BRC – KPMG Retail Sales Monitor October 2018. http://tinyurl.com/y9v4jm6w
Online sales of Non-Food products grew 7.6% in October, against a growth of 4.0% in October 2017, the lowest growth of 2017.
Barclays has launched a free app-based invoicing platform for its SME customers. http://tinyurl.com/yarytrvu
Sitting within the Barclays Mobile Banking app, it will enable SMEs to create and send invoices from their smartphone. It will also enable them to track, manage and reconcile invoices as well as check when payments are due and when they are made.
Natixis Payments is supporting the SNCF Group in its development of a Personal Mobility Assistant app. http://tinyurl.com/y9lb8dgd
The PMA seeks to provide rail users with a single payment solution that will enable them to research, book and confirm their travel arrangements.
SIA and Intesa Sanpaolo are supporting Jiffy mobile payments at Carrefour Italia. http://tinyurl.com/y8zjl889
Erste MobilePay, Erste Bank Hungary’s mobile wallet, has received a significant upgrade. http://tinyurl.com/yc6e3k6u
New capabilities include the storage of loyalty cards and PFM functionality.
RBS has launched its standalone SME digital entity Mettle in beta. http://tinyurl.com/yc3kezox
The Mettle current account is an e-money account provided by Prepay Solutions http://tinyurl.com/yd3pkzcx that provides a sort code, account number and payment card; instant invoicing; and the option to add receipts to transactions and track expenses through a mobile app.
Lloyds Banking Group has announced a strategic partnership with fintech Thought Machine and taken an £11m, 10% stake in the company. http://tinyurl.com/ydgw9uf8
The aim is to accelerate the digital transformation of the bank’s business using Thought Machine’s innovative banking technology that includes Vault, a cloud-native next generation banking platform. Lloyds has been working with Thought Machine to develop the capabilities of Vault and will enter into a development and deployment phase in 2019.
Worldline is partnering with hospitality marketplace HotelsPro and Paytrek for end-to-end payment solutions. http://tinyurl.com/y9ntqzsm
Paytrek acts as a reseller of Worldline’s payment terminals and acquiring services, allowing travel agents and hotel customers to access a comprehensive booking payment solution.
Ixaris, supported by Visa in Europe, has announced the launch of a range of payment products that target the global travel sector. http://tinyurl.com/yadu5al2
Visa will provide virtual card technology to enable Ixaris to offer a range of travel payment solutions.
Cardstream is to process Diners International and Discover cards to support greater acceptance in the UK and expand its own offer.
Cardstream claims to be the only independent white label payment gateway provider in the UK.
Allied Wallet has enabled its NextGen Payment Gateway to support MyBank, Cartes Bancaires, E-Carte Bleue, CASHWAY, and YouPass. http://tinyurl.com/ya5tla97
TransferWise has announced a new partnership with Amsterdam-based challenger bank bunq. http://tinyurl.com/yamx6rj7
Norge Bank Speech – Challenges for the payment system. http://tinyurl.com/ydbd3t9d
Primarily focusses on instant payments and the associated infrastructure and gives a Central Bank view on the various initiatives within the Nordics to put in place cross-border payment entities – mobile apps merger and P27. Not quite as straightforward as perhaps thought. Also covers Cybersecurity, DLT and CBDCs.
Tech Nation’s Fintech Delivery Panel, in association with the BSI has launched new guidance to improve engagement between fintech companies and financial institutions. http://tinyurl.com/y7fwgf24 PAS Guidelines http://tinyurl.com/yblf8lrk
The purpose of the PAS is to lay out guidance for fintechs that will help them understand, prepare for and more easily navigate the path to forming successful engagement with large FIs. In addition it can provide a foundation document around which fintechs, FIs and regulators alike can discuss ways to improve and streamline the process to enhance the UK’s position and benefit customers.
ECB – Digitalisation and its impact on the economy: insights from a survey reflecting the views of 74 leading non-financial companies. http://tinyurl.com/yabokepj
The main aim of the survey was to look at how digital transformation is affecting macroeconomic aggregates, as perceived by firms. The take-up of big data and cloud computing is pervasive across all sectors, as is the use of e-commerce. In the manufacturing and energy sectors, artificial intelligence, the “internet of things”, robotics and 3D printing are almost equally widespread.
Speech Banque de France: Where do crypto-assets fit into our payment system? http://tinyurl.com/ycmnfmys
Uncertainty over the future of crypto-assets in the world of payments does not relieve us of the need to regulate their development, given the attendant risks. Adopting a framework that protects participants in the real economy will help to increase their confidence in the mechanisms associated with crypto-assets, thereby promoting growth in the new assets. The intrinsically digital and global nature of crypto-assets means however that a coordinated international approach must be taken to avoid creating an opportunity effect.
Eurocash has sold terminal network provider PayUp Polska to Polskie ePłatności for PLN110m. http://tinyurl.com/y958bodl
PayUp supports a network of 15,500 POS in stores affiliated in partner and franchise networks organized by the Eurocash Group.
Zopa has raised £60m with its largest funding round to date. http://tinyurl.com/yapgd77d
Zopa will use the funds to provide the capital required for its planned next generation bank. It is currently applying for a banking licence from the FCA.
The Bank of England has launched its online Future Forum – ‘Let’s Decide the Future of Money’. http://tinyurl.com/y75q3vqp
“We want to hear your views on the future of banking, Fintech, cyber resilience, climate change and savings.”
Ingenico Group has launched a AI payment-enabled chatbot that reduces the steps consumers have to take in order to complete purchases. The chatbot incorporates Ingenico’s secure payment API, enabling customers to purchase products and services within a messaging app’s chat function, bringing an end-to-end customer experience to the chat platform and enhancing conversion rates for merchants.
