Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, and take the total to six new CTC customers in the second half year period.

EQ Investors (EQ) the boutique wealth manager led by John Spiers, the founder of Bestinvest, today unveils Simply EQ, a new online and telephone-based investment advice service. Designed for private investors seeking portfolio management at affordable rates, Simply EQ offers regulated advice and access to a range of investment solutions managed by EQ’s highly experienced investment team.

The call for retail banks to reinvent their business models has never been more urgent. On one hand, banks are challenged by shrinking revenues and struggle with achieving operational cost efficiencies. On the other, they must face the rising threat of FinTech startups that are attacking their core businesses, with the likes of Lending Club, Funding Circle, TransferWise and Venmo quickly becoming household names.

The mounting cyber security skills shortage in the industry poses a significant threat to organisations’ defence strategies. For APMG International, high quality, rigorous and professional Information Assurance training schemes hold the key to closing the skills shortage gap and bolstering businesses’ cyber security defences.

As regulators become increasingly concerned with consumer protection, new frameworks such as The Payments Services Directive 2 (PSD2) are forcing the existing payments players to re-think how they operate in a market that is opening up rapidly to new forms of competition. With the emergence of new digital payment methods, such as Apple Pay, combined with the growing number of Fintech-led account aggregator businesses, this regulation which is in the final negotiation stages is going to cause disruption and pave the way for even greater change.

Swissquote, Switzerland's online bank, just added new currency pairs and Forward CFDs to its already bountiful offer of trading products.

The addition of the US Dollar vs Offshore Chinese Yuan pair is a logical step in the bank's affirmed strategy to develop its Asian business from its Hong Kong offices. Since Beijing has allowed the yuan to trade more freely, the currency has also become greatly sought after by traders looking to venture off the beaten paths.

ICS Financial Systems Limited (ICSFS), the global software and services provider for banks and financial institutions, announces that Mansour Bank for Investment, an Iraq-based bank and its partner, Qatar National Bank (owns 51%), has selected its global awards winning flagship ICS BANKS® to replace its core banking and IT systems.

LogNet Billing, a provider of Modern Billing solutions for service providers worldwide, has released MaxBill 5, version 5 of its MaxBill solution.