{"id":15941,"date":"2021-04-02T14:02:15","date_gmt":"2021-04-02T14:02:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/?p=15941"},"modified":"2021-04-02T14:10:07","modified_gmt":"2021-04-02T14:10:07","slug":"bfc-fintech-monitor-24th-31st-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/bfc-fintech-monitor-24th-31st-march\/","title":{"rendered":"BFC FinTech Monitor (24th March \u2014 2nd\u00a0April)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>BFC FinTech Monitor<\/h1>\n<p>Stay up-to-date on all the all the latest FinTech news and information from around the world in the BFC FinTech Monitor.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Around the World<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finextra.com\/newsarticle\/37755\/fca-to-define-new-rules-about-data-ethics-in-evolution-of-open-banking\">urging<\/a> the financial industry and FinTech sector to define a minimum set of data to be used for APIs, paving the way for the open finance throughout the United Kingdom.<\/li>\n<li>Visa has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finextra.com\/newsarticle\/37772\/visa-expands-global-money-movement-beyond-the-card\">expanded<\/a> the functionality of its Visa Direct platform for entrepreneurs by making it easier for businesses to make payments to customers and employees as well as transfer funds to different accounts (including international accounts).<\/li>\n<li>In crypto news: financial conglomerate Morgan Stanley has <a href=\"https:\/\/advisor.morganstanley.com\/scott.altemose\/documents\/field\/s\/sc\/scott-a--altemose\/Case%20for%20Cryptocurrency_MAR%2017%202021.pdf\">named<\/a> cryptocurrency as an emerging class of investment assets; PayPal clients in the United States <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2021\/03\/30\/paypal-launches-crypto-checkout-service.html\">can now<\/a> pay for purchases with cryptocurrencies; British regulators <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fca.org.uk\/news\/press-releases\/fca-warns-younger-investors-are-taking-big-financial-risks\">believe<\/a> that young people are investing in cryptocurrency for the sake of &#8220;thrill&#8221;; Visa has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-crypto-currency-visa-exclusive\/exclusive-visa-moves-to-allow-payment-settlements-using-cryptocurrency-idUSKBN2BL0X9\">begun<\/a> to conduct cryptocurrency transactions using a new Crypto platform; the European Union Summit is <a href=\"https:\/\/eurnews.net\/eu-summit-supported-development-of-digital-euro\/\">supporting<\/a> preparations for the digital euro; the IRS will <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloombergtax.com\/daily-tax-report-international\/irss-operation-hidden-treasure-focusing-on-crypto-fraud\">identify<\/a> cryptocurrency users hiding their profits; and DMG Blockchain Solutions and Argo Blockchain have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/news-release\/2021\/03\/26\/2200038\/0\/en\/DMG-Blockchain-Solutions-and-Argo-Blockchain-to-Launch-the-First-Clean-Energy-Bitcoin-Mining-Pool.html\">created<\/a> the world&#8217;s first renewable energy mining farm.<\/li>\n<li>Revolut has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AlxOTlXYZE4&amp;feature=emb_logo\">become<\/a> profitable and stands alone in the European market.<\/li>\n<li>Microsoft and Fabrick will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fintechf.com\/01-news\/fabrick-and-microsoft-partner-to-expand-digital-transformation-opportunities-for-companies-and-accelerate-open-finance\/\">develop<\/a> open finance in Europe, with Fabrick becoming part of the tech giant\u2019s commercial marketplace and financial ecosystem. Both companies will also work to quickly integrate third-party services to create personalized digital products.<\/li>\n<li>Citigroup has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.finextra.com\/newsarticle\/37723\/citi-introduces-zoom-free-fridays\">instituted<\/a> two new policies: no-Zoom Friday and mandatory weekends. The policies are designed to ensure boundaries between home and work are maintained amid the pandemic. In a similar move, Goldman Sachs has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2021\/03\/22\/goldman-ceo-addresses-junior-bankers-complaints-after-survey-goes-viral.html\">banned<\/a> working on Saturdays.<\/li>\n<li>Huawei <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pymnts.com\/news\/mobile-commerce\/2021\/chinese-conglomerate-huawei-gains-mobile-payments-license-by-buying-xunlian\/\">intends<\/a> to compete with Alipay and WeChat in China, having already obtained a license to expand its mobile payment services in China through the acquisition of the Shenzhen Xunlian Zhifu Network.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Russia<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Russia has <a href=\"https:\/\/ria.ru\/20210330\/platezhi-1603454850.html\">become<\/a> the world leader in contactless payments, with nearly 80% of all respondents to a poll of Russian card users stating that contactless payments are now a part of their daily payment routine.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnews.ru\/articles\/2021-03-17_finansirovanie_rossijskih_blokchejnrazrabotok\">According<\/a> to a CNews report, funding for Russian blockchain development has been cut fivefold.<\/li>\n<li>Anatoly Aksakov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on the Financial Market, has <a href=\"https:\/\/bloomchain.ru\/newsfeed\/gosduma-predlojila-otdelit-tsifrovoi-rubl-i-steiblkoiny-ot-kriptovaljut-v-zakone-o-tsfa\">called<\/a> for amendments to be made to the <em>Law on Digital Financial Assets<\/em>, citing the need to clarify distinctions between the digital ruble and stablecoins on one hand and cryptocurrencies on the other.<\/li>\n<li>Russian banks have <a href=\"https:\/\/iz.ru\/1141132\/natalia-ilina\/po-litcu-spisano-v-rossii-masshtabno-vnedriaiut-biometricheskie-bankomaty\">begun<\/a> to introduce biometric ATMs on a large scale.<\/li>\n<li>The Artificial Intelligence Alliance (AI-Russia Alliance) has <a href=\"https:\/\/tass.ru\/ekonomika\/10997663\">begun<\/a> developing regulations for candidate companies interested in joining the Alliance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Ukraine<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Customers of Privatbank <a href=\"https:\/\/psm7.com\/bank\/v-privat24-poyavilsya-rejting-didzhitalnosti-polzovatelej.html\">can now find<\/a> out their rating of financial digitality through the bank\u2019s online banking channel.<\/li>\n<li>PaySpace Magazine <a href=\"https:\/\/psm7.com\/cashless-economy\/chto-takoe-interchejndzh-i-pochemu-vokrug-nego-stolko-shuma.html\">explains<\/a> what \u2018passion for interchanging\u2019 as well as the National Bank of Ukraine\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/psm7.com\/legislation\/razmer-komissii-interchejndzh-dolzhen-regulirovatsya-isklyuchitelno-rynochnymi-metodami.html\">opinion<\/a> on the matter.<\/li>\n<li>Vladislav Belan, CEO of the FinTech service MyCredit, <a href=\"https:\/\/biz.liga.net\/all\/all\/press-release\/4500-zayavok-i-150-obrascheniy-v-den-kak-rabotaet-luchshiy-finteh-servis-v-ukraine\">explains<\/a> how the company has established new standards for online services.<\/li>\n<li>Global Finance Magazine has <a href=\"https:\/\/psm7.com\/bank\/nazvany-banki-goda-v-centralnoj-i-vostochnoj-evrope-kto-stal-luchshim-v-ukraine.html\">named<\/a> Alfa-Bank has the best bank in Ukraine and Raiffeisen Bank International as the best bank in Central and Eastern Europe.<\/li>\n<li>The Ukrainian Cash Day 2021 <a href=\"https:\/\/psm7.com\/event\/ezhegodnyj-forum-ukrainian-cash-day-2021-projdet-v-kieve.html\">forum<\/a> will be <a href=\"https:\/\/psm7.com\/event\/v-kieve-projdet-devyataya-mezhdunarodnaya-konferenciya-blockchainua.html\">held<\/a> in Kiev on April 16, 2021.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Kazakhstan<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <em>Social<\/em> <em>Wallet<\/em> project is being <a href=\"https:\/\/kursiv.kz\/news\/finansy\/2021-03\/zachem-v-kazakhstane-zapuskayut-proekt-socialnyy-koshelek\">introduced<\/a> as an alternative to bank cards. Under the project, residents will be able to receive social benefits and use them via a mobile app that acts as a full-fledged bank payment instrument.<\/li>\n<li>Forbes has <a href=\"https:\/\/forbes.kz\/finances\/exchange\/za_bumagoy_vsupermarket_1616937614\">published<\/a> an article about Kazakhstani online trading platforms, including the freedom24.kz app developed by Halyk Finance and Tabys.<\/li>\n<li>The first credit bureau in Kazakhstan has <a href=\"https:\/\/forbes.kz\/finances\/finance\/pkb_otsifrovyivaet_kreditnyie_tovarischestva\/\">launched<\/a> the Credit Union Credit Transfer Unique Software (CUCTUS), facilitating greater credit relationships between financial institutions and improving automated credit scoring processes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Kyrgyzstan<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>10 of Kyrgyzstan\u2019s 23 banks current <a href=\"https:\/\/ru.sputnik.kg\/society\/20210326\/1051902893\/kyrgyzstan-mobilnyj-banking-plyusy-minusy.html\">offer<\/a> mobile banking services, with the rest preparing to launch them in the near future.<\/li>\n<li>Bai-Tushum has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.akchabar.kg\/ru\/news\/baj-tushum-otkryl-ofis-novogo-formata-v-centre-bishkeka\/\">opened<\/a> a self-service zone in one of its Bishkek branches, allowing customers to receive some banking services using technological devices installed in the zone.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Tajikistan<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Ministry of Industry and New Technologies has <a href=\"https:\/\/asiaplustj.info\/ru\/news\/tajikistan\/economic\/20210324\/v-tadzhikistane-hotyat-sozdat-it-park-poluchitsya\">announced<\/a> Tajikistan\u2019s intention to create an IT park to facilitate better technological development in the country. While some independent experts lauded the idea, many remain skeptical over whether or not it will be implemented properly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Uzbekistan<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>OCTO co-founder Gairat Khasbiullin <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spot.uz\/ru\/2021\/03\/27\/octo\/\">discusses<\/a> how the company managed to launch a new payment technology using Visa Token Service (VTS).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Azerbaijan<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Central Bank of Azerbaijan has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trend.az\/business\/3399852.html\">launched<\/a> a platform that allows users to receive financial services from various institutions, including Unibank, VTB, ZiraatBank and AccessBank.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Armenia<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>VTB, in collaboration with Mastercard, has <a href=\"https:\/\/banks.am\/ru\/news\/newsfeed\/21093\">launched<\/a> the Boingo WiFi program for premium customers. Holders of a special World Black Edition will get unlimited access to Boingo WiFi hotspots around the world, including while in flight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Moldova<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Moldova Agroindbank is <a href=\"https:\/\/newsmaker.md\/rus\/novosti\/maib-priglashaet-moldavskie-startapy-prisoedinitsya-k-programme-vertikal-fintekh-2021\/\">inviting<\/a> local startups to join the <em>FinTech Vertical 2021<\/em> The bank was also <a href=\"https:\/\/newsmaker.md\/rus\/novosti\/izdanie-global-finance-nazvalo-moldova-agroindbank-luchshim-bankom-moldovy\/\">recognized<\/a> as the best bank in Moldova by Global Finance Magazine for the 15<sup>th<\/sup> time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"rpbt_shortcode\">\n\n<div id='rpbt-related-gallery-1' class='gallery related-gallery related-galleryid-15941 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item' role='group' aria-label='FinTech companies voice opposition to PSD2'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/fintech-companies-voice-opposition-to-psd2\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/fintech-companies-voice-opposition-to-psd2-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"rpbt-related-gallery-1-12976\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='rpbt-related-gallery-1-12976'>\n\t\t\t\tFinTech companies voice opposition to PSD2\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item' role='group' aria-label='Data\u2019s role in digital transformation after COVID-19'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/data-s-role-in-digital-transformation-after-covid-19\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/d9713a92-1cac-4dd3-8d48-c4fea7cb03dc1-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"rpbt-related-gallery-1-15112\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='rpbt-related-gallery-1-15112'>\n\t\t\t\tData\u2019s role in digital transformation after COVID-19\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item' role='group' aria-label='BFC FinTech Monitor (19th January \u2014 8th February)'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/bfc-fintech-monitor-19th-january-8th-february\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/68a29ddf-c5db-6ed3-d837-69726fa6fb051-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"rpbt-related-gallery-1-16622\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='rpbt-related-gallery-1-16622'>\n\t\t\t\tBFC FinTech Monitor (19th January \u2014 8th February)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BFC FinTech Monitor Stay up-to-date on all the all the latest FinTech news and information from around the world in the BFC FinTech Monitor. Around the World The Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom is urging the financial industry and FinTech sector to define a minimum set of data to be used for APIs, &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":15927,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[473],"tags":[80,399,184,35,30,70,75],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15941"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15941"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15944,"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15941\/revisions\/15944"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bulletins.bfconsulting.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}