A multi-country consortium consisting of some of Europe’s most trusted identity experts has been chosen to deliver a cross-border payments pilot, in line with the aims of the European Commission’s EU digital identity wallet program. 

In September 2022, it was announced that the six countries involved (Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Latvia and Norway) would be part of the consortium, led by NOBID (Nordic-Baltic eID Project), to bring to life the most widely used of the European Union’s priority use cases for the wallet – payments. Today, it has been announced that the NOBID Consortium will be one of the EU digital identity pilots and will receive funding from the EU Commission´s DIGITAL Europa Programme to commence the pilot from March 2023. 

The consortium will now go into a contracting and grant negotiation process with the EU Commission. 

Tor Alvik, project manager for the NOBID consortium said: “We are honoured and privileged to have the EU Commission´s trust in piloting and shaping the future of digital payments and digital identity in Europe. Together with all our partners, we will make use of our experience and highly mature digital identity infrastructures in the NOBID consortium countries to deliver a successful large-scale payments pilot of the EU Digital ID Wallet.”

The consortium is being actively supported by leading digital government agencies, banks, enterprises and technology providers and will leverage the mature digital identity infrastructures of the six respective nations.

The EU digital identity wallet is a secure app that, when it comes into being, will allow citizens across the continent to easily verify their ID, access public and private services and store sensitive digital documents in one place. 

The consortium’s proposal focuses on payments, one of the top priority use cases in the EU’s digital ID wallet vision. Its implementation will leverage existing payment infrastructure to enable payment issuance, instant payments, account-to-account transfers and payment acceptance both in-store and online. 

The project has unrivalled support from leaders in banking and payments, including DSGV in Germany, DNB and BankID in Norway, Nets in Denmark, Intesa Sanpaolo, PagoPA and ABILab in Italy and Greiðsluveitan in Iceland.

Technology partners participating in the consortium include Thales, iProov, Signicat, RB, Auðkenni, IPZS, Poste Italiane, Intesi Group, InfoCert, FBK and Latvian State Radio and Television Centre. Merchants that will be testing out the payment solution include Elkjøp in Norway and REWE-group in Germany. 

UK-based Reading FC today named Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, as its Official Cyber Protection Partner. Under the #Cyberfit delivery partner Westcoast Cloud, Acronis will provide the organisation with a full suite of cyber protection solutions to protect the team's data assets and optimise workflow, facilitating the team to perform at its best on and off the field.

As part of the partnership, the club will benefit from Acronis’s array of online security solutions to thwart cyberattacks and ensure the prevention, detection, response, recovery, and analysis needed to safeguard all areas of modern-day elite sports business.

Westcoast Cloud, a trusted leader in the cloud industry, enabling its partners to achieve and exceed their business goals, connected with the club’s former front-of-shirt sponsors Westcoast Limited. Based in Theale, Westcoast Cloud will offer the club trusted advice, training, and a full suite of Microsoft cloud solutions, helping the business drive productivity.

Head of Commercial at Reading Football Club, Tim Kilpatrick said: “We’re delighted to announce this Partnership with Acronis and Westcoast Cloud. As a club, our IT and data Infrastructure are crucial to our business operation. As we look to enhance our expertise and offering in this area, working with world leaders in this field, such as Acronis and Westcoast Cloud, will ensure we are protected for all eventualities. We look forward to working with Acronis and supporting them in their business growth plans.”

One of the solutions Reading FC will be using is Acronis Cyber Protect, which provides fast and reliable backup and AI-based anti-malware, accessible from a single and intuitive console. Acronis VP of Europe, Turkey, and Israel, Ronan

McCurtin said: “We value the Cyber Protection partnership with Reading FC and Westcoast Cloud. 2022 has seen a new wave of cyberattacks on sports teams. That’s why it’s important for sports teams to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats. With Acronis solutions, our sports partners stay protected against evolving cyber threats.”

Managing Director at Westcoast Cloud, Mark Davies added: “We are delighted to be partnering with Reading Football Club and Acronis in supporting the football club with their cybersecurity requirements. This is one of the biggest areas of concerns for companies in the modern era and providing a secure and robust solution with Acronis is paramount in protecting the clubs’ assets.”

The Acronis TeamUp programme is a unique opportunity for managed service providers (MSPs) to deliver Acronis Cyber Protection Solutions to world-class sports teams on behalf of Acronis and enjoy a rich world of sports benefits and brand exposure.

iDenfy, the all-in-one fraud prevention startup, best known for its full-stack ID verification solution, has been recognized by G2, the global review space for the B2B space. This week, the feedback platform announced its Winter report, where iDenfy scored first place for being the leader in identity verification. 

G2 scores its vendors based on its community’s feedback, as well as information collected from social networks and online sources. At the moment, the popular platform has over 1 million reviews. This is the first time iDenfy was featured by G2, reaching this huge milestone within a short time.

Since joining the platform in September, iDenfy has landed the number one spot in G2’s Winter report in multiple categories, including Easiest Admin, Best Usability, and Easiest To Use. G2 measured the results based on three criteria levels: Usability, Relationship, and Implementation. That led the KYC service provider to win first place in other areas, such as Best Relationship, Easiest To Do Business With, and Most Implementable. 

With a nearly perfect rating of 4.9 out of 5, the new G2’s IDV industry leader has collected 50+ user reviews. iDenfy’s software suits various sectors that look for automated compliance and customer onboarding solutions, including fintech, online gaming, blockchain, and e-commerce. Despite the increasing reviews from different industry experts, the competition level aligns with the high AI-powered ID verification market demand. Currently, G2 has 192 other listings in the Identity Verification category available. 

“Since joining G2, collecting partners’ feedback has become a valuable practice for further company improvement,” said iDenfy’s Co-Founder and CEO Domantas Ciulde. “Our team is honored to read honest comments from our partners who share ideas based on actual experiences. Some of them have been using our solutions for years. We’ve utilized this platform as an alternative communication channel to discuss customization options and respond to new feature requests.”

G2 names its peer-to-peer site as one of the most trustworthy global feedback platforms in the market aimed at users trying to find the right fit of service based on nearly 2 million real product reviews. To leave a review, G2’s users need to verify their business email first, then describe the pros and cons of the software they use. Before the comment is live, G2 approves the review, which allows it to filter illegitimate and copied reviews. 

Some reviews on G2 show iDenfy’s successful long-term partnerships. “Many organizations, including the Bank of Lithuania, trust iDenfy, which is critical when evaluating the trustworthiness of a partner with whom we work,” wrote VIAINVEST’s platform lead, Aleksandrs Puzdrans, when describing iDenfy. “The important thing we learned about iDenfy is that they offer an all-in-one solution for identification and screening,” — added Puzdrans. 

Last month, iDenfy expanded its KYC tools collection by launching an Address Verification software to reduce user friction. The new service responds to increasing Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations requiring more robust tools to ensure KYC and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) processes by verifying customers’ identity and address information.

Vilja, the leading Nordic cloud-native core banking platform vendor, wins together with the fast-growing company Bosam two awards - “Most Innovative API / Open Banking Model: Most Adaptable Deployment” and “Most Innovative API / Open Banking Model: Most Agile Deployment” at the fourth annual IBSi Global Fintech Awards 2022 ceremony.

The prestigious IBSi awards recognize technology players for their excellence in driving impact through banking technology implementations and innovations using emerging technologies. This year it is a truly global celebration of the best in banking and fintech, with 151 submissions across 43 countries.

Vilja and Bosam were recognized for their unique Credit Application Process for housing co-operatives launched earlier this year. Vilja platform offers a smooth customer experience through the digital, automated and flexible credit verification process. Utilization of Open Banking APIs provides a more exact decision based on both real-time verified data instead of relying on old historical data, as well as identification of risk patterns. The decision can be made within minutes instead of days.

“We congratulate Vilja and Bosam on their successful launch of a unique credit application process using APIs to access verified Open Banking data in a pioneering way” commented Nikhil Gokhale, Head of Research at IBS Intelligence.

“We are honoured to be recognized for our state-of-the-art banking technology that enables banks and fintech to create cutting-edge banking products and services. Especially happy to win this award together with our customer Bosam, says Fredrik Ulvenholm, CEO at Vilja.

“We are very proud of the product and process that we have managed to create together with Vilja and also honoured by the recognition from IBSi”, continues Timmy Andersson, CCO at Bosam.

Rakuten France has announced the launch of a brand-new integrated payment solution, Club R Pay, becoming the first e-commerce player to offer such a system in marketplaces. A universal integrated payment solution, Club R Pay facilitates purchases for the 12 million members of the Club R loyalty program on over 2,000 sites while they enjoy their Rakuten rewards.

This new initiative allows Rakuten to streamline the purchasing process and support its partners in their digitalisation and development.

Simplifying and securing purchases on over 2,000 sites

As people spend an increasing amount online, security and ease of use are essential in the buying process. According to FEVAD, E-commerce Europe’s French national association, the French spent 129 billion euros on internet purchases in 2021 and online shopping now represents 14.1% of retail trade. It is in this context that Rakuten is launching Club R Pay, a new payment solution within its partner ecosystem.

With Club R Pay, Rakuten offers its members a simplified and seamless payment process within a large ecosystem of more than 2,000 partners (Nike, Lego, Marionnaud, Hotels.com, etc.).

“At Rakuten France, tomorrow’s e-commerce is a shopping platform that provides an optimised, simplified, secure customer journey that builds loyalty by rewarding purchases within an ecosystem of partners in complete freedom. Tomorrow’s business meets real, concrete needs. It is a business that allows you to have fun while controlling your budget,” says Fabien Versavau, CEO of Rakuten France.

Thanks to strategic partnerships with Mastercard, the global payments network operating across 210 countries and territories, and Marqeta, the global modern card issuing platform that will power single-use virtual cards, Club R Pay provides an additional security guarantee and reduces payment risks.

“Our work with Rakuten in France represents an exciting evolution for Marqeta in Europe. By tapping into the power of modern card issuing, we are helping one of the world’s most innovative e-commerce platforms build loyalty and engagement with their marketplace users,” said Jeff Parker, SVP and Managing Director, International at Marqeta. “Club R Pay allows members to shop and make a purchase on any of the 2,000 partner sites using their Club R Pay membership card. The membership card allows simple payment at checkout without entering their card details as it is part of the ecosystem, and the card collects Rakuten reward points that can be redeemed in cash or spent on Rakuten site. Our partnership with Rakuten will not only result in less cart abandonment, it also will increase revenue as shoppers are more likely to shop with partner brands as they can collect and pool the rewards and receive real discounts.”

Supporting people’s purchasing power

As 2022 draws to a close, purchasing power remains one of the main concerns for French citizens. Launched four years ago, Rakuten's Club R loyalty program is now the most generous online shopping platform in France. Its 12 million members can recover between 5% and 35% of their purchases from the marketplace or one of Rakuten France's 2,000 partners.

Club R Pay simplifies the process for Club R members who automatically recover Rakuten Points from their purchases with partner brands. With the launch of Club R Pay they will enjoy an additional 5% discount on their purchases.

Offering brands traffic acquisition at a lower cost

Club R gives partner brands the right resources to increase their digital revenue on their own site, with less shopping cart abandonment, and traffic acquisition at a competitive price. A true marketing acquisition partner, Club R helps brands reach its 12 million loyal and committed buyers in France, providing an important channel for generating growth.

Club R Pay has also been designed to help partners optimise their marketing expenses. By offering a performance-based pricing model, partners only pay when the user makes a purchase. This plug and play payment solution does not require complex development on the partners' side. Universal and ubiquitous, it can be easily integrated into the purchasing journey.

The solution is part of a strategy centred on the purchasing journey to create value for both buyers and brands. Aware of how society is changing and driven by the digitalisation of buying and selling processes, Rakuten France is once again affirming its mission to put its innovation expertise at the service of its millions of consumers and valued retail partners.

Investing is a great way of earning extra money and generating regular passive income that helps with achieving various goals. From planning a vacation next year to saving money for your retirement, it is possible to earn enough funds through investing. There are numerous investment services available today. Thanks to investment platforms, even people with zero experience in investing can start earning money. There are numerous investment funds available in Europe, and it is important to evaluate all options carefully before joining. Read along to discover some of the services where you can invest money online.

Choosing an Appropriate Investment Platform

When starting your investing process, it is crucial to pick a reliable and accessible service. For European citizens, it is essential to choose from the platforms available in their regions to be able to deposit and withdraw money legally and conveniently.

There are some important criteria to keep in mind when choosing an investment fund to work with. You have to consider the minimum investment amount, annual return percentage, banking options available for depositing and withdrawing funds, risk management options, etc.

About Quanloop

Quanloop is an alternative investment fund originating from Estonia. Opened in 2019, this fund has already gained popularity among European investors. While its office is located in Tallinn, all investors from the European Union are welcome. Businesses can also be investors on this website. For individuals, it is necessary to reach the legal age to be able to set up a portfolio. Each money online investment from the users goes to the service before being directed to borrowers.

Pros

• The minimum investment amount is only one euro. No charges need to be paid for investing here.
• The yearly return percentage can go up to 15%. Investors can receive a 12% yearly return on average.
• Because of high liquidity, the platform users can withdraw their funds every day. This solution is great for short-term investors that might need their money back soon.
• A selection of investment plans is available for risk management. According to these plans, it is impossible to allocate all your money to the high-risk plan. Only a third of your funds can go towards the highest-risk plan, and half of them can be put into the medium-risk solution.

Cons

• This service is not for investors that want to choose businesses and industries to invest in. All borrowers are picked by Quanloop.
• No detailed information is provided about the borrowers on this platform.

About PeerBerry

Peerberry is a Lithuanian investment service available for all investors that own a European Union bank account. In addition, it is necessary to be 18 years old or over to invest here. Aventus Group is the main lender at Peerberry. Businesses and individual investors can work with this service. When it comes to money transfers, SEPA transactions are preferred.

Pros

• The average annual return rate is 12% for investors.
• The smallest investment amount accepted is 10 euros. This makes investing accessible for most EU citizens.
• Website users can benefit from the auto-invest solution to gain money passively without being too involved.
• Newly registered users can receive a 0,5% bonus added to their return rate during the following 3 months.

Cons

• Peerberry is mostly suitable for short-term lending, but if you are looking for a long-term solution, it is better to try other platforms.
• While an auto-investing feature is available, it is still necessary to monitor it from time to time to ensure that all money is reinvested.

Conclusions

If you are looking for where to invest money online, investment funds can be a good solution. Before choosing an investment service to use, it is important to take in all pros and cons of these platforms. Some disadvantages cannot be considered cons by certain investors, but others might find these features inconvenient. The main things to consider when starting to invest are the payment options available and the minimum investment amount. The smaller the investment available, the easier it is to begin investing with limited started capital.