Latest long reads: Finextra Research

Embracing modernisation: Revolutionising the lending landscape with technology

The lending landscape stands at the crossroads of tradition and innovation. As the VP of Engineering at Mambu, I've been immersed in the transformative journey of modernising lending practices. In collaboration with Microsoft, we have explored the changing dynamics of this space in our lending report, and the pivotal role of technology in reshapin...

26 March 2024 /cloud

What’s the outlook for challenger banks in 2024?

Ian Rand Chief Executive Officer at Monument

What’s the outlook for challenger banks in 2024?

From the throes of the financial crisis back in 2008, challenger banks burst onto the scene seeking to shake up the market. Over the last 15 years or so, we have seen new players become established institutions in the UK banking space - such as Monzo and Starling – and other players aiming to follow suit. Businesses who adopt a digital-first philo...

22 March 2024 /retail

What’s AML? Understanding anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing

Dominique Dierks Senior Content Manager at Finextra

What’s AML? Understanding anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing

In banking, AML (anti-money laundering) describes legally recognised rules and activities that financial institutions perform in order to combat money laundering. AML is closely attached to CFT (counter-financing of terrorism), and AML regulations tend to combine money laundering (source) with terrorism financing (destination). What are the main t...

22 March 2024 /crime

2024 is the UK's landmark year for stablecoin regulation

Retired Member

2024 is the UK's landmark year for stablecoin regulation

The UK has already made some important strides to regulate the cryptoasset sector over the last few years, focusing on consumer protection and anti-money laundering initiatives. This includes the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) prohibiting the sale of crypto-derivatives to retail consumers, the application of the Money Laundering Regulation...

21 March 2024 /regulation

What is the current landscape for VC investments in fintech?

Maximilian Schausberger Managing Director at Elevator Ventures

What is the current landscape for VC investments in fintech?

Following the record-breaking highs of 2021, as we have all observed, the year of 2022 has been hit by a downturn in both the public and private capital markets. In 2023, the European venture capital market exhibited signs of recovery, although the overall deal value for early-stage investments is still projected below the highs of the previous ye...

20 March 2024 /startups

How is generative AI democratising the availability of banking services?

Dominique Dierks Senior Content Manager at Finextra

How is generative AI democratising the availability of banking services?

Generative AI’s potential is vast, and there are opportunities for this technology to improve customer experience, enhance decision-making, increase colleague productivity and streamline processes. However, there is a need for oversight and ethical considerations – as there is with all types of AI – such as addressing inherent bias in data and ens...

19 March 2024 /devops

BNPL – are we nearing extinction in Europe?

Dominique Dierks Senior Content Manager at Finextra

BNPL – are we nearing extinction in Europe?

In an unexpected move, NatWest has announced the closure of its buy now, pay later (BNPL) service less than two years after its launch. While citing a “clear demand” from customers for BNPL products at the initial launch in 2022, the bank now revealed that their service did not have the desired impact and uptake remained low as customers instead ...

15 March 2024 /payments

Why savvy job seekers are looking to regtech

Amanda Kavanagh Contributor at Jobbio

Why savvy job seekers are looking to regtech

Lax controls in crypto and fintech companies resulted in global fines of $5.8bn last year, eclipsing fines to the entire traditional banking system by a considerable amount. According to fintech software leader Fenergo, fines in the traditional banking group amounted to $834m comparatively. Of that $5.8bn sum, $4.3bn was the well-reported US crim...

15 March 2024 /people

Generative AI and AI outlook 2024: Customer journeys, fraud and legislation

Níamh Curran

Generative AI and AI outlook 2024: Customer journeys, fraud and legislation

Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI saw an immense boom in 2023, with some calling it the technology’s breakout year. What was once viewed as something of science fiction is coming closer to reality, with the abilities of the software developing at pace. Yet how is the technology going to progress throughout the year in the financial tec...

14 March 2024 /payments

Why financial institutions must move quicker on quantum

Andersen Cheng Chairman at Post Quantum

Why financial institutions must move quicker on quantum

For most people reading this, a functioning quantum computer will probably still feel quite fictional — an innovation that’s still light years away. There’s also the idea that, well, wouldn’t a functioning quantum computer be a good thing? Won’t a functioning machine, for example, be able to effectively analyse large or unstructured data sets, to ...

13 March 2024 /security

Capitalising on the embedded finance revolution

Nebo Djurdjevic CSIO at Vega IT

Capitalising on the embedded finance revolution

The concept of embedded finance is, at the face of it, a simple one to grasp; be it a loan at the point of purchase or an insurance offer when you rent an apartment. While it simplifies the lives of consumers everywhere, the embedded finance proposition is not a simple one to grasp from an investment perspective. Is embedded finance a fad or a re...

12 March 2024 /payments

Silicon Valley Bank collapse one year on: What was the impact?

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

Silicon Valley Bank collapse one year on: What was the impact?

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed one year ago on Sunday, an event which created a ripple effect of widespread damage across the financial sector. The failure of SVB was the third-largest in US history, and the biggest bank to shutdown that year. Finextra previously covered the downfall of SVB, explaining the reasons for its failure, which was a...

11 March 2024 /markets

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