Fintech PR
Yunqi founding partner Michael Mao calls on fintech start-ups to safeguard boundaries and create long-term value as three of its angel-round invested companies are included in CB Insights List
On the afternoon of June 29, CB Insights China held the “Future of Fintech CHINA and CB Insights China Fintech List” summit, and three Yunqi angel-round invested companies – 360 Finance, Inc, IceKredit and Xtransfer – were included in the List. Guest presider Michael Mao, a founding partner of Yunqi Partners, held round table dialogues and discussions with corporate leaders, exchanging ideas focused on key topics such as national policy direction, financial oversight, data compliance and applications, as well as financial security and privacy. An abstract of the views discussed is set out below:
1. The ups and downs of internet finance: Safeguard your capability boundaries and create long-term value
Prior to founding Yunqi Partners, I was a financial team leader at IDG, and looked at quite a lot of financial projects. IDG is China’s first VC involved in investing in internet finance. In retrospect, a wave of internet finance took place in China at the time, triggered by two events in the summer of 2013:
The first was Baidu’s USD1.9 billion acquisition of 91 Wireless. That was a landmark event in the internet finance sector as none of the BAT had spent so much money acquiring a start-up previously.
Another was the debut of Yu’e Bao. It was an industry and financial sector game changer. We saw lots of media reports on fintech every day. Coupled with the proposal for “mass entrepreneurship and innovation”, internet finance start-ups became all the rage, and together with O2O, became the two major start-up booms.
During that time, internet finance enterprises grew very rapidly, and became unicorns in just three to four years. In addition to being technology- and data-driven, domestic policy driven trends were significant as well. Between 2014 and 2016, start-ups in related industries burgeoned, generating enormous economic dividends, but there were poor quality companies as well. As regulatory oversight tightened, a large number of P2Ps imploded, and the fast money bubble burst. Those that ultimately survived were technology-enabled enterprises with sound growth that nourished their businesses, safeguarded their capability boundaries, and created long-term value.
2. Yunqi’s fintech layout: Early stage investment companion with focus on compliance and development
After Yunqi was founded in 2014, we were focused primarily on “technology-enabled industry upgrading”. Fintech was a key layout direction. We invested in a number of technology-driven start-ups in sectors such as cross-border corporate payment, consumer finance, small and micro credit, intelligent risk control, and supply chain finance. As an angel/early lead investor, we accompanied them throughout their growth phase.
When investing in fintech enterprises, we focus on three particular areas: First, financial background and industry experience; second, grasp of technological advantages and enabling industry development; and third, compliance. For instance, among Yunqi’s portfolio of invested enterprises, 360 Finance, Inc‘s former CEO, Xu Jun, once worked at HSBC, and was the youngest partner in McKinsey Asia Pacific in charge of banking, securities and trust operations in China; IceKredit founder Gu Lingyun was a core member of renowned US fintech start-up ZestFinance; Magnet Finance founder Yan Qiang had more than 20 years of commercial banking experience; and Xtransfer founder Deng Guobiao had more than 10 years of management experience at Visa and Ant Financial.
Some entrepreneurs had conducted finance operations based on an internet finance mindset, which in fact contravened the essence of finance. Although there was no supervision at the time, there was significant risk. We wouldn’t have invested even if these companies were affordable.
On the basis of such knowledge, despite the consistent collapse of a large number of renowned internet finance companies over the last two to three years, we have not only managed to sidestep all the mine fields and remained untarnished, all the enterprises in our portfolio have in fact grown rapidly and steadily, and three of the companies in our portfolio have been included in the CB Insights List this time round.
Going forward, although China’s financial digitalization still has a long way to go, and the 2020 pandemic will accelerate digital transformation among Chinese industries, fintech may well become the frontier of change. Entrepreneurs should grasp growth opportunities, respect objective laws, excel in their technical expertise, and enable and increase the overall value of the industry.
Fintech PR
President Emmerson Mnangagwa met this week with Zambia’s former Vice President and Special Envoy Enoch Kavindele to discuss SADC’s candidate for the AfDB
President Mnangagwa, who is SADC Chairperson, reaffirmed his own country’s and SADC’s enthusiastic support for Zambian candidate Sam Maimbo
LUSAKA, Zambia, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Special Envoy Kavindele released the following statement following the meeting:
“I am elated to witness the growing success and momentum of Sam Maimbo’s candidacy to become the next President of the African Development Bank. I am filled with gratitude to our friends across both SADC and COMESA for their continued support and good wishes.
Sam has garnered such wide consensus due to his being uniquely qualified to deliver the transformative change and empowerment our continent needs. Sam’s 30 years in development work is defined by driving outcomes, improving processes, and investing in people. The AfDB needs a hands-on leader who is laser focused on delivering results and who is unafraid of making tough decisions in order to best serve our continent. Sam is that leader. Sam has the track record and experience to drastically enhance the pace, scale, and impact of the Bank’s work in service of the people and governments of Africa.
Our region has a proud history of supporting fellow Southern Africans. For example, we all recall Lusaka’s role in hosting the African National Congress’ headquarters during the dark days of Apartheid oppression.
It therefore gives me no pleasure to observe my South African brothers, who have themselves leant on Zambia’s steadfast friendship over many decades, fail to rally behind both SADC and COMESA’s chosen candidate for the AfDB. Africa’s urgent economic development challenges demand transformational leadership at the AfDB, it is all of our responsibility to put forward the best candidate for the job. This is not the time or place for a government to act with narrow self-interest, we all must act in the continent’s and AfDB’s best interest.
I thank Sam Maimbo for his lifelong service to our entire continent, and I am eager to witness his enormous impact as President of the AfDB.”
LONDON, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Heimdal Security shares a practical holiday cybersecurity checklist, offering expert insights to help businesses safeguard against cyber threats this festive season.
With reduced staffing, remote work setups, and a surge in online shopping creating heightened vulnerabilities, this guide offers actionable tips to enhance business security.
Going beyond basic advice, the checklist also highlights the most common holiday scams and features videos showcasing real-life examples of Christmas-themed cyber scams and effective prevention strategies.
Key Tips to Protect Businesses This Holiday Season:
- Strengthen endpoints: Ensure devices are updated with antivirus and endpoint protection software; consider Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and application whitelisting.
- Prepare for phishing spikes: Train staff to identify suspicious emails, enforce robust email filters, and establish protocols for reporting unusual activity.
- Secure remote access: Mandate VPN usage, monitor unusual logins, and deactivate inactive accounts temporarily.
- Segment and shield networks: Isolate sensitive areas, deploy DNS security and advanced firewalls, and maintain full visibility over network traffic.
- Apply timely patches: Regularly update all systems and test patches in a controlled environment to minimize disruptions.
- Mitigate supply chain risks: Assess vendors thoroughly and limit their access to essential systems.
- Have a response plan ready: Tailor incident protocols for the holidays, create an on-call rotation for the IT team, and enable rapid action against suspicious activity.
“ Cybercriminals thrive on holiday distractions, but with proactive measures like phishing training, secure endpoints, and network segmentation, businesses can stay ahead of potential threats,” said Alex Panait, System Administrator at Heimdal Security.
Common Holiday Scams That Businesses Should Watch For:
Cybercriminals often tailor their tactics to exploit the festive season. The most common scams include:
- Spear phishing: Emails disguised as holiday bonuses or event invitations that steal credentials or spread malware.
- Malicious holiday E-Cards: Festive greetings that contain links deploying ransomware or spyware.
- Fake E-Commerce sites: Fraudulent websites offering discounts to steal payment information.
- Insider threats: Distracted or disgruntled employees mishandling or exploiting sensitive data.
- Corporate travel scams: Fake booking platforms targeting business travelers.
- Business email compromise (BEC): Fraudulent requests for urgent wire transfers during year-end financial rushes.
For more, read the full article here or watch the video on YouTube to see how these threats unfold and learn actionable prevention strategies.
About Heimdal:
Established in Copenhagen in 2014, Heimdal® empowers CISOs, security teams, and IT administrators to improve their security operations, reduce alert fatigue, and implement proactive measures through a unified command and control platform.
Heimdal’s award-winning cybersecurity solutions span the entire IT estate, addressing challenges from endpoint to network levels, including vulnerability management, privileged access, Zero Trust implementation, and ransomware prevention.
For further press information:
Madalina Popovici
Media Relations Manager
[email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/stay-cyber-safe-this-holiday-season-heimdals-checklist-for-business-security-302337465.html
Fintech PR
According to Tickmill survey, 3 in 10 Britons in economic difficulty: Purchasing power down 41% since 2004
The people who have the most problems are women (30%) and are between 35 and 49 years old (39%)
ROME, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The purchasing power in the UK has dropped by 41% over the last 20 years. Today, £100,000 left in a bank account since 2004 without being invested would now be worth £59,021.
This figure is one of the findings from a study conducted by Tickmill, an international online trading broker that compared the economic situation in the UK and the European Union through the infographic “Purchasing Power and Cost of Living: UK vs EU”.
The analysis reveals a slight decline of 0.4% in the UK’s purchasing power, which currently stands at £41,573. In contrast, the European Union has seen a modest rise of 0.1%, reaching £40,874.
Why is purchasing power declining in the UK? One key factor is the cost of living. If the UK were still part of the European Union, it would rank as the fifth most expensive country, behind Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
Unsurprisingly, 3 in 10 Britons are struggling with the cost of living. Women (3 in 10, compared to 25% of men), those aged between 35 and 49 (4 in 10), households earning less than £15,000 (6 in 10), and single parents (1 in 2) are among the most affected groups.
Among UK nations, Northern Ireland is the hardest hit, with 34% of its population facing financial difficulties, followed by Wales (31%), England (28%), and Scotland (22%). In England, the North East has the highest percentage of people struggling, with 4 in 10 residents affected. Even in London, the high costs impact 1 in 4 adults.
In response to these challenges, Britons are making significant adjustments:
- 53% have cut back or delayed spending on smaller items like eating out, entertainment, subscriptions, clothing, toys, books, etc.;
- 52% have reduced household energy consumption;
- 48% have decreased their grocery spending;
- 41% have scaled back or postponed major expenditures, such as holidays, cars, and weddings;
- 26% are working longer hours, taking on overtime, or pursuing additional jobs to earn extra income.
The British also made changes on the financial side. One in four adults has been forced to dip into their savings or investments to cover daily expenses. Moreover, 44% have stopped saving or investing entirely or have reduced their savings and investments—a 4% increase compared to 2023.
The lack of investment is another critical factor contributing to the decline in purchasing power. It is estimated that 13 million UK residents hold £430 billion in cash deposits but do not invest. The reasons? Seventy-four percent say they cannot compare investment products effectively, and 43% are afraid of losing their money.
A lack of knowledge and fear are preventing many savers from taking advantage of an important opportunity: preserving or increasing their purchasing power in the long term.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2586123/Tickmill.jpg
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa met this week with Zambia’s former Vice President and Special Envoy Enoch Kavindele to discuss SADC’s candidate for the AfDB