Challenger banks and building societies are redoubling their mobile banking efforts in a bid to take market share from the Big Four (Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and RBS), according to new research from Aspect Software.

Wirefund, a provider of quick and simple business loans, today launches in the UK. Created to improve the flow of British business, Wirefund will provide loans to help protect and grow small and medium sized companies by keeping their cash flowing.

Banks are beginning to adopt some digitisation in their traditional trade offerings but the dilemma for banks today is how to replicate the low risk attributes and intermediation given by traditional trade, in an environment where customers want the simplicity and low cost efficiency of open account with the choice of taking finance on a transactional or portfolio basis. A combination of Cloud and Blockchain will potentially transform the current paper-based trade finance approach for the processing and management of trade transactions into a more inclusive digital and efficient platform.  All parties connected to the transaction will have easier access and greater visibility, timescales will be reduced and the financing bank will retain the transaction control, coupled with a security interest in and, where appropriate, actual control of the underlying physical goods.

Entersekt, a world leader in authentication and mobile app security, has announced a partnership with Netcetera, a developer and operator of highly secure and convenient payment systems. Entersekt will provide the Zurich-headquartered company with push-based transaction authentication software engineered to protect card-based online payments through a highly secure but user-friendly adaptation of the 3-D Secure process.

HomeStreet Bank has hired Edward C. Schultz as its president for the state of California and executive vice president in Commercial Banking. Schultz will be based in the San Francisco office where he will oversee all Commercial Banking strategy and activities for the state.

EBA CLEARING today made available the specifications for its future panEuropean instant payment solution scheduled to go live in November 2017. This initial set of detailed documentation, which covers the functional description and the interface specifications, will support future users in their preparations for the connection to this new solution. All payment service providers (PSPs) interested to prepare for joining this service can request access to the documentation via the EBA CLEARING website.

Hasbro, Inc., a global company committed to “Creating the World's Best Play Experiences,” was highly commended by Treasury Today magazine’s Adam Smith Awards for Harnessing the Power of Technology, using the 

 Smarsh®, the leading provider of cloud-based archiving solutions for compliance and e-discovery, today announced enhanced archiving and supervision support for Symphony Communication Services, LLC within The Archiving Platform™ from Smarsh.

 Visa plans to open a new office in Silicon Valley as part of its continued efforts to accelerate digital commerce globally. The new 62,000 square foot facility, located in Palo Alto, will be a combination of office and collaboration spaces for approximately 300 Visa employees focused on technology research, business intelligence, data security and merchant solutions.

Kenyan Diaspora sent one million money transfers with WorldRemit.

With the WorldRemit app or website, the diaspora can send safe, instant transfers to Kenya at the touch of a button.