Skipify, a fintech company redefining the checkout experience, has teamed up with American Express to connect Amex U.S. Consumer Members' Cards seamlessly into checkout. Skipify’s technology, launching exclusively with American Express, identifies select Amex customers via their email address, enabling them to automatically link their eligible Amex Cards to check out with participating merchants. This solution removes the need for consumers to manually enter their payment and billing details, improving merchant approval and conversion rates. 

How it works

Skipify partners with financial institutions to directly pull and store consumers’ eligible payment and billing address information on file, after securely authenticating the consumer at checkout. For merchants, this results in fewer abandoned carts and higher authorization rates, regardless of channel, platform, or processor. 

The launch of Card Linking is one of Skipify's latest product innovations as they continue to define the Connected Checkout category. Skipify will be rolling out additional partnerships with other financial institutions later this year.

Relationship between Amex & Skipify

In early 2021, Amex Ventures, the venture capital arm of American Express, invested in Skipify. Amex Ventures connected Skipify with American Express corporate business units and key sponsors to unlock benefits of Skipify to American Express Card Members. “From Day one, American Express has been an amazing partner,” said Ryth Martin, Founder and CEO of Skipify. “As we scale past millions of monthly checkouts on our platform, we are excited to layer in our Card Linking solution with American Express to the thousands of merchants that offer Skipify today.”

“Card Linking is a great example of the innovation and customer value that can result from a startup like Skipify teaming up with Amex Ventures,” said Matt Sueoka, SVP and Global Head of Amex Ventures. “We’re excited to continue working with Skipify to strengthen the relationship with our shared customers by making the digital shopping experience more convenient and secure.”

NCR Corporation, a leading enterprise technology provider, today announced that Seacoast Bank has upgraded its ATM fleet and streamlined operations using NCR’s ATM as a Service (ATMaaS) solution. The bank has further expanded customers’ access to cash by joining NCR’s Allpoint Network.

Seacoast Bank leveraged NCR ATMaaS to replace its conventional ATM fleet, externalizing ATM maintenance and management. The bank now has a cutting-edge technology platform that enhances availability and uptime, provides actionable insights, and keeps pace with evolving customer expectations.

“Adopting NCR’s ATM as a Service solution has led to significant gains on several fronts: we’ve reduced capital expenditure, enhanced efficiencies, and now deliver a better customer experience in the critically important self-service channel,” explained Julie Kleffel, Chief Banking Officer at Seacoast Bank. “NCR has been an invaluable strategic partner, helping us in modernizing and enriching how we serve our customers.”

Furthermore, Seacoast Bank has joined NCR's Allpoint Network, a move that enhances customer convenience with surcharge-free cash access across more than 40,000 ATMs nationwide. Kleffel continued, “Enabling effortless, flexible access to cash is vital to our customers, especially during active hurricane seasons when they need urgent access to nearby working ATMs. Plus, affiliation with the Allpoint Network allows us to scale well beyond Florida, competing with super-regional and national bank brands.”

“The ATM continues to be an important touchpoint for customer service and success.  Through NCR’s ATM as a Service solution and Allpoint Network, Seacoast Bank offers customers reliable, quality banking service whenever and wherever they need it,” said Stuart Mackinnon, EVP, ATM Group, NCR Banking. “We are proud to support financial institutions like Seacoast Bank, helping them modernize their technology and infrastructure while increasing operational efficiencies.”

Today, Consensys officially announced the general availability of Diligence Fuzzing, a smart contract security tool built by Consensys Diligence for Solidity developers, auditors, and enterprises engaging with web3 companies that need to ensure the security of their smart contracts. In addition to the official announcement of Diligence Fuzzing, Consensys announced two major upgrades to the platform: a special user experience for Foundry projects, and a new pricing plan, making Diligence Fuzzing easier to access and less expensive for builders. Diligence Fuzzing is a self-service security tool that allows developers to easily find vulnerabilities in their smart contracts without the need to set up their infrastructure or write complex test cases. By pairing it with our open-source tool, Scribble, developers can automate their security testing process with Diligence Fuzzing to get on Mainnet faster and more securely.

According to The Beosin: 2022 Global Web3 Security & AML Report, $3.8 billion was lost from hacks of well-established protocols in 2022. Industry experts are now recommending to not only rely on smart contract auditing services but to participate in continuous testing through fuzzing tools and others, to boost security testing and prevent hacks. Fuzzing is the process of inputting random and invalid data points into a program in an attempt to find security flaws.

Consensys’ Diligence Fuzzing is a premium grey-box fuzzing tool that helps find bugs in smart contracts by using an advanced technique (greybox fuzzing) to check the functional properties of entire contract systems, instead of only individual functions. This makes it much more thorough and efficient than other tools. Specifically, Diligence Fuzzing is up to 25 times more effective than existing fuzzing solutions. Used as a complementary solution to manual audits provided by experienced experts, Diligence Fuzzing will support users in achieving the highest level of security assurance for their smart contracts. 

With an easy 3-step process users are now able to fuzz their Foundry projects within minutes and receive a comprehensive report of detected bugs and vulnerabilities, lowering the barrier to entry for anyone who needs to ensure the security of their smart contracts.

As part of the announcement, Consensys is providing new pricing and user experience upgrades to make Diligence Fuzzing more accessible. Specifically:

• Diligence Fuzzing now offers special user experience for Foundry projects. Foundry users can apply DF to their projects with a 3-step process;

• A new pricing plan. Now offering a powerful free plan, a basic and less expensive option, and an all-access plan for power users to make Diligence Fuzzing more accessible for builders. 

"We are excited to announce the launch of Diligence Fuzzing, which employs Greybox Fuzzing techniques to provide the broadest code coverage available in the market," said Liz Daldalian, Lead, Consensys Diligence. "Our automated tool is designed to detect vulnerabilities in smart contracts and offers the most comprehensive security solution, setting new benchmarks for code coverage, speed, and the number of bugs found. The Diligence Fuzzing release further signals our commitment to making smart contract security more accessible and easier to implement for all developers in the Ethereum ecosystem.” 

Interested stakeholders can easily access Diligence Fuzzing and integrate continuous smart contract security testing into their development cycle. By creating a free account, stakeholders can enroll in their preferred license, from the free plan 'Explorer' to the basic plan 'Builder' and the all-access plan 'Builder Pro.' The 'Explorer' plan offers up to 100 fuzzing runs, each with a maximum duration of 5 minutes. The 'Builder' plan provides unlimited fuzzing scans, with each run lasting up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, the 'Builder Pro plan allows unlimited fuzzing runs without any time restrictions. 

ZILO, the UK-based FinTech company, announces the go-live of its SaaS technology platform for global transfer agency services.  

ZILO has a mission to transform the global transfer agency market improving the technology of custodian banks and outsourcing organisations thereby enabling them to offer more efficient services to their asset and wealth manager clients.  

The UK go-live is a significant milestone for ZILO, which has, for several years, been conducting research and building the platform to get to this stage. The timing of this go-live coincides with the increased requirement for UK firms, among other things, to demonstrate value for the benefit of their investors.  

Over recent years the pressure on revenue margins has been a constant. The consequential challenge to asset and wealth managers has been to adapt their operating model to accommodate the new digital age and address the cost to serve. The go-live of ZILO is a significant step in this journey and will facilitate the move of the traditional outsourcing firms from legacy technology and operating models into a more efficient and substantially more cost-effective operating platform.  

ZILO’s SaaS technology offers clients a global cloud-based Transfer Agency solution, delivering a single consistent platform across multiple jurisdictions. This is a departure from some legacy solutions which can be more monolithic with narrower jurisdictional focus. 

Launching first in the UK, for the benefits of global and regional organisations based there, ZILO is continuing the expansion of their global platform with fund coverage which will include Luxembourg, Ireland and Asian capabilities in 2024, with further jurisdictions scheduled for launch thereafter. 

“The more we have spoken with potential customers, the more they have re-iterated the need for innovation in technology, services and costs for this part of the industry”, says Andrew Wilson, Chief  Commercial Officer. 

ZILO was founded in 2020 by Phil Goffin, a serial FinTech innovator. The Company has grown comprising experienced financial industry talent across all disciplines. 

Phil Goffin, Chief Executive Officer of ZILO, said: “We are excited to have gone live with ZILO’s new technology following three years of extensive research, significant investment and independent product development.” 

“We have a highly experienced and skilled technical team, based in the UK and Asia, that have built an  entirely new modular system so we can work with Custodian Banks, other servicing organisations and  those scale Asset Managers that favour technology solutions versus outsourcing, creating a new  platform of choice for the industry.” 

TransUnion, a global information and insights company and one of the UK’s leading credit reference agencies, has partnered with Leeds Pride as a premium sponsor, aligned to the company’s ongoing commitment to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Colleagues from TransUnion will be joining the parade through Leeds City Centre on 6 August, covering a 1.8 mile route. The team will also be participating in a fundraiser, aiming to walk a combined total of 100 miles on the day, with proceeds being donated to local Leeds LGBTQI+ charity Proud ‘N’ Diverse.

TransUnion’s colleague forum Pride @ TU is one of many inclusion and belonging groups within the organisation, all of which have executive support. Mark Horsey, chief financial officer for TransUnion in the UK is the executive sponsor for Pride @ TU and commented on the initiative.

“We’re excited to be participating in this year’s Leeds Pride. At TransUnion we’re dedicated to providing an open, accepting, and safe space to inspire conversations and encourage learning,” said Horsey. “We aim to give back to our local community whenever we can, which is why sponsoring Leeds Pride is important to us. Our colleague group drives awareness and education within the business so we’re thrilled to be a part of helping our local LGBTQI+ community feel supported and empowered to succeed.”

“We’re also really pleased that we can use this event as a means of fundraising for local charity Proud ‘N’ Diverse. As a business we’ll also be matching funds raised by our colleagues on the day.”

Robert Smith, co-founder of Proud ‘N’ Diverse commented: “We’re really thankful for TransUnion’s support to help us raise awareness on LGBTQI+ issue concerning current rights the LGBTQI+ community are facing. Our purpose is to make Leeds a safer space for LGBTQI+ individuals. We do this by being a point of contact where our friendly staff and volunteers can offer guidance on issues they are currently facing in a relaxed and non-pressured environment.”

IDnow, a leading identity proofing platform provider in Europe, has obtained the remote identity verification certification known as PVID (prestataire de verification d’identité à distance) on the level “substantial” for its IDCheck.io Identity Proofing Service and VideoIdent Qualified Electronic Signature. A symbol of the culmination of months of collaboration and involvement of all teams, this certification demonstrates the company’s desire to offer its customers solutions that are safe, compliant, and fully in line with the regulations in France.

PVID – European leadership in digital and financial security

In a society where transactions have become considerably digitized and are now mostly done remotely, the risk of identity theft has increased, particularly in the banking and financial sector. This is why the National Agency for the Security of Information Systems (Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information, the ANSSI) established a new framework defining stricter requirements of identity verification providers. The new standard leads the way for select identity providers to effectively fight against fraud – a singular goal across rigorous Anti Money Laundering (AML) laws in France and throughout Europe. PVID raises cybersecurity standards for traditional finance, digital finance, trust services, and beyond.

Introduced in March 2021, PVID certifies providers the ability to offer identity verification as defined by Europe’s Regulation on Electronic Identification and Trust Services, eIDAS Regulation. Where eIDAS establishes European levels of security to meet the equivalence of a face-to-face verification for various use cases, PVID implements these levels of security to enable compliant digital onboarding for banking and other financial services in France. The certification, issued for two years, allows highly regulated banking or FinServ players to access a robust, secure service offering, thus enabling remote identification while reducing the risk of identity fraud.

France is the first country in the European Union to have established an effective policy for remote identity verification, and was followed by the work of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) on the ETSI TS 119 461 standard, which pursues a similar purpose.

An undeniable competitive advantage in the digital identity-proofing market

As only the second private player to obtain the coveted certification, IDnow has a major advantage in the digital identity-proofing market. The certified IDCheck.io Identity Proofing Service and VideoIdent Qualified Electronic Signature offer customers a trusted onboarding process that meets the security requirements of the ACPR (Autorité de contrôle prudential et de resolution) and supports the fight against money laundering and fraud. The solutions allow banks to offer flexible, simple, and fast digital paths to improve conversion rates through 100% remote identification, equivalent to a face-to-face process.

“Obtaining PVID certification is a source of great pride and validation for IDnow and a real recognition of our expertise in the digital identity market in France,” said Rayissa Armata (picture attached), Senior Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow.

“As the regulatory landscape aims to extend its reach to additional digital services across Europe, PVID offers national regulators an example of a consistent framework that places privacy and security at its forefront.

“Beyond France, PVID represents one more step for IDnow in its ambition to offer its customers the most secure solutions certified by reference organizations, such as ANSSI. Standards like PVID or TS 119 461 have the potential to be building blocks for future onboarding regulations across geographies and applications, like digital identity wallets.

“The experience gained from PVID or our contribution to writing TS 119 461 will prove invaluable, and few companies will be able to advise customers as well as IDnow on navigating in this sphere,” Rayissa added.

Digital payments expert, PayPoint, has launched Confirmation of Payer or Payer Name Verification service to its suite of open banking solutions.

Confirmation of Payer enables businesses to confirm that account information provided by a payer corresponds to the account number, sort code, and name registered with the bank. It can be used when setting up Direct Debits to not only ensure that the correct details have been inputted but also help prevent fraud and subsequent indemnity claims. The solution is delivered through a web portal or easily integrated via APIs.

According to Pay. UK’s BAC’s annual statistics report 2022 there were 4.7 billion Direct Debits processed in the UK in 2022. 

Over 450 clients across a broad range of sectors such as government, utilities, e-commerce, charities, and banking trust PayPoint to process more than 650 million payments a year for their customers.

Similar to PayPoint’s Confirmation of Payee services, Confirmation of Payer offers a simple and cost-effective solution that helps organisations avoid costly and time-consuming errors while also reducing fraud.

Danny Vant, Managing Director of Client Services at PayPoint, said: “Our Confirmation of Payee service has been very successful and seen huge appetite among businesses looking to add further safeguards into their existing operations or replace less effective incumbent solutions. Adding Confirmation of Payer to our product suite is the natural next step in continuing to build out this service to deliver a fully rounded, integrated offering to clients.  

“Despite many existing safeguards, a significant number of Direct Debit payments do not reach the intended recipient due to fraud or inaccuracies in the set-up information. These services greatly reduce that risk for businesses by checking payee details are correct and making fraud easier to detect.”

“Banks and financial institutions have worked hard to earn a high level of trust, so much so that only around 20% of global consumers have been affected by a loss of funds from their bank account. But with increased threats of cyber attacks and new and emerging ways of making payments, it is critical that financial institutions remain vigilant,” says Stefan Auerbach, CEO, Utimaco. “This is where our Circles of Trust whitepaper is a vital piece of research, highlighting the need for financial institutions to have proven and reliable cybersecurity solutions in place to maintain and improve high consumer trust.”

UK-based FinTech Stubben Edge Group and National Friendly (the trading name of Mutual, National Deposit Friendly Society Ltd) have announced the launch of a new product, the Accident Only Income Protection policy.Anchor

The first of its kind, this product is designed for the self-employed, employed individuals and company directors within the small business community who wouldn’t typically consider protecting themselves from a disabling injury or health issues that could prevent them from working, along with the subsequent risk to the business they’re working to build.

Designed with younger entrepreneurs in mind, the Accident Only Income Protection policy will cover them financially if they are medically certified as unable to carry out the main duties of their occupation, due to an accident resulting in a loss of earnings. Depending on their chosen benefits on taking out the policy, customers can choose a benefit of up to £6,000 per month.

The product offers a solution to a huge, underserved part of the population, who may have found Income Protection difficult to obtain due to health reasons or affordability. As there are no health questions or medical underwriting on the plan, it is an incredibly quick and simple application and offers cover without the need of any medical evidence.

Stubben Edge and National Friendly have developed a simplified online buying journey specifically for busy professionals and young people, or those who participate in hazardous pursuits, who expect speed, clarity, choice, personalisation and no hidden ‘nasties’ when purchasing products online, whatever they may be.

The policy also comes with a benefit guarantee and waiver of premiums as standard, and for premium add-ons, customers can choose at the outset whether they need to cover an enhanced list of hazardous pursuits or purchase an option for an accidental death benefit.

Built into the policy is access to National Friendly’s virtual GP service ‘Friendly GP’, which enables the policyholder to access a GP 24 hours a day, seven days a week, via telephone, video consultations, and an expedited referral system should further treatment options be investigated.

Oliver Jones, Sales & Distribution Director at National Friendly: “We have extended further our existing partnership with Stubben Edge, by utilising their technological expertise and our experience as a mutual helping member to take greater control of their health and finances for over 150 years, the collaboration offers a real solution to affinity partners who wish to protect their income.”

Karen Barretto, Deputy CEO of Stubben Edge, said: “We’re delighted to bring this new product to the market, in partnership with National Friendly which, by harnessing our tech to provide simple to use online buying journeys and access to our wider distribution network, brings benefits to the often-underserved UK small business community.”