As traditional methods of trading continue to be challenged, 2017 is the year (and time) to “re-think traditional trading”. Returning after a successful inaugural year, this year’s Fixed Income Leaders Summit APAC will be back in an enhanced format from 26^th to 28^th September at The Westin Hotel in Singapore.

Payworks, a leading provider of Point of Sale payment infrastructure, announced today their new certification with First Data Merchant Solutions UK (FDMS), a global leader in commerce-enabling technology and solutions. 

The first blockchain fundraising platform that offers 3-in-1 solutions for ICOs, crowdfunding, and crowdinvesting started its ICO today at 1 PM (GMT) and already by 3 PM reached its 69 percent goal.

A short time ago, I hosted an interesting group for the Nordic Finance Innovation meetings.  The meeting gathered several of the leading-edge Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) companies that have launched in the last few years including Bud, Clearbank, Leveris, Saxo Bank and Solaris.  Building on each others narrative it soon became clear that anyone could launch a full scale bank without a banking licence.  I could launch a bank with a few APIs from Bud and Solaris.  I could launch a full-scale investment and retail bank if I added in a few more from Saxo Bank.  This is something else.

PayPal customers in the U.S. can now earn cash back on every purchase online and in stores with today’s launch of the new PayPal Cashback Mastercard issued by Synchrony Bank. The PayPal Cashback Mastercard, designed exclusively for PayPal members, offers cardholders 2% cash back every day, on every purchase – everywhere Mastercard is accepted. 

As hedge funds and quantitative asset managers hunt for unique sources of alpha, Wall Street’s attention is turning to analysis of location data generated by mobile phones.

Location data from mobile phones is now at the forefront of the push to combine data science techniques with machine learning techniques to produce actionable information on company fundamentals.

Third-party aggregators are seeking to quench the thirst of hedge funds for non-traditional datasets.

Mastercard today unveiled a pilot project in Poland, making a smartphone the only necessary device for accepting contactless payments. The solution is aimed at small and micro merchants that have traditionally taken cash payments, providing them with a simpler and more secure way to run their business. 

Enterpay and Collector Bank have kicked off their collaboration. Collector Bank will add a B2B invoice powered by Enterpay to its payment method selection in Finland and later in the Nordics.

InvestCloud Inc., a global FinTech firm, has announced Stage Venture Partners (Stage) as the latest firm to take up residence at the InvestCloud Innovation Center in Los Angeles.

eftpos today launched its new eftpos Settlement Service (eSS). This new service is an essential core function in closing out the Company’s transformation phase and demonstrates its ability to increasingly deliver value for Members and the Australian payments industry.