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Irish Banks Hail EU’s ‘Radical’ Anti-Money Laundering Push
25.7.2021
Banks in Ireland have welcomed an upcoming reform of the European Union’s anti-money laundering regulations that will affect the crypto space. The Irish banking industry organization voiced support for the changes aimed at disrupting illicit transactions at the union level while calling them...
Forex Shortages Force Nigerian Corporates to Turn to Parallel Market
13.7.2021
Nigeria’s ongoing shortage of foreign exchange is forcing corporates and businesses to source this resource on the parallel market, a former official with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has said. According to Muda Yusuf, who is the previous director-general at LCCI, these...
Bank of Ghana Deputy Governor Says ‘Central Bank Digital Currency Is Fiat Money,’ Reveals Pilot Phase Will Start September
12.7.2021
Ghana’s proposed central bank digital currency is similar to fiat cash and therefore financial institutions, as well as fintech start-ups, can still create value based on it, a Bank of Ghana (BOG) official has said. Still, the official, Maxwell Opoku-Afari, the BOG’s deputy governor...
Korean Banks Elevate Cybersecurity to Deal With Crypto-Related Risks
7.7.2021
South Korean banks are taking steps to bring cybersecurity to a new level as they try to keep up with fintechs and address new threats arising from their interaction with the crypto space. A number of institutions are adopting unprecedented measures including the integration of blockchain...
Allied Payment Network Embeds Bitcoin Service, Will Hold BTC in Corporate Treasury
7.7.2021
Payment service provider Allied Payment Network has partnered with New York Digital Investment Group, the bitcoin subsidiary of $10 billion asset manager Stone Ridge. Financial institutions using Allied’s platform will be able to offer their customers the option to buy, sell, and hold...
Korean Banks to Be Relieved of Liability for Crypto-Related Crime, Report Suggests
28.6.2021
Banking institutions in South Korea have reportedly requested to not be held accountable for crimes linked to cryptocurrencies such as money laundering. According to local media, financial regulators are now developing rules that could relieve Korean banks from responsibility when screening...
10,000 Financial Institutions Can Now Let Customers Buy, Sell, Hold Bitcoin Through Their Bank Accounts
25.6.2021
Banks and credit unions of all sizes can now facilitate the buying, selling, and holding of bitcoin within their banking platforms thanks to a collaboration between Finserv and New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG). Finserv currently has about 10,000 financial institution clients. All Banks...
Q2’s Banking Platform to Enable Over 18 Million Users to Buy, Sell, Hold Bitcoin
24.6.2021
Q2’s digital banking platform, which currently powers nearly 30% of the top 100 banks in the U.S., will allow more than 18.3 million registered users to buy, sell, and hold bitcoin. Q2 Holdings Inc. (NYSE:QTWO) provides digital banking and lending solutions to banks, credit unions...
PBOC Instructs China’s Banks to Forbid All Cryptocurrency Related Activities Immediately
21.6.2021
China’s central bank has sent notice to the country’s financial institutions instructing them to stop dealing with cryptocurrency transactions. The disclosure notes that the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) aims to protect Chinese citizens and “combat the speculation of Bitcoin...
‘All Banks Go Fintech’: Hong Kong Unveils ‘Fintech 2025’ Strategy
10.6.2021
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) plans to guide local banks towards full adoption of fintech technologies, a new strategy reveals. The region’s central banking institution also stressed that it’s going to “walk the talk” by digitalizing its own supervision...
Zimbabwe’s Biggest Bank Looks at Methods to ‘Leverage Cryptocurrencies’
26.5.2021
One of Zimbabwe’s biggest financial institutions, CBZ Holdings says it is looking at ways it could “leverage cryptocurrencies and other emerging digital innovations.” According to the financial institution’s chairperson, Marc Holtzman, CBZ “is open-minded about...
Bank of Korea Seeking Technology to Develop Digital Currency
25.5.2021
South Korea’s monetary policy regulator is taking steps to create its own digital coin. Bank of Korea is now looking for a technology provider to develop a test environment for the project. The news comes after major commercial banks expressed skepticism over their cooperation with domestic...
Biggest Layoffs in US Banking History: Analyst Predicts Banks to Cut 200,000 Jobs
18.5.2021
A Wells Fargo analyst has predicted the largest “reduction in U.S. bank headcount in history.” Banks are expected to cut 200,000 jobs as they strive to improve productivity and efficiency amid rising competition from fintech and non-bank financial institutions. US Banking Sector...
Bank of Korea to Monitor Crypto Transactions Using Financial Records
15.5.2021
South Korea’s monetary policy regulator, Bank of Korea, plans to obtain documents from financial institutions to track crypto transactions involving bank accounts. Cryptocurrency prices fluctuate independently from the real economy, the bank says, adding that market growth could pose a risk...
Fintechs Invited to Work on Georgia’s Central Bank Digital Currency
7.5.2021
National Bank of Georgia (NBG) has issued a call for companies in the fintech sector, financial institutions and technology firms to support its efforts to create a digital currency. Georgia’s central bank wants to employ new technologies to raise the efficiency of the country’s payment...
OFAC Escalates Russian Sanctions Listing Bitcoin Addresses, US Treasury Crypto Crackdown Rumors Spread
18.4.2021
Rumors concerning the U.S. Treasury cracking down on several financial institutions over money laundering has been spreading like wildfire on social media and forums. There’s been no formal announcement from the U.S. entity and at this stage, the news is widely considered FUD. However, some...
Hong Kong Security Crackdown Leads to Record Capital Outflows— Residents Reportedly Used Cryptocurrencies to Move Funds
31.3.2021
The Canadian anti-money laundering agency, Fintrac, says it recorded official capital inflows originating from Hong Kong that totaled more than $34 billion in the past year. The outflows, which are the highest since 2012 when the earliest Fintrac records are available, “are the first evidence...
African Migrants Are Turning to Cryptocurrency Platforms for ‘Low-Fee Remittances’
31.3.2021
As central banks on the African continent fight to keep cryptocurrencies from going mainstream, many more migrant workers are increasingly turning to money-sending platforms that use cryptocurrencies when moving funds across borders. More Than Just an Investment Thus in addition to becoming...
Financial Institutions Risk To Cut Themselves Off From Innovations
3.3.2021
This is a speech by Hester M. Peirce, pro-crypto commissionaire at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), given at the FinTech Panel at the Institute of International Bankers 2021 Annual Washington Conference this week.
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Thank you, Briget [Polichene]. Good afternoon and thank you...
Nigeria Crypto Ban: Bitcoin Sells for $76K as Deposits on Centralized Exchanges Plummet
18.2.2021
According to a website that tracks the price of bitcoin across the globe, the crypto asset’s selling price in Nigeria as of February 18 stood at $ 76,000. At this price, the crypto asset is selling for $20,000 more than the approximately $52,000 that most cryptocurrency exchanges...