2017 was a year of interesting developments in the blockchain area. Not all happened as was expected. Many, including me, predicted 2017 to be the year that blockchain would move from proof-of-concepts into real world production. Yes, we did see some great successes here, like IBM, R3CEV, … But the number of real world applications…
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Technology has made a pivotal impact on businesses and how they are run today. Starting from the business language, to how we deal with our clients, everything has changed so much that it makes one wonder what will we do without these cutting-edge technologies, especially when we are living in an extremely competitive environment. If…
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I’ve written a column for The Banker magazine for the last 15 years and, during that time, have collected their special July edition each year. Every July The Banker publishes their analysis of the Top 1000 banks in the world. In the 1990s, the top 10 were mainly Japanese; in the 2000s, American; and today, Chinese. This…
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Fintech broke onto the scene as a disruptive force following the 2008 crisis, but the industry’s influence on the broader financial services system is changing. The fintech industry no longer stands clearly apart from financial services proper, and is increasingly growing embedded in mainstream finance. We’re now seeing the initial stages of this transformation. For instance, funding…
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“Banking is necessary. Banks are not.” Yep. Bill Gates said it. Back in 1994. And 28 years later, it’s it’s set to become reality. From the 1st January 2018, banking will no longer be the exclusive domain of banking institutions because PSD2 is going to drastically alter the way in which we bank. The biggest…
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Seven major European banks are partnering on a new blockchain-based trade finance platform, with a tentative plan to launch sometime in the second half of 2017. Dubbed Digital Trade Chain (DTC), the initiative grew out of an earlier proof-of-concept spearheaded by Belgium-based bank KBC and first unveiled in July of last year. Those backing the…
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Advances in technology are causing the banking industry to develop faster. Those seeking to take advantage of these trends stand to be immensely successful. The recent financial crisis in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey has forced banks to adapt and evolve in order to face the challenges ahead. Institutions need to formulate strategies so as to…
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Following the oil price crash, Islamic banking has emerged as a key support for businesses looking to capitalise on the opportunities of economic diversification. Islamic banking has been one of the financial industry’s great growth stories over the past few years. The Islamic (interest-free) model has encouraged innovation, both in terms of product offerings and…
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Since the financial crisis, digital-only banks have placed increasing pressure on the industry’s old guard. But with a wealth of resources in opposition, the industry’s pioneers face an uphill battle. There is no doubt the global financial crisis changed the economic landscape. But perhaps one of its most lasting effects was the creation of an…
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