Latest long reads: Finextra Research

Hamish Monk Reporter at Finextra

What is an API?

The world of financial services is increasingly connected. This is thanks to the unsung hero of the digital world: application programming interfaces, or APIs – a millennial innovation opened out to the financial sector through a series of open banking regulations, including the first installment of the Payment Services Directives, in 2007. APIs, ...

05 August 2024 /devops

Fintech Sentiment: EU AI Act comes into effect

Níamh Curran Senior Reporter at Finextra

Fintech Sentiment: EU AI Act comes into effect

The EU AI Act officially became law yesterday, the world’s first AI legislation and marking the end of a process which began back in April of 2021. We have already produced a guide on how to prepare for the AI regulation, and background on what the Act was proposing. Now that the AI Act is in law, here’s a look at how some fintechs are responding...

02 August 2024 /ai

The top payment stories you missed in July

Dominique Dierks Content Manager at Finextra

The top payment stories you missed in July

It was an eventful month in the financial sector. Catch up on six of our most-read news and updates from July 2024. Revolut is finally granted a UK banking license After three years of trying, Revolut has been granted a banking license, with restrictions, by the Financial Conduct Authority. Once the ‘mobilisation stage’ has been completed and the r...

02 August 2024 /payments

US regulators' warnings on bank-fintech partnerships: how they can benefit the industry

Scott Hamilton Contributing Editor at Finextra Research

US regulators' warnings on bank-fintech partnerships: how they can benefit the industry

There’s a right way and a wrong way to build and manage bank-fintech business relationships. Well, make that many ways to do both, as there are several critically important factors and practices that need to be considered (and monitored) in every such relationship, no matter its specific goals and structure. Over the past several weeks, vexing exa...

01 August 2024 /regulation

Níamh Curran Senior Reporter at Finextra

Consumer Duty one year on

Today is Consumer Duty’s birthday! It is one year since the implementation of rules for open products and services. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), whose jurisdiction the legislation comes under, have taken this one year anniversary Consumer Duty as an opportunity to announce they will be attempting to relieve some of the burden financial fi...

31 July 2024 /regulation

How to onboard a new customer: Streamlining banks' journeys

Hamish Monk Reporter at Finextra

How to onboard a new customer: Streamlining banks' journeys

Customer onboarding describes the process by which banks and financial institutions take uninitiated individuals and give them access to pre-agreed products. The challenges around this journey include bringing numerous segments of the bank together; ensuring communication with the customer is clear and concise; as well as that all compliance boxes...

30 July 2024 /retail

AI spending races ahead among European banks

Jay Nair EVP at Infosys Limited

AI spending races ahead among European banks

European banking leaders are poised to increase spending on AI faster than on cybersecurity. This occurs amid challenges in recruiting top talent in both these areas and pressure to streamline costs and enhance efficiency. The second volume of the Infosys Bank Tech Index brings these key findings and more. Talent a hurdle to AI’s growth AI is at...

29 July 2024 /ai

US Elections 2024: Despite candidate whirlwind fiscal policies remain unclear

Scott Hamilton Contributing Editor at Finextra Research

US Elections 2024: Despite candidate whirlwind fiscal policies remain unclear

With the blockbuster news of US President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from candidacy for re-election on 21 July, the American political scene has been thrown into a veritable tornado of constant on and off-screen media and pundit posturing and unvalidated speculation on topics from A to Z. What has changed in terms of potential impacts to financial ser...

26 July 2024 /regulation

The AI revolution in financial services: Transforming banking and investment

Apostolos Kritikopoulos Group CTO at Profile software

The AI revolution in financial services: Transforming banking and investment

The financial world is undergoing radical change, driven by the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI). Imagine a banking experience that not only anticipates your needs, but also offers personalised financial guidance and safeguards your assets with unwavering vigilance. This is the reality being shaped by AI, and it is happening ri...

25 July 2024 /ai

What is the role of biodiversity bonds in green finance?

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

What is the role of biodiversity bonds in green finance?

Last month, BBVA Colombia announced it will be issuing the financial sector’s first biodiversity bond of $50 million, in association with IFC. So, what are biodiversity bonds, and what do they mean for sustainable finance? The BBVA investment marks progress in financing green projects; focusing on allocating capital for natural resources and initi...

24 July 2024 /sustainable

Payments processing: Why banks should take a composable approach

Madhvi Mavadiya Head of Content at Finextra

Payments processing: Why banks should take a composable approach

Over the last two decades, many banks have faced the frustration of being locked into high operating costs. Minimal budgets cannot meet business needs for expansion or support the improvement of product offerings. This is partly due to regulatory requirements consuming the lion’s share of the budget and the high cost of maintaining legacy systems. ...

24 July 2024 /payments

Hamish Monk Reporter at Finextra

Understanding consumer duty

With the UK’s Consumer Duty standard due to come into force this month, it is time for a recap on its objectives, how it is working to improve consumer protection for financial firms, and what can be expected from the annual board attestation on 31 July 2024. Good outcomes for customers Announced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in 2021 an...

23 July 2024 /regulation

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