Latest Blockchain News: Finextra Research

Swift London Business Forum to continue discussions on FinTech innovation

Challenger banks will feature heavily in the upcoming Swift Business Forum in London. Craig Donaldson, CEO at Metro Bank UK, is joined by keynote speaker Sir David Clementi, ex-deputy governor of the Bank of England and chairman of Virgin Money.

27 March 2015

News/Blockchain

Credit Suisse paper offers qualified bitcoin backing

While it is unlikely to ever truly compete with traditional currencies, bitcoin could, when combined with the traditional finance system, have cost advantages over credit cards and money transfer firms like Western Union, according to a Credit Suisse article.

24 March 2015

News/Blockchain

Future Money Focus: Robert Sams, Clearmatics

An ex-hedge fund manager who spent a decade trading interest rate derivatives is now jumping headfirst into the world of the blockchain with his newest venture, Clearmatics, a clearing and settlement technology for financial OTC markets based on a distributed ledger.

19 March 2015

News/Blockchain

Government report sets out plan to make UK world's fintech capital

A new report from the UK government's chief scientific adviser has set out 10 recommendations designed to help achieve Chancellor George Osborne's stated aim of turning Britain into the world's fintech capital.

18 March 2015

News/Blockchain

UK govt plans money laundering rules for digital currency exchanges

The UK government has set out its approach to digital currencies, vowing to start applying anti-money laundering regulation to exchanges but also promising to put cash behind research into the potential of blockchain technology.

18 March 2015

News/Blockchain

Intel to probe blockchain potential

Chip maker Intel is the latest tech giant to investigate the potential of blockchain technology, advertising for a cryptographic researcher to work on decentralised ledgers.

17 March 2015

News/Blockchain

IBM in talks with central banks about blockchain adoption - Reuters

IBM has held informal discussions with a number of central banks about the creation of a blockchain-based digital cash and payment system for major currencies, according to a report by Reuters.

13 March 2015

News/Blockchain

Coinbase adds support for FIX protocol as Wall Street boards bandwagon

Bitcoin exchange operator Coinbase has added support for the FIX protocol for order management by professional traders.

12 March 2015

News/Blockchain

Abra taps the blockchain for P2P remittances

A US startup is hoping to shake up the multi-billion dollar remittance market with a mobile app that bypasses the middle men by using the bitcoin blockchain and a network of 'human ATMs'.

10 March 2015

News/Blockchain

ECB plays down virtual currency risks

Despite flagging some concerns, the European Central Bank says that it does not think that the rise of virtual currencies currently provides a material risk to the smooth operation of payment systems.

03 March 2015

News/Blockchain

Bank of England could issue own digital currency

Like its counterparts in the US, the Bank of England is pondering the implications of issuing its own digital currency.

26 February 2015

News/Blockchain

Stripe offers bitcoin payments through a single line of code

Digital payments upstart Stripe has added support for bitcoin, enabling merchants to accept the crypto-currency through just a single line of code.

20 February 2015

News/Blockchain

US Marshals prep third Silk Road bitcoin auction

The United States Marshals Service is preparing to auction another 50,000 bitcions - worth around $11.7 million at current prices - seized in connection with the Silk Road dark web marketplace.

18 February 2015

News/Blockchain

Toronto opens fintech cluster

Toronto is the latest city hoping to become a major fintech hub, opening a dedicated cluster designed to help connect established technology and banking leaders with startups.

18 February 2015

News/Blockchain

Bitcoin startup Netagio restructures

UK bitcoin marketplace Netagio is to shut down its exchange trading platform and restructure as a wealth storage business against a backdrop of regulatory uncertainty, stagnating prices and increasing security issues for the beleaguered crypto-currency industry.

16 February 2015

News/Blockchain

Finextra Future Money returns for 2015

Created as the premier event bringing both the most innovative minds in banking together with the exploding FinTech community, Finextra Future Money returns to London on April 21 and 22 for an exciting two day event.

16 February 2015

News/Blockchain

Québec regulator tells bitcoin firms to apply for licenses

Firms operating bitcoin ATMs and trading platforms in Québec have been told that they must obtain a license from the Canadian province's Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF).

12 February 2015

News/Blockchain

Finovate Europe 2015 - Day 2 Roundup

The second and final day of Finovate Europe saw 32 startups take the stage to try and impress a packed crowd of fintech VCs, journalists, bankers and experts. PFM, mobile payments and wealth management all made an appearance, often to a critical audience - while other firms attempted to push the boundaries of fintech, causing a huge buzz within Old Billingsgate and on social media.

11 February 2015

News/Blockchain

Hong Kong central bank warns of bitcoin dangers as MyCoin disappears without trace

Hong Kong's central bank has warned the public about investing in bitcoin after local media reports that a virtual currency exchange operator may have scarpered with $387 million in client funds.

10 February 2015

News/Blockchain

Finovate Europe 2015 - Day 1 roundup

Crowdfunding, bitcoin, identity and security, and, of course, personal finance management dominated the first day of Finovate Europe in London. Finextra watched the demos, followed the tweets and spoke to the players. Here's what caught our eye.

10 February 2015