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nourserghini

Cryptocurrency pioneer Diana Biggs joins digital assets startup Valour as its new CEO |... - 0 views

techcrunch.com/...-startup-valour-as-its-new-ceo

Fintech Cryptocurrecy Bitcoin Strategy

shared by nourserghini on 13 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • Cryptocurrency pioneer and early Bitcoin thought-leader Diana Biggs has joined Swiss-based startup Valour, which lets investors easily buy digital assets through their bank or broker. The move is significant with the news that Tesla has bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin, thus massively boosting the mainstream markets for crypto assets. Biggs explored the potential for blockchain technology to help solve humanitarian challenges through her venture, Proof of Purpose, in 2017, and her TEDx speech on Blockchain Technology that year is considered by many in the blockchain space to be one of the best in the genre
    • nourserghini
      nourserghini on 13 Feb 21
       
      Major companies are purchasing billions worth of bitcoin, the thing that should encourage fintechs to consider digital asset services, especially of bitcoin.
mohammed_ab

Cryptocurrencies in FinTech - Don't Ignore It | Avatrade NG - 0 views

www.avatrade.ng/...cryptocurrencies-in-fintech

Fintech Strategy Bitcoin M-Pesa Blockchain

shared by mohammed_ab on 13 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • A whole range of companies within the banking and FinTech industries are starting to explore ways through which they can take advantage of the electronic ledger technology that powers cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin
  • A whole range of companies within the banking and FinTech industries are starting to explore ways through which they can take advantage of the electronic ledger technology that powers cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. This distributed system stores data chronologically in segments known as “blocks” which allow for the information to be processed and transferred almost instantaneously. Among the benefits of the blockchain technology, that make it so attractive to FinTech companies and other large institutions, is the lowered risk of fraud since the technology is notoriously difficult to hack, its speed and the fact that it eliminates intermediary steps between parties in a transaction.
  • mohammed_ab on 13 Feb 21
     
    I think that M-Pesa could implement cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Etherum in their service. I think that their customer will quickly shift their usage to cryptocurrencies as they offer higher protection from fraud. It could be life-changing for a mobile payment application like M-Pesa.
kenza_abdelhaq

M-Pesa: A Case Study in Financial Inclusion | by Matt ฿ | ChainRift Research ... - 0 views

medium.com/...nancial-inclusion-5b14cb7c612f

M-Pesa Kenya Payments Service

shared by kenza_abdelhaq on 12 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • M-Pesa was launched in 2007, and it’s still going strong. The concept of a phone-based money transfer service originated back in 2002, when researchers realized the popularity of the market for phone airtime — individuals in a handful of African nations often transferred it to friends and family for subsequent use or resale.
  • Their analysis found that, as a result of M-Pesa’s proliferation, 2% of Kenya’s households had been lifted out of poverty. Moreover, the study established (due to the lack of hard cash in said households) that money was better managed and less prone to being allocated to unimportant endeavors (I feel there’s a loose parallel to be drawn to the HODL/long time preference mentality here).
  • When M-Pesa (launched by Safaricom) made its debut a few years later, it had initially been conceived as a solution for microfinancing — allowing institutions to distribute and collect loan payments without the hassle of cash. However, during this pilot, its widespread adoption in a myriad of alternative use cases caused the company to reconsider and relaunch with a focus on ensuring individuals could send money to their families and execute payments.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Whilst things like Apple Pay and Google Pay leverage some interesting technologies, they still rely on the participant being ‘banked’ in the first place. That, and they’re about ten years too late to the party.
    • kenza_abdelhaq
      kenza_abdelhaq on 13 Feb 21
       
      Unlike Apple pay and Google Pay, M-Pesa does not need its customers or users to have a bank account.
  • Clearly, there are benefits to virtual currency that physical fiat can’t mirror. Beyond convenience and security (no need to carry cash), the M-Pesa offering allows for remittance across long distances cheaply and without a bank account.
    • kenza_abdelhaq
      kenza_abdelhaq on 13 Feb 21
       
      In addition to being convenient and secure, M-Pesa provides easy solutions for remittance or money transfer across long distances with low cost.
  • M-Pesa has proven that relatively low-tech ‘dumb phones’ can be transformed into tools for better wealth control. The leap from virtual money to cryptocurrency isn’t a massive leap from there. Indeed, tools such as BitSIM (development appears to be stalling, though the concept is simple; overlaying a SIM card with a small sticker so that even archaic phone models can transact in BTC), Samourai’s PonyDirect and CoinText (currently aimed at Bitcoin Cash) facilitate entry into the Bitcoin ecosystem with cellphones.
    • kenza_abdelhaq
      kenza_abdelhaq on 13 Feb 21
       
      M-Pesa is setting the example in how regular phones can be used for virtual money transfer and how this could incorporate in the same sense cryptocurrencies.
  • chaimaa-rachid on 12 Feb 21
     
    The organization becomes exceptionally well known among the low-income local area. It furnished people with a simple solution to send money from any location.
  • mohammed_ab on 12 Feb 21
     
    It's quite fascinating to see that 2% of Kenyan households were lifted out of poverty just because they start using M-Pesa services. I think that M-Pesa has some great potential in dealing with poverty as people get to manage their money more efficiently when they use mobile money.
  • hindelquarrouti on 13 Feb 21
     
    M-pesa was launched in 2007 and it is based on the concept of phone based money. It was established for the main purpose of allowing institutions to distribute and collect loan payments without having to deal with actual cash, yet they were smart and made it a company that has the main goal of giving people the opportunity of making payments and send money.
kenza_abdelhaq

Finalists Named for the 2020 TAG Fintech South Innovation Challenge - TAG Online - 0 views

www.tagonline.org/...ech-south-innovation-challenge

Ethiopay Ethiopia Payments recognition

shared by kenza_abdelhaq on 13 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • Applications were submitted by companies across the region. The 10 finalists include: Artis Technologies, LLC – modern financing made simple through an embedded financial services platform for digital lending and real-time payments EnrichHER – offers funders the best selection of vetted investment opportunities in companies that have women in leadership roles, while cultivating a thriving ecosystem of New Majority businesses Ethiopay – safe and convenient way to pay loved ones’ bills from anywhere in the world Finosec – IT and cybersecurity management platform for the banking industry Griffin Technologies – customer intelligence platform that provides banks modern day context on new and existing customers Immediate – helps businesses recruit, engage, and retain employees by providing a financial wellness solution that delivers on-demand access to earned pay InvestGuard – technology-enabled exchange for independent PE sponsors Lendsmart AI – AI-enabled technology platform transforming the homebuying process Ryze – Bitcoin-first financial institution, starting with the most powerful way to save and accumulate Bitcoin VIVA Finance – improving employees’ financial well-being through an affordable lending program and financial education
  • At the conclusion of the program, the startups will present to a panel of investors during Fintech South’s Investor Preview event on Monday, Oct. 5. The top three companies will hit the virtual conference’s main stage for a chance to win $25,000.
    • nouhaila_zaki
      nouhaila_zaki on 13 Feb 21
       
      This article is important because it shows that Ethiopay uses competitions in order to 1- Get financing, 2- Earn regional and international recognition for winning a prestigious competition, 3- Use this competition as a marketing opportunity.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Ethiopay – safe and convenient way to pay loved ones’ bills from anywhere in the world
    • ghtazi
      ghtazi on 13 Feb 21
       
      ethiopay is in the top three companies that will hit the virtual conference's main stage for a chance to win 25 000 dollars. which shows us how Ethiopay is invested in what it's doing.
  • Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)  announces 10 startups selected for the Fintech South Innovation Challenge 2020 class. Beginning Sept. 3, the companies will participate in a four-week virtual Education and Mentoring program, which aims to accelerate early stage fintech companies in the region through instruction and mentoring
    • kenza_abdelhaq
      kenza_abdelhaq on 13 Feb 21
       
      Ethiopay is selected as a finalist for the 2020 Fintech South Innovation Challenge.
hibaerrai

Blockchain Beyond Bitcoin: Transforming FinTech, Healthcare, And More - 0 views

www.forbes.com/...ng-fintech-healthcare-and-more

Fintech Strategy Blockchain Digital Regulations

shared by hibaerrai on 13 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • The goal of blockchain is to digitally record information to be distributed but not tampered with. It is an open, decentralized ledger that records transactions and entries that are confirmed by peer-to-peer networks and encrypted. The data is stored into a “block,” or a fixed event that has been approved and locked into place. Each block is then added to the “chain” of events, leading to the methodology’s moniker. Each record is easily verifiable and incorruptible. The network cannot be influenced by a single party nor taken down because it exists in multiple distributed places.  
    • hibaerrai
      hibaerrai on 13 Feb 21
       
      The use of blockchain strategy in fintech will make the processes more controlled, secure and efficient
nourserghini

Abacus - 0 views

abacus.co.ke

Abacus Services Kenya

shared by nourserghini on 13 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • Get more for your moneyWhether you are saving for a house, a car, or for a rainy day, get more for your savings on Abacus with up to 9% p.a. #Do you have goals?Maybe it’s a solid financial foundation for the future or giving your kids the best educational opportunities. We can help you reach them.Living Abroad?You are the Kenyan expatriate. You traveled far, and have worked hard for your $, €, £ and AED. Let your money work just as hard for you back home to give you and your loved ones the life you deserve.Ride the bulls, escape the bearsGet the thrill of playing in the markets. Trade in individual stocks, bonds, forex* and bitcoin*.
    • nourserghini
      nourserghini on 13 Feb 21
       
      Abacus Kenya offers a wide range of services such as allowing customers to save their money, supporting clients' financial goals, remittance payments and trading in the financial market.
mohammed_ab

'Smart' insurance helps poor farmers to cut risk | Financial Times - 1 views

www.ft.com/...46-d886-11e8-aa22-36538487e3d0

WorldCover Blockchain CropFarmers Insurance

shared by mohammed_ab on 11 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • The policies or “smart contracts” currently under development are based on blockchain, the distributed ledger technology that underpins cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. This avoids the need for paperwork and means payouts can be triggered automatically when certain conditions are met, such as a specific number of days of drought. The system uses high-resolution satellite images to detect rainfall and plant growth data.Conventional crop insurance is too expensive for more than 500m small farmers worldwide, says Christopher Sheehan, founder and chief executive of US-based WorldCover, which developed the system. “But with machine learning and blockchain technology, we can process these data very cheaply to produce a really simple crop insurance product with premiums of $20 to $50 for a farmer who might only be earning $3,000 a year.” Payments can be made using mobile money transfer services such as M-Pesa.
  • mohammed_ab on 11 Feb 21
     
    I think that this article highlights the main benefits of blockchain technology on the insurance industry. It shows how blockchain has enabled easy and quick transactions to take place in the insurance world especially crop insurance. This technology has enabled companies like WorldCover to offer cheap insurance contracts for crop farmers to help them hedge against weather risks.
mehdibella

Latest News on M-Pesa | Cointelegraph - 0 views

cointelegraph.com/m-pesa

M-pesa kenya Nairobi Fintech finance

shared by mehdibella on 13 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • Latest News on M-Pesa | Cointelegraph
  • M-Pesa is Kenyan mobile, phone-based payment service provider for the mobile companies’ customers. M-Pesa is a money transfer service that, additionally, provides financing and micro-financing operations. The company was launched in 2007 by the two largest mobile network operators in Kenya and Tanzania. In 2013, M-Pesa in Africa became available for money transfers in Bitcoin, which are very popular among Kenyan and other African countries’ citizens due to their national currencies’ hyperinflation. Initially, M-Pesa was developed for Kenyan and other African citizens who don’t have access to ATMs or bank accounts to send or receive money, but the service has now reached Afghanistan and some European countries.
mohammed_ab

Creating a Strategy for the New FinTech Ecosystem - Belatrix Software - 0 views

www.belatrixsf.com/...creating-strategy-fintech

Fintech Strategy M-Pesa Alliances

shared by mohammed_ab on 13 Feb 21 - No Cached
  • 1. Millennials squared – a parable of a digital wallet and beer moneyEarlier this year Sam Crowder stood up at a televised baseball game, and held a sign asking his Mum to send him “beer money”. He included his Venmo account information. Thousands of people sent him money, as his sign went viral. Beyond sharing this story as advice in case you ́re ever thirsty and leave your wallet at home, what it reflects is how the use of new technologies may start with digital natives, but then rapidly spread to other generations. It reflects the inter-generational adoption of, and use of, FinTech technologies.So, when looking at the potential of new services, it is important not just to consider the young people who will adopt it. But what will happen when they introduce the technology to their friends and family. Millennials are the earthquake that shakes companies, and adopt new tech and services at lightning speed. The rest of us are the tsunami of adoption that follows and lead to exponential growth.
  • 2. Facebook, Amazon, Google or Ant Financial will become the largest retail bank in the worldIt’s 2020 and to apply for a loan, instead of going to your local bank branch, you quickly ask Facebook for approval. This is far from fanciful thinking. Even as of today, PayPal is arguably one of the largest retail banks — it has more money in deposits than all but the largest 20 US banks, and offers services from payments, to loans and credit cards (albeit currently via partners). But we believe that one of the major tech companies, whether that is Facebook, Amazon, Google, or Ant Financial (the financial arm of Alibaba) will not only transform retail banking, but rapidly become the largest retail bank in the world.“Some bankers and analyststhink that Google, Facebook, Amazon or the like will not fully enter a highly regulated, low-margin business such as banking. I disagree. What is more, I think banks that are not prepared for such new competitors face certain death”Francisco González, CEO, BBVA
  • hese major tech companies have the platform and the scale to upend retail banking. They already have a digital wallet which underlies the services that enable users to buy and sell on their platforms, such as Google Wallet and Amazon Payments. Facebook Messenger Pay is already available in the US while it recently received an e-money license from the Central Bank of Ireland. This means European users will be able to store and transfer money, and make online purchases. The transition to becoming the largest retail bank in the world will be swift and brutal for traditional banks.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • 3. Regulators finally make the pivot to supporting the FinTech ecosystemBitX, a bitcoin startup in Singapore, was looking to enter the UK and European markets. Instead of having an arduous journey gaining the required licenses and approvals as it would have expected in the past, BitX was accepted into the regulatory sandbox of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. This enabled it to test its services and build its product with the backing of the regulator. This kind of thinking reflects how in the past few years we have seen regulators move from hindering innovation and new services, to proactively supporting and strengthening the FinTech ecosystem.It is a challenging line to take, particularly in the
  • world of finance – to help create the framework and environment for innovation, while also protecting consumers and businesses. However, increasingly we see regulators getting this blend right.For example, the European Union’s Directive on Payment Services (PSD2) will create an EU-wide single market for payments. This will drive new opportunities and innovation in the payment sector, because it will force financial institutions to provide secure access for a third-party service provider to a customer’s online account. Meanwhile, we have seen regulatory sandboxes emerge not just in the UK, but in locations from Singapore to Australia. The US Treasury meanwhile recently announced it will start issuing special purpose national bank charters to FinTech companies.In the future, expect to see the emergence of “RegTech”. This will enable real-time interaction and analysis between regulators and financial institutions. Indeed, thi
  • ch as in New York, London or Singapore. So, although the UK dominates the world of fintech (generating an estimated £6.6billion in FinTech related revenue), leading organizations are looking for inspiration among the innovative services, products and ideas being created from Guadalajara, to Laos, to Kenya.In many cases we can see that the unique financial environment of these locations is resulting in novel ideas. For example, Guadalajara based start-up Kueski uses a person’s digital footprint to assess their credit worthiness – a particular challenge in Mexico where credit is not available to large swathes of the population. In Latin America Tigo Cash is a mobile financial service which already handles more cash than many financial institutions in the region. We will see markets and services emerging which are currently not on anyone’s map, and become some of the most important financial organizations in the world.
    • samiatazi
      samiatazi on 13 Feb 21
       
      this article points out 4 expectations for the fate of FinTech and Financial services. However, I think that the most interesting one is the last one which states that The effect of FinTech advancement is frequently made and experienced outside the usual Hub of Finance, for example, New York, London or Singapore. Giant Companies are searching for inspiration among innovative and creative products, items and thoughts being made from Guadalajara, to Laos, to Kenya. I really like this part too, stating that We will see markets and administrations arising which are as of now not on anybody's guide, and become the absolute most significant Fintechs on the planet.
  • software platform between itself and the banks, so it can view and analyze information in real-time.4. Look beyond the hubs to find innovative ideasAcross Kenya, mobile money has become ubiquitous – being used by at least one person in 96% of Kenyan households. But what is the real impact of mobile money in such countries? One study estimated that M-PESA, the Kenyan mobile money system which enables money to be stored on a phone and be sent via text, has helped lift 2% of Kenyan households out of poverty.What this example demonstrates is that the impact of FinTech innovation is often created and experienced outside of the usual hubs of finance su
  • In the past few years we have seen the rapid evolution of FinTech from generating novel ideas which solve customer problems, to offering core financial services. We have seen the shift from digital startups, characterized by a lack of financial wherewithal and which operated on the edge of tightly regulated markets, to the emergence of mature financial digital organizations at the heart of the traditional financial world.We can describe the development and maturing of FinTech in 3 main waves:The early emergence of digital startups helping consumers. Originally FinTech solutions were the preserve of B2C markets which solved specific customer problems such as offering home loans faster and easier. They used new technologies such as mobile and cloud computing, and were characterized by a laser focus on the customer with all the hall-marks of a digital Silicon-Valley style start-up.Transition to B2B markets. Today FinTech plays a role at the core of B2B innovation in financial markets, and industry observers widely expect B2B FinTech revenues to dwarf those in consumer markets within the next couple of years. Organizations such as Currency Cloud (cross border B2B payments), Payoneer Escrow (escrow services), and Hummingbill (B2B invoice platform) all reflect a maturing industry.The creation of an ecosystem between FinTech and traditional players. FinTech organizations are realizing that the required go-to-market investment, economies of scale, and regulatory needs, means it makes sense to partner with traditional financial institutions. On the other side, established players recognize the value, innovation and potential of FinTech in a world which is increasingly mobile-first. These financial institutions are also adopting many of the methods that FinTechs use so successfully, from a focus on the customer, to using Agile software development, to holding hackathons, and forming accelerators and innovation programs.
    • sawsanenn
      sawsanenn on 13 Feb 21
       
      This excerpt is important because it shows the three waves that each fintech companies go through. Currently, most companies are still in b2b markets which an new innovative role in the financial markets; howver, not all companies are doing the same thing. Some of them still need a real bank ( Not virtual) to make transactions and don't trust softwares.
  • ch as in New York, London or Singapore. So, although the UK dominates the world of fintech (generating an estimated £6.6billion in FinTech related revenue), leading organizations are looking for inspiration among the innovative services, products and ideas being created from Guadalajara, to Laos, to Kenya.In many cases we can see that the unique financial environment of these locations is resulting in novel ideas. For example, Guadalajara based start-up Kueski uses a person’s digital footprint to assess their credit worthiness – a particular challenge in Mexico where credit is not available to large swathes of the population. In Latin America Tigo Cash is a mobile financial service which already handles more cash than many financial institutions in the region. We will see markets and services emerging which are currently not on anyone’s map, and become some of the most important financial organizations in the world.
    • ghtazi
      ghtazi on 13 Feb 21
       
      What this example shows is that beyond the usual finance hubs, such as in New York, London, or Singapore, the influence of FinTech innovation is also generated and experienced.
  • It’s 2020 and to apply for a loan, instead of going to your local bank branch, you quickly ask Facebook for approval. This is far from fanciful thinking. Even as of today, PayPal is arguably one of the largest retail banks — it has more money in deposits than all but the largest 20 US banks, and offers services from payments, to loans and credit cards (albeit currently via partners). But we believe that one of the major tech companies, whether that is Facebook, Amazon, Google, or Ant Financial (the financial arm of Alibaba) will not only transform retail banking, but rapidly become the largest retail bank in the world.
  • mohammed_ab on 13 Feb 21
     
    This article explains how the big e-commerce giant Amazon and the dominant social media platforms will become the largest retail banks in the future. I think that M-Pesa could benefit from strategic alliances or partnerships with these big giants.
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