Paige McNamee - Community Author: Finextra Research

Future of Fintech in the Middle East 2023: Opposing pressures dovetail to spur blockchain growth

This is an excerpt from The Future of Fintech in the Middle East 2023 report. There is an interesting two-pronged dynamic at play which is arguably giving the Middle East’s blockchain market a unique edge. On one hand, in certain countries across the region, cryptocurrency has seen strong appeal from users looking to access antigovernment money. W...

21 August 2023 /crypto

Future of Fintech in Africa 2023: Blockchain is shaping Africa's digital currency based future

Paige McNamee

Future of Fintech in Africa 2023: Blockchain is shaping Africa's digital currency based future

This is an excerpt from The Future of Fintech in Africa 2023 report. Africa’s crypto market is surging, but it is still early days for the continent’s overall crypto landscape, and the region’s fundamental appetite and need for the sector lies in the underlying blockchain upon which many believe the future digital payments is being built. Africa i...

08 August 2023 /crypto

The Quantum Series: Finextra’s intro to Quantum Computing

Paige McNamee

The Quantum Series: Finextra’s intro to Quantum Computing

Finextra is firmly focused on keeping our audience abreast of the key trends and updates impacting the financial services and fintech landscape. It’s only fitting then, that we take the time to delve into the world of quantum computing. While it is still very early in the developmental stage of quantum computing, 2022 research from the World Econo...

01 August 2023 /devops

Industry calls for clarity on the PSR’s APP fraud proposals

Paige McNamee

Industry calls for clarity on the PSR’s APP fraud proposals

The UK is grappling with the notoriously complex challenge of reducing Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, where a scammer tricks someone into sending a payment to an account outside of their control. These insidious scams drained £485.2 million from UK individuals and businesses during 2022 alone . UK Finance’s Annual Fraud report for 2023 foun...

26 July 2023 /regulation

Fintech Sentiment: PSD3 and PSR1 welcomed by the fintech industry

Paige McNamee

Fintech Sentiment: PSD3 and PSR1 welcomed by the fintech industry

The European Commission’s long-awaited review into the current Payment Services Directive (PSD2) has landed, and with it, the establishment of a new Payment Services Regulation (PSR). Adopted seven years ago, the landscape in which PSD2 was first implemented has evolved and expanded significantly, in fact, the value of electronic payments reached €...

04 July 2023 /payments

How can banks strike a balance between user experience and security demands?

Paige McNamee

How can banks strike a balance between user experience and security demands?

Financial institutions pay close attention to how they can improve their customer experience to gain a competitive advantage. However, operating in one of the most heavily regulated industries, these institutions face a complex web of security pressures and obligations that can affect their efforts to streamline and digitise the customer experienc...

29 June 2023 /security

Consumer Duty will require institutions to deliver good outcomes for retail customers

Paige McNamee

Consumer Duty will require institutions to deliver good outcomes for retail customers

This is an excerpt from The Future of Risk Management and Compliance 2023 report. The UK ’s long awaited Consumer Duty is due to come into force on the 31st of July 2023, and financial institutions are being encouraged to “eat the frog” in the coming months and ensure they are fully prepared for the impending regulation. The FCA’s Consumer Duty wi...

25 May 2023 /regulation

CBDC and progress across digital currencies could be feasible

Paige McNamee

CBDC and progress across digital currencies could be feasible

This is an excerpt from The Future of Risk Management and Compliance 2023 report. Under the technology and innovation pillar of The Edinburgh Reforms, the UK Government outlined its desire to ensure the regulatory framework supports innovation and leadership in emerging areas of finance, facilitating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies. The R...

24 May 2023 /regulation

Open banking reviews should lay the groundwork for open finance

Paige McNamee

Open banking reviews should lay the groundwork for open finance

This is an excerpt from The Future of Risk Management and Compliance 2023 report. During 2022, European regulators launched consultations into revisions for the Second Payment Services Directive, otherwise known as PSD2. Since coming into effect in 2016, payments have evolved dramatically, and regulators are motivated to understand the impact PSD2...

15 May 2023 /regulation

AML and financial crime efforts will be pursued aggressively

Paige McNamee

AML and financial crime efforts will be pursued aggressively

This is an excerpt from The Future of Risk Management and Compliance 2023 report. Financial crime, particularly anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing measures remains at the top of regulators’ agenda. Global tensions and instability, anti-money laundering, and counter-terrorist financing measures have become central to risk m...

10 May 2023 /regulation

Operational Resilience preparation a top priority for financial institutions

Paige McNamee

Operational Resilience preparation a top priority for financial institutions

This is an excerpt from The Future of Risk Management and Compliance 2023 report. In the UK and many other major economies, operational resilience remains a key regulatory focus area. The current and projected economic climate will likely be one in which many financial services firms will face external pressures, and firms need to carefully implem...

05 May 2023 /regulation

Sanctions will play an increasingly prominent role

Paige McNamee

Sanctions will play an increasingly prominent role

This is an excerpt from The Future of Risk Management and Compliance 2023 report. During 2022, several events significantly contributed to an increased level of global instability, led in no small part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a readjustment to life post-Covid-19, and inflationary spirals affecting major global economies, spurring renewed ...

02 May 2023 /regulation

Long reads