As Finextra pulls the shutters down on 2016, we take a look back at our most popular news stories, videos, and community engagement activities over the course of the past year. The site will re-open for business on 3 January 2017.
Top news stories of 2016
January
Crazy fintech predictions for 2015
Pascal Bouvier, newly installed as a venture partner with Santander Innoventures fintech venture fund, dusts off his crystal ball and peers into the not-too-distant fintech future.
February
UK sets out open banking API framework
The UK government has thrown its weight behind a report calling for the creation of an open banking standard that makes it easy to share and use financial data, arguing that the move would improve choice for customers, promote competition and stimulate innovation.
March
The force awakens: Big Data in banking
Advances in big data mining could open up whole new frontiers in financial services, says Standard Chartered’s global chief innovation officer, Anju Patwardhan.
April
Deutsche Bank prepares for digital future
Deutsche Bank is creating a 'digital factory', bringing together some 400 software developers, IT specialists and banking experts to develop new products and services as it struggles to reposition the bank for a digital future in the face of challenging market conditions.
May
Barclays opens sandbox for gamification challenge
Barclays Bank is opening its sandbox banking APIs and mobile apps to coders and startups to explore the use of gamification techniques to improve its online and mobile services.
June
Number26 closed accounts because customers made too many ATM withdrawals
European smartphone-only bank Number26 has finally provided an explanation for its decision to cancel hundreds of customer accounts last week: users were making too many ATM withdrawals.
July
Ex-Google engineer bids to fix core banking
After two years in stealth mode, a British startup run by a gaggle of former Google engineers has come into the light claiming to have solved the greatest challenge in fintech: how to replace core banking systems.
August
When banking meets the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things may just hold the key to the future of banking, says Jacqueline Guichelaar, head of infrastructure and service delivery for Lloyds Banking Group.
September
New Finextra paper explores impact of robo on wealth management
A new research paper, produced by Finextra in association with EPAM, explores the rise of robo and asks how it will further reshape the advisory business and wealth management in the future.
October
The bank of the future will be invisible - KPMG
By 2030, technology will have made banks and banking invisible to customers, hidden by Siri-like personal assistants that cull data from our connected lives to fulfil daily personal and financial obligations, claims KPMG.
November
SOFE Berlin: Swift unveils blockchain proof-of-concept
Swift has taken the wraps off its first blockchain proof-of-concept and pledged to become more vocal and engaged with the community in driving the application of the technology at both an industry level and embedded within its own member-owned network.
December
Watson data scientist talks up 'augmented intelligence' for financial services
True artificial intelligence may still be some years off but the financial services industry is already beginning to reap the benefits of augmented intelligence, says a data scientist working on IBM's Watson.
Most Commented
UK hits 10 year Chip and PIN anniversary
It's time to take a stand against all the blockchain crap out there
Is Paym a failure?
Appetite for cash remains strong as ATM usage soars
Ex-Google engineer bids to fix core banking
Videos
PSD2 will make a treasurer’s life easier
Cultural change crucial in digital transformation
Wide pool of financial talent in the Midlands
Helping treasurers to complete automation journey
Business models transformed by digitisation
Blogs
How I Explained Blockchain to My Grandmother
What If Google made fintech
PSD2 - What changes?
How the Internet of Things will change banking
The day I realized Fintech was becoming just the same as everything else