Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Securities Finance & Collateral Conference SASLA 2024 in Cape Town. It provided a valuable platform for industry leaders to discuss - The future of Securities Finance in South Africa: How can we as an industry leverage the latest technologies. Looking at the implications of T+1 and the potential move to T+0. During a panel discussion, I shared insights on how this transition affects Stock Lending and Borrowing (SLB) technology and processes, sparking crucial conversations among participants.

Trading Technologies International, Inc. (TT), a global capital markets technology platform provider, today announced that it has closed on the acquisition of ATEO SAS, a leading provider of post-trade solutions for listed derivatives, expanding TT’s reach into clearing and other middle-office technologies and services. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Appian (Nasdaq: APPN) has partnered with Symphony, the leading markets’ infrastructure and technology platform, to help banks and financial services firms communicate, collaborate, and automate compliantly in a highly competitive and regulated market. The partnership will enable customers to embed auditable, compliance-enabled omnichannel communications on popular platforms into their workflow for increased efficiency and transparency. 

Nium, the leader in real-time cross-border payments, announced today that it is the first non-Japanese company to have secured a Type 1 Funds Transfer Service Provider (FTSP) license from the Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA).

Railpen, the fiduciary and investment manager of the UK railways’ pension schemes, has appointed BNY Mellon, the global financial services company, to provide a cloud-based data platform that simplifies its data architecture and supports the resilience of its operating model. The platform will deliver greater insights from Railpen’s proprietary data for the purpose of investment reporting and generating analytics.

Mastercard and MTN Group Fintech have signed a multi-market agreement that will set in motion a new era of collaboration to connect millions of people and small businesses across Africa with digital tools to transact through secure mobile payments, expanding access to the benefits of the cashless digital economy.

TerraPay, a global leader in cross-border payments, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Banco G&T Continental, a distinguished financial institution in Guatemala. This collaboration marks TerraPay's first direct partnership in Central America and is a significant advancement in the cross-border remittance sector, aimed at providing seamless and innovative solutions for Guatemalans abroad to securely send money to their families back home.

Bilt Rewards (“Bilt”), the leading loyalty platform specializing in rent and neighborhood rewards, today announced a $200 million equity investment, led by General Catalyst, with significant contributions by Eldridge, alongside existing investors Left Lane Capital, Camber Creek and Prosus Ventures. This catapults the company's valuation to $3.1 billion.

Airwallex, a leading global payments and financial platform for modern businesses, today announced the expansion of its global leadership team, with three new hires based out of the company’s Americas headquarters in San Francisco. Jason Gottlieb joins as VP, Financial Partnerships, Hugo Buret as Global Head of Strategic Partnerships, and Ankur Goel as Global Head of Revenue Operations. 

As brands rushed to build seamless and effective omnichannel presences at the start of the pandemic, consumers benefitted from more choice and a renewed focus on better experiences. In the wake of that rush, we now get relevant and personalized experiences when we engage with streaming services, retailers, online grocery platforms and beyond, and have come to expect the same level of tailored service across the board.