Cryptocurrencies: what to study until there’s a ‘bachelor of bitcoin’
Joel Emery’s passion is cryptocurrencies, IT and tax law. It’s dense stuff, but despite a recent senate inquiry, legal treatment of new financial technologies is in its infancy so Emery’s Bachelor of Laws honours thesis at ANU is in some ways ahead of the regulators. Bitcoin emerged in 2008 as the first decentralised cryptocurrency, a form of cash that uses encrypted records to validate transactions and generate more bitcoin and, although crypto-currencies get a bad rap at times, the industry is estimated to already be worth more than $14 billion. Every day, ordinary people walk out of the house without a cent, yet buy coffee, lunch and dinner using a […]
Bitcoin lures as investors fret over uncertain markets
Investors appear to be increasingly turning towards bitcoins, rather than gold, as the best way to protect themselves against unpredictable financial markets. Worries that the US Federal Reserve could make good on its threat to raise interest rates before the end of the year pushed gold to a three-week low overnight, with the price of the precious metal dropping 2.4 per cent to $US1,147.30 a troy ounce. Although the Fed kept interest rates close to zero at this week’s meeting, it flagged the possibility of a rate rise in December, and this triggered a rise both in US dollar and US bond yields – both of which are negatives for […]
Fintech could close $2 trillion SME funding gap
Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) worldwide are struggling for funding from traditional sources, opening up a significant business opportunity for financial technology (fintech) operators. According to a new white paper from the World Economic Forum (WEF), fintech companies are already leading the way in disrupting the financial services space, and are eyeing up the $2 trillion funding gap that exists in the SME credit market. The paper, which was put together by the WEF’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of Finance & Capital, explains that the disruptive tailored services coming from the burgeoning fintech sector include invoice and supply chain financing, equity crowd funding and peer-to-peer lending between SMEs. […]
Bitcoin flounders as regulatory worries bite
What are your thoughts on this article? Do you believe this is happening? Australian businesses are turning their backs on bitcoin, as signs grow that the cryptocurrency’s mainstream appeal is fading. Concerns about bitcoin’s potential crime links mean many businesses have stopped accepting it, a trend accelerated by Australian banks’ move last month to close the accounts of 13 of the country’s 17 bitcoin exchanges. The development is a blow to hopes of bitcoin fans that the currency can play a significant role in everyday business transactions in developed economies, with Australia once seen as one of its most promising markets. It is estimated to hold 7 per cent of […]
Will Bitcoin Finally Bring Down The House Of Medici? | TechCrunch
This article makes a great argument for Bitcoin and explains why we should use it instead of the current process. In the 14th century, the Medici family used the power of its newly invented, double-entry accounting system to build a cross-border banking empire that banks still use today. Now more than 600 years later, cross-border payments total more than $22 trillion. Source: Will Bitcoin Finally Bring Down The House Of Medici? | TechCrunch
London wants to pinch best Aussie fintech start-ups | afr.com
This is a very interesting article from the Australian Financial Review on how the UK Government is really getting behind FinTech companies and how Australia could lose some of it’s biggest and brightest to the UK. Great to see so many Australian FinTech companies doing well. Ten of our most promising fintech companies will be flown to London next month by the British government, which is trying to lure start-ups to the UK as the global war for innovation talent heats up. Source: London wants to pinch best Aussie fintech start-ups | afr.com
Fintech’s Five Dark-Horse Cities | TechCrunch
Isn’t it great to see that Sydney has been included in the Top 5 FinTech cities to watch. With global investment in fintech having tripled in the last five years, the financial sector is without a doubt in the midst of a revolution. The leading cities in the global fintech race are relatively unsurprising: Silicon Valley, New York, London and Hong Kong are the epicentres of the investment blast. Source: Fintech’s Five Dark-Horse Cities | TechCrunch
FinTech Investments Quadruple: Top Trends To Watch
Investments into FinTech startups recently quadrupled, growing from just over $3 billion in 2013 to over $12 billion in 2014. And consider alongside that another trend showing that crowdfunding will surpass VC in 2016 as a funding source–given that crowdfunding itself is a segment of the FinTech market. Source: FinTech Investments Quadruple: Top Trends To Watch
