Argent Bank launches Business mobile banking suite
Argent Bank, has announced that it has launched a new mobile banking suite for businesses. The services can be downloaded in an application for iPhone and Android devices, allowing users to access accounts through the Argent Mobile Web platform.
Users will be able to make transfers, pay bills, track recent transactions and take advantage of many other services, such as searching for the closest Argent Bank ATM.
Patricia Baughman, senior vice president and product management and market research executive at the bank, said the company is excited to debut the new business banking suite. “The design of our new business mobile offerings allows us to have a single, consistent user experience across different digital banking platforms and channels.”
Customers can also make use of the camera on their smartphones to make deposits by simply taking images of the front and back of an endorsed cheque, entering the amount and selecting the account they want it to be deposited into.
LMAX FX trading platform lists Ven digital currency at Davos Conference
LMAX Exchange, has announced at Davos today that it is now listing the Ven digital currency. Ven is a global digital currency launched through social network Hub Culture according to a Bobsguide report. David Mercer, chief executive officer of LMAX Exchange has said,” Ven won’t be the last virtual currency that the FX trading venue lists, “as we fully we intend to exploit the market potential that credible virtual currencies have to offer”.
Whether linkages to the Ripple Labs network or other members of the Digital Asset Transfer Authority will be established later on – or indeed if LMAX will join DATA – is a bit murky at this point. “Ven is already used for real goods and services,” continued Mercer, “but this is a major step forward in the development of virtual currencies, in that listing on LMAX Exchange makes it a tradable currency.” “Virtual currencies, such as bitcoin, have been the focus of a lot of attention over the last year, but the challenge for them going forward is to become transferable.
“As a forward-thinking, regulated MTF for FX, it has recognised what a major opportunity this is, and identified the significance of virtual currencies in the future of FX trading.”
Stalnaker also emphasised Ven’s Hub Culture linked identity authentication and security tool and how the virtual currency could potentially be used as a payment transaction tool for global financial inclusion.
Kirk Wylie – London will Dominate Fintech | Silicon Real
Markit launches global ETF platform
Global financial information services firm Markit, announced that it has integrated its suite of ETF products into a new web application that delivers sophisticated capabilities required for navigating the increasingly complex and global ETF universe. Mark Schaedel, managing director and global head of equity & index data services at Markit, said: “Until now, ETF investors looking for global exposure have had blind spots due to a lack of cost effective exposure to previously inaccessible asset classes.
The integration of our analytics into the new ETF platform helps customers navigate this fragmented market that spans over 5,000 global ETFs, issued by more than 200 providers and which trade across 60 exchanges using a single view with a powerful analytics toolset layered on top”. Customers can use the platform to gain greater transparency across the global ETF market.
It combines the complete referential dataset spanning 5,100 ETFs, full daily portfolio holdings data, announced and forecasted dividends and over 1,300 analytical daily and historical calculations addressing the performance, liquidity, risk and benchmark tracking metrics from the launch date of each ETF. The integrated suite enables customers to screen the global ETF market place and perform detailed comparative analysis at the constituent level.
Tweet of the Week
Interesting video on how London is embracing #Bitcoin, via @BBCBusiness http://t.co/lJd4Hxrc2K
— Metia Influence (@MetiaInfluence) January 23, 2014
Finextra: EC unveils accelerator to give tech start-ups helping hand
The European Commission has enlisted banks, telcos and universities for a new accelerator programme designed to help tech start-ups scale and take on the giants of Silicon Valley. Finextra reports: Frustrated by the inability of European technology companies to become true global players in the mould of Google and Facebook, the EC has established the Startup Europe Partnership.
The partnership will seek to build bridges between Europe’s start-up, corporate and investment communities to help young firms raise funds, beat language barriers, and share best practice. In addition to the accelerator, the EC has also unveiled plans for a new think tank, dubbed the European Digital Forum, designed to give the tech scene a stronger voice. Source: Finextra
Brett King to Kick Off Bank Innovators Lab Day in London – Bank Innovators Council
Bestselling author, futurist and speaker Brett King will provide opening remarks at our Bank Innovators Lab Day . Brett King was voted as American Banker’s Innovator of the Year in 2012, and was nominated by Bank Innovation as one of the Top 10 “coolest brands in banking”. read more
Fiserv uses gamification to bill pay in CheckFree RXP electronic bill payment service
FinTech solutions provider Fiserv, announced that it has added several innovative features to its flagship CheckFree RXP electronic bill payment service, incorporating gamification principles to make the bill payment process more intuitive and engaging.
Through consumer research, Fiserv has found that the initial set-up process has a significant impact on consumer use and satisfaction with electronic bill payment. Several gamification techniques – taking elements of electronic games, such as how they flow or how they are designed, and applying them to non-game applications – were used in order to instill confidence in the user during their first interaction with the product.
“Gamification has proven successful in getting and keeping consumers engaged in an electronic environment,” said Tom Allanson, division president, Electronic Payments, Fiserv. “Adapting these principles to financial services and incorporating them into electronic bill payment initiates an intuitive experience that makes the service more compelling to new users, and has significant potential to increase adoption and use of bill pay via online banking.”