Technology for tomorrow
Are you a tech evangelist? From developing a coherent and workable strategy, knowing how data and analytics will drive finance forward and learning to anticipate the disruptive technologies which may challenge your business models, tech savvy CFO are on the frontfoot.
14 August 2018 South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe's African Rainbow Capital is set to acquire 90% of TymeDigital for an undisclosed sum 10 August 2018 The University of Cape Town has launched a massive open online course examining the rise of FinTech companies, regulation and related technology. 03 August 2018 A report has confirmed that the greater Cape Town area, including Stellenbosch, is Africa's tech capital. 27 July 2018 Africa's FinTechs have received almost $100 million already in 2018, with prospects for the sector looking bullish 25 July 2018 Standard Bank's CFO of Group Tech says that CFOs "sticking to their knitting", could result in the next large corporate failure. 24 July 2018 The working capital marketplace for corporates and their supply chains has realised turnover growth of over 2 000% 19 July 2018 Nine out of 10 FinTech startups fail to get beyond the seed stage, as risk-averse investors prefer to wave their wallets at later-stage companies 18 July 2018 Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa was on hand as C-Trade, the country's online and mobile shares trading platform, went live. 15 July 2018 Amazon Web Services has announced the launch of a new Amazon CloudFront Edge location in Cape Town. 10 July 2018 Keep your CFO's hands off the tech budget, and put your CIO on the board. 05 July 2018 Patrice Motsepe's African Rainbow Capital is reportedly in talks with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia to become the sole owner of digital bank TymeDigital 02 July 2018 Enterprise technology management company Blue Turtle has unveiled a new go-to-market strategy. 28 June 2018 FNB is once again the best digital bank in the country, according to Columinate's latest SITEisfaction survey. 24 June 2018 A much-anticipated report from the US Treasury on regulatory reforms for the FinTech sector is set to recommend the use of regulatory sandboxes and fintech charters at both a state and federal level 20 June 2018 While mobile has been around for more than a decade, it's only now being included as part of the broader communications strategy and not added as an afterthought to the creative process 18 June 2018 Retailers to benefit from analytics tools, FinTechs from a joint platform 12 June 2018 Banks are increasingly adopting FinTech because it allows them to improve their business performance and enhance the customer experience. 07 June 2018 Global consumer spend on digital commerce will reach $14.7 trillion by 2022, up by 60% on last year's figure of $9.2 trillion 04 June 2018 The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has announced that it will soon launch a report on Project Khokha, the first project by its recently launched FinTech Unit 01 June 2018 According to Deloitte, seven technologies have growing interaction and relevance for how the work of finance get done 29 May 2018 The firms are pushing ahead with efforts to drive innovation in the financial services industry 23 May 2018 Mastercard has launched the new programme called Accelerate to drive growth of FinTech firms and help them reach scale at speed 19 May 2018 Bitcoin marketplace Paxful plans to set up what it describes as the continent's first blockchain incubation hub in Lagos 15 April 2018 BCB Group is making available its proven infrastructure to financial institutions through a bespoke service enabling them to integrate cryptocurrency trading services seamlessly into their own platforms 09 April 2018 SARS will apply normal income tax rules to cryptocurrencies and expect taxpayers to declare cryptocurrency gains or losses. 06 March 2018 Millions of people in East Africa are paying punitive interest rates for credit or are frozen out of access to financial services 21 January 2018 "Nothing has captured the imagination in this new FinTech age quite like cryptocurrencies, specifically Bitcoin" 16 January 2018 Former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan is once again revolutionising the banking sector with the launch of Bank Zero - a 45% black-owned app-driven bank 03 January 2018 Humaniq has announced the launch of its Android App to enable users in Africa to access to next-generation financial services with facial recognition 28 December 2017 Rehive has built a flexible, easy to use platform to attract entrepreneurs 28 December 2017 A key element of Mint's strategy is to provide remittance services via its mobile wallet for its customers 27 December 2017 In Sierra Leone, three financial technology start-ups are setting out to test new ideas on contributing to the SDGs through greater financial inclusion 22 December 2017 The BCX founder joins executive directors Dean Sparrow and Anton Gaylard, co-founders of Crossfin 21 December 2017 The industry in Nigeria is being held back by the lack of sound regulation 18 December 2017 It is the first move by a bank to outsource the provision of some of its client-facing banking services to a technology platform 17 December 2017 BCX is investing R100 million to grow scarce digital skills in ICT infrastructure and software programming alongside cybersecurity, fintech and artificial intelligence 14 December 2017 Azar Bank will be South Africa's first 100% black-owned digital bank 12 December 2017 Bitcoin passed $18,000 when it began trading on the Cboe on 10 December, causing excitement in some, angst in others 12 December 2017 Viola has announced an initial closing of $100 million toward a target of $120-$150 million, for a new global FinTech fund 11 December 2017 New solution aims to facilitate Kenya and its highest rate of mobile payment technology adoption in the world. 07 December 2017 The company was created to address the funding gap left by the formal banking sector and Micro-Finance Institutions in Africa 05 December 2017 The new hub aims to further the development and acceleration of firms as well as the interaction between investors, entrepreneurs, government bodies and financial institutions 04 December 2017 Ovamba co-founder Viola Llewellyn has become the first female African tech founder to speak at Slush's Central Stage 01 December 2017 Leading neuroscientists, robotics and data scientists share their thoughts on what AI and robotics mean for the continent. 01 December 2017 South African FinTech startup Fo-Sho has launched a product aimed at making short-term insurance with long-term benefits via self-insurance widely accessible 30 November 2017 Nigerian and Kenyan FinTechs have made the prestigious list of 50 emerging companies in the sector 29 November 2017 FNB retained its Incumbent Bank title at the African FinTech Awards 2017 28 November 2017 Ovamba has facilitated a large-scale cocoa distribution deal 27 November 2017 UK FinTech Glint has launched a service which enables customers to own portions of gold bars and make payments using the bars 14 November 2017 The second Singapore FinTech Festival began this week, featuring over 25 000 participants from over 100 countries and more than 160 leaders from central banks and regulatory agencies, financial institutions, venture capital firms and fintech companies taking to the podium. 10 November 2017 Fica specialist ThisIsMe stormed to victory at the first time of asking in the Innovative Banking category at the African FinTech Awards 2017, hosted at the Finance Indaba Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre in October. The FinTech firm, which has experienced exponential growth over the past year and has already surpassed the notable milestone of one million verifications, also claimed the overall title along with reigning champion Easy Equities. 09 November 2017 South African FinTech Jumo has secured $24 million in funding into Africa and Asia. London-based Gemcorp Capital and Finnish development finance company Finnfund were the loan providers. 07 November 2017 After the incredible success of this year’s African FinTech Awards, the annual pitching and prize-giving extravaganza is expected to outdo itself yet again in 2018. Judges for the awards event gathered for a scrumptious breakfast on 7 November to discuss some of the event’s most exciting additions, tweaks and extras. 07 November 2017 Monetary Authority of Singapore MD Ravi Menon has warned investors to be wary of peer-to-peer lending platforms and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, according to Bloomberg. 06 November 2017 Venture capital firm Village Capital has partnered with US payment platform PayPal to launch a three-month investment readiness programme Village Capital FinTech Africa, which will see two early-stage African startups walking away with $50 000 in investment funding. Applications to the programme opened last week and will close on 24 November. 03 November 2017 During a riveting Sage event, finance and IT leaders were entertained, educated and inspired by two of Cape Town’s most knowledgeable CFOs and South Africa’s number one Internet of Things (IoT) expert. 03 November 2017 The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has released a new open-source software for creating payment platforms that will help unbanked people around the world access digital financial services. The software is designed to provide a reference model for payment interoperability between banks and other providers across a country’s economy. It is available now, free-of-cost, for software developers to adapt and banks, financial service providers and companies to implement. Information on the code can be found at mojaloop.io. 02 November 2017 Four black-owned South African financial services start-ups each won R1 million on Monday night at a pitching event hosted by AlphaCode, a club for next-generation FinTech entrepreneurs backed by RMI Holdings. 31 October 2017 Three South African developers who spent time in the USA have created the Slide app, which has the potential to start a payments revolution in the country. 30 October 2017 Local FinTech Yoco and Mastercard have announced a collaboration that will see the rolling out of 15,000 mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) devices to small and medium-sized businesses by the end of the year, while educating them on the benefits of going cashless. 30 October 2017 “Information maturity defines the difference between a good and a great business,” says Nick Bell, CEO of Decision Inc. “Proper use of data is not about impressing during board presentations with clever-looking graphs,” he says. “It’s about using information to improve important parts of the business, like logistics or preventive maintenance.” 24 October 2017 Africa presents the ideal environment in which to evolve a new cash and payments services architecture – by linking rapidly changing customer expectations with new technologies. This puts banks squarely at the centre of mediating the creative clash of trends and technology – as Africa’s financial institutions harness disruption for innovation and growth. 23 October 2017 Ghana’s Bloom Impact, a machine learning loans marketplace accessible from smartphones has raised undisclosed funding from Engineers Without Borders Canada, EWB Ventures, an early-stage investor in innovative Africa-based social enterprises. 19 October 2017 Financial services provider FedGroup has announced its acquisition of a controlling stake in Emergent Energy, the largest provider of installed solar photovoltaic (PV) commercial projects in South Africa. 18 October 2017 Robotic process automation will not replace accountants. In fact, automation can only make life easier, believes Josh May, senior solutions consultant and product manager at Blackline, who spoke last week at Finance Indaba Africa 2017, held at the Sandton Convention Centre. 18 October 2017 It is vitally important for today’s CFO to be tech-savvy, though they should resist the urge to purchase technology for technology’s sake and instead respond to the needs of the business. This was the advice of Christine Ramon, CFO of AngloGold Ashanti, and Wayne Koonin, CFO of Omnia Holdings and winner of the Finance & Technology Award at this year's CFO Awards, during last week’s Finance Indaba Africa 2017, held at the Sandton Convention Centre. 17 October 2017 Ryan Canin, the CEO of DocFox, which has gone from software development to a truly global business a verification and authentication FinTech, put on a rollicking masterclass in front of a packed house at the African FinTech Awards at the Finance Indaba Africa on 12 October at the Sandton Convention Centre. 16 October 2017 This is the most transformative era in history and Section 12J venture capital company Kalon Venture Partners, formerly known as Grotech, is expecting to be at the forefront of change in Africa, said CEO Clive Butkow in an informative session at the African FinTech Awards at Finance Indaba Africa at the Sandton Convention Centre on 13 October. 16 October 2017 Technology should be enslaved to humanity – and not the other way around. Here’s how to make sure that happens. 13 October 2017 In an age where cloud computing is fast becoming the standard approach to data management, many companies still work in silos, each division having their own ERP system or cloud platform to work from. This presents a risk as it can lead to having duplicated data, which is not only inefficient but can lead to bad decision-making, advised Sarah George, ERP strategy leader for Africa at Oracle and Ronnie Toerien, HR strategy leader for Africa at Oracle, during their session on 13 October 2017 at Finance Indaba Africa. 13 October 2017 The judges could not choose between EasyEquities and ThisIsMe and so, for the first time in African FinTech Awards history, there was a tie for overall winner at Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on Friday, 13 October, after two days of intense pitching battles. 13 October 2017 With InvesTech firms redefining the investment sphere and taking the challenge to bloated traditional institutions in terms of solutions, education and platforms, there was naturally a lot of interest in their pitches at the African FinTech Awards. Some big players and familiar foes in the form of EasyEquities, ZAR X and Wealth Migrate went head-to-head on the second morning of Finance Indaba Africa on 13 October 2017. 13 October 2017 Imagine if you had access to a suite of tools at no cost to help you minimise expenses and drastically improve your revenue. What if these tools included an on-the-ground assessment by senior resources to show you exactly how to improve profits in a very tangible way? 12 October 2017 Three category winners were announced at the end of a first day of pitches at the African FinTech Awards, part of Finance Indaba 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre on Thursday, 12 October, with a couple of familiar faces dominating once again. 12 October 2017 EasyEquities brand manager Carly Barnes never imagined that she would be on a stage at a finance event or be involved in investment in any shape or form. The purple-haired livewire recounted her journey from being an actress and performer to building the EasyEquities brand and her own portfolio during an extraordinary session at Finance Indaba Africa on 12 October 2017. 12 October 2017 The organisers of the African FinTech Awards didn’t dally about this year, hauling out the heavy artillery in the form of the hotly anticipated Blockchain and Bitcoin pitches shortly after the opening of the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre on Thursday, 12 October. 11 October 2017 “The marketplace expects CFOs to be certified accountants but organisations are pulling in CFOs who are able to marry their trade of accounting with the technological capabilities and all the benefits that come with that. CFOs previously used technology to drive standardisation through the organisation to gain control, but are now using it to adapt their organisations to a changing environment and to react more quickly to these changes,” says Derek Bose, Oracle’s senior manager for Southern Africa. Derek believes that technology will augment human capability in future and, he says, the role of the CFO is one of the first in line. 11 October 2017 The finance department is under increased pressure to provide business, regulators, shareholders and other stakeholders with the necessary information to enable strategic decision-making and governed corporate performance processes. Often seen as increased workloads due to manual production of reports, budgets, consolidations and other spreadsheet processes, the finance office of the future is automated, efficient and strategic, alleviating and mitigating the risks and challenges being faced today. Join the Karabina team at this Finance Indaba Africa session to understand how utilising the right technology enabled the finance team of a JSE-listed company to achieve these results. Create a more productive environment that requires less, and do it successfully! 11 October 2017 The finance department is under increased pressure to provide business, regulators, shareholders and other stakeholders with the necessary information to enable strategic decision-making and governed corporate performance processes. Often seen as increased workloads due to manual production of reports, budgets, consolidations and other spreadsheet processes, the finance office of the future is automated, efficient and strategic, alleviating and mitigating the risks and challenges being faced today. Join the Karabina team at this Finance Indaba Africa session to understand how utilising the right technology enabled the finance team of a JSE-listed company to achieve these results. Create a more productive environment that requires less, and do it successfully! 10 October 2017 The technology and smart financial systems that are available today can deliver tremendous value for your business. Best-of-breed, cloud-based systems enable your team to make the business stronger. Despite these benefits, only a small percentage of medium-sized companies have implemented all the tools that are available to them. Many of us reason that our current legacy systems and processes are not great but are good enough for now. And, to be honest, we dread the idea of a big IT project and the stress that comes with change. How can you clear these obstacles so that you can really benefit from the digital era? During this hands-on Finance Indaba Africa workshop, learn valuable, practical insights on how to successfully implement the best technology. Don't miss out hearing first-hand how EOH's Paco Cervantes transformed the finance function in 100 days. 10 October 2017 As a finance professional, you are surely working hard to help your business make the right decisions. You know how to deal with financial data and you have the skills to turn data into valuable information. Many of us feel, however, that we need to do more. What we want is to turn all our data into actionable insights across all aspects of the business. How does that work? And is that possible with our current systems and processes? Qlik Master Reseller's Simon Kirby will share how real-time data analytics and visualisation are used by finance teams across the globe today. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn from amazing examples the insights you can create with your data. Join this Finance Indaba Africa session to discover how you can bring your data to life with unmatched speed and scale. 06 October 2017 "We launched our blockchain solution at the Finance Indaba last year and now we can build a cryptocurrency, this is the catalyst which will enable us to get it to the $1 investment, which we believe will help bridge the wealth gap," says Scott Picken, founder and CEO of Wealth Migrate, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 05 October 2017 Before she knew a thing about investing or became the brand manager for EasyEquities, the only performance that concerned Carly Barnes was that which took place on a stage. Within a very short space of time, drawing on the knowledge of her peers and the EasyEquities community (or yousers as she calls them), her spotlight shifted onto the performance of markets, shares and her own capabilities as an investor. In this Finance Indaba Africa session, Carly shares how she grew to understand and create her own investment portfolio, and how a new age of EasyEquities investors inspired her with their stories and experiences - true testament to the idea that anyone can invest and claim a stake in their financial future. 04 October 2017 In this thought-provoking Finance Indaba Africa session, Clive Butkow, CEO of Kalon Venture Partners, a section 12 J Venture Capital Company, will share his views on the growing FinTech sector and why it is reshaping the landscape for businesses and individuals alike. If you want a better sense of how FinTech is shaping your world and are just a little curious about how to create a better return on your hard-earned cash, be sure not to miss this session. 03 October 2017 In a time when most businesses are using data and analytics to drive better decision-making, more than half the global leaders in a CEO survey said they didn't trust the data. While “data is the new oil/gold etc.”, more businesses are understanding that data quality and data governance are key to getting real, actionable insights. Is this your challenge? In this session, KPMG data and analytics leader Frank Rizzo shares his experience of how organisations are improving their data management processes and ensuring that complex algorithms are generating reliable insights around customer, workforce and supplier behaviour. If you want to optimise your data and analytics efforts in 2018, this Finance Indaba Africa session will provide ideas and solutions to consider in your business. 02 October 2017 Financial service providers, from banks to broker dealers to investment advisors, face complex requirements of an expanding global regulatory landscape. Non-compliance with the rules can be extremely costly and damaging. But how can we address the regulatory requirements without losing operational efficiencies? Dominic Suszek, President and CEO of Global RADAR, has over 30 years of experience in the global financial industry. He will share his vision and experiences from a global perspective; from epic failures in compliance to the impact of technology. What is the state of compliance globally? How can we build efficient compliance processes? Dominic will show you how many financial institutions have successfully deployed a new breed of compliance tools. Join this Finance Indaba Africa session, hosted by DocFox, and discover the critical components of an effective and efficient compliance programme. 01 October 2017 The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has issued a licence to TymeDigital (by Commonwealth Bank SA) – the first SARB licence to be issued to a new bank since 1999. TymeDigital is part of Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s (CBA) international financial services division, following CBA’s 2015 acquisition of FinTech company Tyme (take your money everywhere). 29 September 2017 Blacfox has joined Finance Indaba 2017 as a silver partner and will make its debut at the event at the Sandton Convention Centre in October. 29 September 2017 "Hyphen will show Finance Executives how to balance payment streams with a single technology stack, whilst enhancing reconciliation and treasury reporting – ultimately translating into optimised cashflow and cashflow reporting for Finance and Treasury teams," says Gillian Stumke, Head: Business Development of Hyphen Technology, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 28 September 2017 "VirtualIdentity is a convenient digital solution that allows a client to complete the tedious FICA process from the comfort of their home in under five minutes," says Ryan Barlow, Director of e4, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 27 September 2017 DocFox is on a global mission to end money laundering and bring financial services to everyone. It has been an exciting journey for this company, from humble beginnings in a loft with three people, to building a global web application endorsed by Norton Rose Fulbright and funded and lead by the best minds in Silicon Valley. This presentation will share the incredible journey of this startup and explore the way in which it is ending money laundering, and delve into how it is partnering with clients locally and abroad to leverage the latest in technology to change how financial institutions operate. A discussion will also take place sharing the latest trends in FinTech and how institutions are leveraging technology globally to thrive. 27 September 2017 "Mukuru is dismantling barriers for cross-border money transfers in Africa. We send more transactions out of South Africa than any other formal remittance company, yet we are still relatively unknown in the formal sector," says Andy Jury, CEO of Mukuru, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 26 September 2017 What if you could implement the best financial systems and technology enhancements? What if you could drastically improve every step of the accounting process? In this Finance Indaba Africa master class, AdvanceNet Group will show you how it is done. Using practical examples, the smart tools that are available today will be discussed and demonstrated, and an explanation of how to easily implement the latest technology without having to manage a complex IT project will be given. Learn how to strengthen controls, lower compliance risks and introduce greater efficiencies and visibility. Don't miss out on hearing how your finance team can enjoy the benefits of the digital age. 26 September 2017 Standard Bank has joined the US-based INV FinTech accelerator programme as a partner in order to open up the African FinTech market for programme participants startups. 22 September 2017 UK FinTech Bridge, a comprehensive agreement covering government-to-government, regulator-to-regulator and industry-to-industry co-operation, has signed by Hong Kong and United Kingdom in London. 21 September 2017 e4 has joined Finance Indaba 2017 as a silver partner and will make its debut at the event at the Sandton Convention Centre in October. 21 September 2017 Technology, Big Data and social networks are all having a massive impact on the workplace and how employees communicate, collaborate and go about their business. A new generation of workforces are more diverse than ever before and have ditched the traditional career model of remaining loyal to a single firm until the gold watch 20 September 2017 Business automation and robotic process automation (RPA) is no longer an experiment and will move ahead at a rate of knots in the years to come. Those companies that do not come onboard with automation processes will find themselves on an uneven footing with their competitors and will be unable to attract and develop top talent. At the same time, finance departments and executives have struggled to get a handle on it. How much efficiency and performance can you derive from automation and what skills are needed to take the next step? 19 September 2017 Payments provider Electrum, has been selected to participate in the Gartner Aspiring Innovators Programme, which aims to highlight innovative providers of enterprise technology to attendees of the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo Africa 2017, which is being held in Cape Town from 18 to 21 September 2017. The audience includes over 1 000 CIOs and senior IT executives from Africa and around the world who are actively looking for new partners and solutions. 18 September 2017 "Embrace empowers Finance professionals to adapt to and meet the challenges of a rapidly changing business and systems environment, so as to remain relevant and competitive within their industry," says Ian Foster, Sales & Marketing Director of ACS-Embrace, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 15 September 2017 African FinTechs are able to apply for the prestigious Switzerland-based F10 accelerator. 11 September 2017 Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the International Financial Centre in Abu Dhabi, has received 166 applications from over 39 countries for its inaugural FinTech Abu Dhabi Innovation Challenge. 08 September 2017 "We are passionate about customers achieving real value from the use of Data Analytics and I believe the best way to support this is through sharing experiences and customer stories," says Simon Kirby, Director of Financial Services Industry Solutions at Qlik. South Africa Qlik Master Reseller is a gold partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 08 September 2017 Seamless East Africa – the region’s most extensive technology and solution event for the FinTech, payments and banking industries – opened its doors yesterday at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Nairobi. 07 September 2017 From customer interface to back office support, automation has become an important issue that CFOs cannot afford to ignore. But will a failure to adopt automation mindset make your business extinct? Just how much efficiency and performance can you derive from automation and do you have the skills to take the next step? 06 September 2017 Google has expanded its six-month, equity-free Launchpad Accelerator programme to seven more countries in Africa, after initially only opening it up to startups from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. The tech behemoth will now also accept applicants from Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda. 04 September 2017 Pineapple (formerly know as Amyti), a Johannesburg-based InsurTech startup, has raised R5,2 million in seed funding. 01 September 2017 The World Bank has selected 20 startups to participate in its XL Africa accelerator programme, which offers help in securing early stage funding, a tailored curriculum and mentoring from a range of experts. A number of investment groups support the programme, which will see participants engaging online before attending a two-week residency in Cape Town. 31 August 2017 Financial services behemoth EY has announced the launch of Tesseract, an integrated mobility platform underpinned by blockchain technology. The platform facilitates fractional vehicle ownership, shared use and seamless multimodal transport and it will help lay the groundwork for how autonomous vehicle fleets can be owned in the future and provide access to a variety of on-demand mobility options. 30 August 2017 "The Finance Indaba is a great opportunity to demonstrate that our product and services offering fits the needs of the all the South African businesses, no matter what their size is," says Paco Cervantes, Oracle Services Business Unit Manager of EOH, a gold partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 29 August 2017 The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in Hong Kong have entered into an agreement to establish a framework of cooperation on FinTech innovation. The agreement will further strengthen the efforts of both authorities to develop an innovations-friendly ecosystem in their respective markets. The signing took place between Mr Ian Johnston, CEO of the DFSA, and Ashley Alder, SFC CEO, in Hong Kong. Under the agreement, both authorities will share information on developments and innovations in FinTech in their respective markets. The agreement also intends to encourage both regulators to refer innovative firms to one another’s markets and to provide them with regulatory guidance. Mr Johnston said: “Providing a regime that fosters innovation in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), is a strategic priority for us. This agreement with Hong Kong’s SFC deepens cooperation between our two markets and will build a common understanding of the principles of good innovation.” “This agreement underscores the SFC’s efforts to strengthen regulatory collaboration and promote innovation in financial services," said Mr Alder. “We look forward to working closely with the DFSA to support FinTech development in both our markets.” The agreement extends the existing relationship between the SFC and the DFSA with a joint commitment to maintain the highest standards of cooperation. Both regulators are signatories to the IOSCO Multi-lateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU). They also entered into a bi-lateral MoU in 2008. The agreement marks the latest step in the DFSA’s roadmap to build a framework that supports innovation in the DIFC. It follows the introduction of regulations formalising a tailored regime for loan and investment crowdfunding platforms on August 1, the first in the GCC. On May 24, the DFSA launched its Innovation Testing Licence (ITL), a special class of financial services licence that allows FinTech firms to develop and test innovative FinTech concepts from the DIFC. The DFSA's innovation strategy is aligned with the National Innovation Strategy set out by UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to make the UAE a global hub for innovation. It follows the launch of the FinTech Hive at DIFC, which will bring together the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs to compete and address the growing needs of the region's financial services industry, using innovative technology solutions. It intends to catalyse growth and efficiency in a variety of areas including trade finance, alternative finance and Shari'ah-based services. For its part, the SFC established the FinTech Contact Point (FTCP) in March 2016 to enhance communication with businesses involved in the development and application of FinTech and regulatory technology in Hong Kong. The FTCP also facilitates an understanding of the SFC’s current regulatory regime while enabling it to stay informed of the development of the local industry. 28 August 2017 “There’s never been a more wonderful time to be a banker,” says Funeka Montjane, CEO of Personal and Business Banking at Standard Bank. Montjane, a 2015 WEF Young Global Leader, believes that the future of banking lies in creating time for customers with the help of automation, artificial intelligence and FinTech. Speaking about the future of banking at the Singularity University South Africa Summit, hosted on the continent for the first time in collaboration with Standard Bank, Montjane said that we’re living in what Stephen Hawking called ‘the century of complexity’ – in a more compressed and globalised world characterised by rapid disruption, and where information is free. 28 August 2017 UK FinTech Prodigy Finance has raised $240 million via a funding round. A borderless FinTech platform that provides finance to international students from emerging markets to study at top business schools in the UK, US and Europe, Prodigy is responsible for the world's world's first globally enforceable credit model. 24 August 2017 South African Reserve Bank deputy governor Francois Groepe has revealed that there are three proposals regarding FinTech regulation currently on the table during a keynote address at the Strate GIBS FinTech Innovation Conference. 23 August 2017 The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) recent warning that South Africa's economic vulnerabilities could become more pronounced wasn't good news. Indeed, when the assessment was made in July 2017, it cast a shadow of what's already a turbulent time for the country. 22 August 2017 “Technology, shared resources and digital collaboration provide businesses with a global view of business,” says Christopher Jones, CEO of Digiterra, a silver partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 21 August 2017 The University of Cape Town, one of the leading educational institutions on the continent, has become the first university in Africa to offer a specialised FinTech degree. It follows the University of Oxford and a host of Ivy League institutions in offering such a programme. 18 August 2017 The Nigerian FinTech market has grown by 90% in the past 3-4 years and startups in the populous West African nation are radically transforming the banking and financial sectors, according to Kantar TNS Nigeria CEO Aggrey Maposa. 17 August 2017 "We will be talking about how to build your future with the Blueprint for Continuous Accounting. This revolutionary new concept is changing the way accounting and finance are performing and creating a paradigm shift across Modern Finance Organisations," says Bridgette Ward, Sales Manager of AdvanceNet, a gold partner at the Finance Indaba Africa 2017 on 12 and 13 October 2017 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. 17 August 2017 JSE-listed financial services provider Purple Group has sold a 30% stake valued at R100 million in its Easy Equities business to Sanlam Investment Holdings in a cash deal. Sanlam will receive a seat on the board as part of the investment.Patrice Motsepe's ARC assumes control of TymeDigital
UCT launches new FinTech course
Cape Town claims mantle of Africa's tech capital - report
Africa's FinTechs receive $100m boost
CFOs SHOULD be involved in tech, says Standard Bank's Sean Berrington
UK's Crossflow becomes fastest-growing FinTech globally
FinTechs told to follow the money or crash and burn
Zimbabwe launches revolutionary share-trading platform
Amazon Web Services launches new Cloudfront Edge server location in SA
CFOs - stick to your knitting, says CTO Steven Sidley
Motsepe-backed ARC mulls TymeDigital takeover
Blue Turtle launches FinTech go-to-market for Africa
FNB wrests best digital bank title from Capitec
US Treasury FinTech report to make regulatory recommendations
More money should be poured into African mobile - MMA SA
Wirecard and Visa enter into strategic FinTech agreement
How is FinTech changing traditional banking?
Global digital commerce spend set to breach $14,7 trillion by 2023
Reserve Bank to release debut FinTech report
7 digital tools that are transforming finance
Abu Dhabi Global Market and KPMG launch innovation challenge
Mastercard launches digital banking intiative
Paxful to launch Nigerian incubation hub
BCB Group launches first institutional cryptocurrency prime brokerage service
SARS talks tough on cryptocurrency gains
Croatian FInTech opens up African micro-loan market
Financial service group launches Bitcoin trading app in SA
Financial services supremo Michael Jordaan launches app-based bank
UK FinTech Humaniq launches biometric app in Africa
WATCH: Rehive's Michael Brink at the African FinTech Awards 2017
Dubai's Mint to integrate blockchain into existing tech
FinTechs spur financial inclusion in Sierra Leone
Isaac Mophatlane joins Crossfin board
FinTech has potential to create 3 million jobs - former Nigerian minister
Investec forms groundbreaking partnership with UK FinTech
BCX pours R100 million into digital skills development
Lebo Gunguluza launches digital bank
Bitcoin debuts on major exchange
Israeli fund targets global FinTechs
Opera launches web payment platform in Kenya
WATCH: Ovamba's Marvin Cole at Finance Indaba 2017
Bahrain launches largest regional FinTech hub
Ovamba co-founder makes historic Slush conference appearance
Gird your loins - the robots are coming to Africa
InsurTech Fo-Sho looking to transform SA marketplace
African FinTechs feature in KPMG report
WATCH: FNB's Peter Alkema at Finance Indaba 2017
African FinTech Awards winner Ovamba moves into commodity exports
UK FinTech launches gold-bar based payment service
Singapore FinTech Festival draws global interest
WATCH: ThisIsMe at Finance Indaba 2017
SA FinTech Jumo lands $24m fund injection
Bigger and better: judging panel discusses African FinTech Awards 2018
Singapore Central Bank chief urges FinTech caution
Village Capital and PayPal get behind African FinTechs
Embrace your digital destiny: riveting Sage event wows finance and IT leaders
Gates Foundation launches open-source financial inclusion software
Black-owned FinTechs score R4m windfall
Slide offers South African free email and phone payments
Yoco, Mastercard partner to spread cashless payments to SMEs
Wasting data? Then listen up.
Digitisation take centre stage in African banking strategy
Ghanian FinTech Bloom Impact attracts Canadian investment
FedGroup acquires controlling stake in Emergent Energy
Is robotic automation a given, asks Blackline's Josh May?
The tech-savvy CFO holds the power
On a mission to end global money laundering - DocFox at the African FinTech Awards
"Join us in transforming Africa" - Kalon Venture Partners at the African FinTech Awards
Act like a human, think like a brand - Musa Kalenga impresses at #findaba17
Unified cloud computing can boost collaboration, says Oracle
EasyEquities & ThisIsMe overall winners in historic African FinTech Awards tie
Retiring wealthy or not at all? InvesTech firms at #afta17
Blackfox launching today at #findaba17: disrupting Africa's tech ecosystem
FNB, The Sun Exchange defend African FinTech Awards titles
EasyEquities' "Invest Star" takes centre stage at African FinTech Awards
Join the blockchain gang - African FinTech Awards 2017
Machines will augment our jobs, not steal them, argues Oracle's Derek Bose
How automation within the office of finance can be a reality: Finance Indaba sneak peek 31
How automation within the office of finance can be a reality: Finance Indaba sneak peek 31
How you can benefit from smart technology in 100 days: Finance Indaba sneak peek 28
See and tell the whole story that lives within your data: Finance Indaba sneak peek 28
Finance Indaba 2017: Wealth Migrate is opening up the global real estate market
From stage-star to investar: Finance Indaba sneak peek 20
Why pay tax when you could rather invest in FinTech? Finance Indaba sneak peek 17
Don't believe the data? Here's what you can do about it: Finance Indaba sneak peak 15
The evolution of technology and compliance requirements: Finance Indaba sneak peek 12
SA to get a new bank in 2018
Blacfox signs up for Finance Indaba 2017
Finance Indaba 2017: Hyphen balances payment streams with a single tech stack
Finance Indaba 2017: e4 eliminates the tedium of the FICA process
The DocFox Story: From a Joburg loft to Silicon Valley: Finance Indaba sneak peek 5
Finance Indaba 2017: Mukuru is revolutionising cross-border payments
The easy way to benefit from the digital age: Finance Indaba sneak peek 2
Standard Bank partners with US FinTech accelerator
UK, Hong Kong sign FinTech co-operation agreement
e4 signs up for Finance Indaba 2017
Getting to grips with the future of work at CFO Summit 5
CFOs have a huge role to play in driving internal and external automation - CFO Summit 5
Electrum joins Gartner innovation programme
Finance Indaba 2017: ACS-Embrace offers tailored ERP solutions
Swiss accelerator open to African FinTechs
Abu Dhabi Global Market attracts 166 applicants for FinTech challenge
Finance Indaba 2017: Explore hidden data relationships with South Africa Qlik Master Reseller
Seamless East Africa FinTech conference opens doors in Nairobi
The impact of RPA across the finance value chain - Deloitte's Rieta de Villiers
Google expands Launchpad Accelerator
Disruptive InsurTech Pineapple raises R5,2m in funding
World Bank lines up startups for XL Africa accelerator
EY launches blockchain-based vehicle ownership platform
Finance Indaba 2017: EOH products suit any business
Dubai and Hong Kong sign FinTech agreement
Standard Bank's Funeka Montjane: FinTech is changing the face of banking
Student lender Prodigy Finance raises over R3bn
Reserve Bank talks up FinTech regulation
South Africa's financials remain positive despite economic failings
Finance Indaba 2017: Turbocharge enterprise performance with Digiterra
UCT launches groundbreaking FinTech degree
Nigerian FinTech market up 90% since 2015 - report
Finance Indaba 2017: Build your finance future with AdvanceNet
Sanlam takes R100m stake in Easy Equities
