Fintech PR
Banking in the United Arab Emirates stands at an inflection point between the traditional branch-based model and a digital AI-enabled future – new Capco survey
Nine in ten UAE survey respondents want apps that provide personalized insights into their finances
73% say they are comfortable having AI guide day-to-day financial decisions
DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A desire for more insights into personal finances, a willingness to share data to unlock individually tailored services, and a high level of comfort with AI-driven guidance are key themes to emerge from the new survey of UAE retail banking customers conducted by Capco, the global management and technology consultancy.
As the UAE pushes forward with ambitious plans to grow its digital economy, Capco’s Bank of the Future survey of over 1,200 UAE banking service users aged between 18 and 65 found that 89% have become more confident in using mobile and digital banking services over the last two years. Eight in ten (83%) now use mobile apps to access banking, offering a solid foundation for future banking innovation.
In addition, 87% of respondents say they would be attracted to an app that offered personalized insights into their finances, including 41% who say this would be ‘extremely attractive’. The survey also reveals that 72% would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ share additional personal data – such as social media profiles or wearables data – to unlock personalized products, services or offers.
In support of its main survey, Capco conducted more focused polling of 500 consumers that looked specifically at the adoption of digital-first banking services. This found that nine in ten UAE respondents (89%) now have digital-first accounts, including both international and UAE-based firms. Three-quarters (76%) have an account with a UAE-based digital-first provider.
Capco’s survey findings highlight opportunities for UAE banks and fintechs to capitalize on positive attitudes to data sharing and innovation to deliver the products and services that consumers say they want. It also offers recommended paths forward for banks as they explore how best to apply the latest approaches to data analytics and AI to address customers’ aspirations.
James Arnett, Managing Partner, APAC & Middle East at Capco, said: “Consumers in the UAE are looking for products and services that provide a more bespoke user experience, including personalized financial insights. Seizing this opportunity will require an ever more nuanced understanding of individual consumer’s aspirations, and banks and other providers will need to prepare by investing in improved data management and advanced analytics.”
Naim Alame, Managing Partner, Middle East at Capco, said: “Consumers want convenient, integrated financial services and seamless digital journeys enabled by improved connectivity, data analytics and AI. Delivering the products and experiences that consumers want will require more agile banking models and significantly greater collaboration with third parties in order to embed value-added financial services ever more deeply into customers’ lives.
“For the bank of the future, collaboration may prove to be as important a priority as disruption. Offering a mobile-first experience that embeds payment aggregations, finance options and other ecosystem services to provide a more seamless and holistic experience will be the key to keeping customers engaged.”
Other key findings in Capco’s UAE survey report include:
86% of respondents would be attracted by a banking app that integrates financial services with the non-financial services they use in their daily lives, such as ride hailing and e-commerce.
- 37% would find such an app ‘extremely attractive’.
The characteristics that would convince a respondent to use a specific bank or financial institution include ‘a wide range of services’ (51%) and ‘more accessible services’ (45%).*
- ‘Trust in the company’ (39%) and ‘highly personalized products’ (34%) are also seen as important.
Four in ten of respondents (41%) cite cashback options as a value-added feature they consider when selecting a new card or account.*
- Other important features respondents would consider include discounts on travel (33%), monthly offers such as retail discounts (32%) and the ability to use points to make purchases (32%).
As digitalization accelerates, 72% of those using payment services identify online payments as a preferred payment method and 69% mention digital wallets.*
- Cash remains a preferred payment method for 51% of respondents, and cheques continue to be preferred by 28%.
- In Capco’s recent Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) banking survey, online payments (65%) and cards (65%) were the leading preferred methods of payment, while 57% of respondents cited digital wallets, 55% mentioned cash, but only 11% chose cheques.
The UAE played host to the COP28 global climate conference in late 2023, and almost nine in ten respondents (88%) say it is important that their primary bank has a proactive stance on ESG issues.
- In our KSA banking survey, 80% of respondents stated that this is important.
*Multiple responses permitted
Capco’s UAE survey report can be accessed here.
About Capco
Capco, a Wipro company, is a global management and technology consultancy specializing in driving digital transformation in the financial services industry. Capco operates at the intersection of business and technology by combining innovative thinking with unrivalled industry knowledge to fast-track digital initiatives for banking and payments, capital markets, wealth and asset management, insurance, and the energy sector. Capco’s cutting-edge ingenuity is brought to life through its award-winning Be Yourself At Work culture and diverse talent. To learn more, visit www.capco.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Fintech PR
UN International Procurement Seminar Held in Asia for the First Time: A Collaborative Initiative Between the UN and Ningbo
NINGBO, China, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On November 13, the 2024 United Nations International Procurement Seminar (IPS) commenced in Ningbo, marking the first time this authoritative, high-profile and professional conference has been held in Asia. The event brought together 50 senior procurement officials and representatives from 16 UN agencies, alongside over 200 supplier representatives from both domestic and international markets.
The selection of Ningbo as the venue prompts the question of why the UN chose Asia, and specifically China, for this significant event. A representative from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) office in China encapsulated the sentiment with the phrase “mutual engagement.”
In recent years, the total value of UN procurement has steadily climbed, reaching as high as $29.6 billion. Traditionally, the IPS has been held primarily in Europe three times a year. As the UN seeks to innovate its procurement methods and achieve sustainable development goals, it has increasingly turned its attention to China.
“China has a diverse industrial landscape, offering high-quality products and services at competitive prices. By increasing its procurement of Chinese goods, the UN can enhance the efficiency of its funding use, allowing more developing countries to benefit from UN development aid projects. This aligns with our mutual interests,” noted an official from the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of International Trade and Economic Relations.
Ningbo has consistently emphasized the importance of UN procurement, organizing various initiatives for local enterprises to engage in UN procurement activities in recent years. In September last year, the city hosted the China (Ningbo) UN Procurement Promotion Conference, helping nearly 110 companies successfully register on the official United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM) website.
Following this event, the UNDP office in China expressed gratitude, recognizing Ningbo’s thriving manufacturing and foreign trade service sectors as having substantial potential to provide innovative solutions for UN procurement. “Ningbo serves as both a catalyst and a bridge, linking China with the world and the UN,” stated Neris M. Baez, Director of the UN Secretariat Procurement Division.
The UN procurement system offers several advantages, including duty exemptions, low exchange rate risks, market stability, and avoidance of trade barriers. These factors can assist in opening markets in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, generating potential benefits and spillover effects.
“China possesses a comprehensive and robust industrial and supply chain and is a globally influential logistics hub. However, we currently lack the necessary channels to connect with international high standards. The key to expanding institutional openness lies in mastering international high-standard trade regulations,” emphasized a representative from the Ningbo Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
If this seminar enables participants to become familiar with international high-standard trade regulations, it could establish a robust support system for engaging in UN procurement. This would create new opportunities in the international public procurement sector, empowering enterprises to secure more international orders through the UNGM website. From this perspective, the seminar represents an important “icebreaking journey.”
Contact: Sun Jiali
Tel.: 0086-18069269225
E-mail: [email protected]
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Blockchain for Good Alliance Hosts Web3 Oscar, Celebrating Innovators Advancing UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
DUBAI, UAE, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The highly anticipated Web3 Oscar, a prestigious event hosted by the Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA), celebrating blockchain projects driving real-world impact aligned with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Industry leaders gathered in Bangkok to honour innovators shaping a sustainable future.
The event was part of BGA’s November lineup, featuring two major initiatives for global change through blockchain: the Sustainable Innovation Summit and the Web3 Oscar Awards.
Sustainable Innovation Summit: A Hackathon for Social Impact
Held from September 9 to November 11, 2024, the Sustainable Innovation Summit hosted a hackathon with a $100,000 prize pool, inviting participants worldwide to create blockchain solutions addressing key issues such as poverty, clean water access, and gender equality. The summit concluded with a Demo Day at the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok, where finalists showcased their projects to blockchain pioneers, investors, and industry leaders, with opportunities for incubation support and equity-free funding.
Rising Stars
In a cinematic presentation style, 10 shortlisted projects from across the globe, participating in the Sustainable Innovation Summit’s 17 SDGs Challenge, took the stage. Each team presented their blockchain solutions to address sustainability challenges, telling the story of a “hero” confronting a global crisis (one of the 17 SDGs), with blockchain as the “tool” they wield for change.
Winners for the 17 SDGs Challenge:
- 1st Place: Grand Social Impact Award 🥇 EthicHub
- 2nd Place: Outstanding Social Innovation Award 🥈 Plastic Odyssey
- 3rd Place: Emerging Impact Award 🥉 ResearchHub
Rising Star Awards (top 10 projects, in no specific order):
- Wavy Health
- LAKE (LAK3)
- KulaDAO
- erable°
- arkreen
- UCO Network
- Edu3Labs
Web3 Oscar Awards: Honouring Leaders in Blockchain for Social Good
Coinciding with the hackathon’s Demo Day on November 11, the BGA Web3 Oscar Award recognizes individual contributions to blockchain for social good across three categories, with up to 7 total winners.
Each category highlights individual efforts aligning with BGA’s mission.
The Collaboration Bridge Award honours individuals who have played a vital role in guiding the strategic direction of the Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA). This year’s recipients are:
- Harn, CEO of Trigger Asset Management
- Mariana de la Roche Wills from INATBA (International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications) and de la Roche W. Consulting
The Public Welfare Contribution Award celebrates individuals who have harnessed #BlockchainForGood. This award was presented to:
- BreeAnne Yek, Consultant at The Verdant Room
- Milica Dimitrijevic from Positiveblockchain.io
These individuals have demonstrated remarkable dedication, guidance, and pioneering work, significantly advancing the mission of the Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA) in promoting sustainable development through blockchain technology.
In her closing remarks, Helen Liu, Co-founder and COO of Bybit and founder of BGA, explained how blockchain can bring people together to make a real difference worldwide. Her vision for leveraging blockchain to create worldwide impact was both inspiring and forward-thinking.
About Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA)
The Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA) is a long term collaborative non-profit initiative with key partners with the main aim to contribute to societal good by using blockchain technology to solve real world problems. By convening leaders, innovators, and organisations from across the blockchain community, BGA seeks to drive innovation, collaboration, and action towards a more sustainable and equitable world.
For more information
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.blockchainforgood.xyz
Twitter: www.twitter.com/chainforgood
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Fintech PR
Volante Technologies launches real-time payments intelligence solution for financial institutions
Volante Payments Intelligence gives all stakeholders a deep, accurate assessment of business performance, driving increased operational efficiency, time-to-market, internal innovation, and business growth
NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Volante Technologies, the global leader in Payments as a Service (PaaS), today announced the launch of Volante Payments Intelligence, a powerful new solution that offers financial institutions unparalleled visibility and operational control over their payments business. A modular component of the Volante Payments Platform, the solution enables banks to better understand their payments operations, simplifying decision-making while improving business performance.
Volante Payments Intelligence addresses the increasing volume and complexity of the payments landscape, driven by the proliferation of real-time payments, the adoption of ISO 20022, and the digitization of payment flows. The new offering harnesses historical and real-time payments data, delivering actionable intelligence that helps banks strategically plan, optimize operational efficiency, and accurately track performance.
As noted in the 2024 Corporate Banking IT Pressures & Priorities report from Celent, 60% of banks plan to increase migration of business-critical applications to the cloud by the end of 2025. Payments modernization now ranks as a top priority for corporate banks globally, signifying the need for solutions that provide intelligence across stakeholder viewpoints, streamline modernization efforts, and simplify operations.
“In a world where the volume and complexity of payments is increasing, operational resilience and efficiency are more important than ever. Managing through this requires banks to have instant insight into payment flows, operational performance, and the ability to quickly address issues,” said Gareth Lodge, Principal Analyst at Celent.
Volante Payments Intelligence reduces the time banks spend on manual reporting and allows them to prioritize operational efforts more effectively, staying ahead of regulatory demands. With enhanced observability, users can achieve more precise performance tracking, improving their ability to mitigate risks and adapt to market changes.
As financial institutions navigate an increasingly regulated environment, Volante Payments Intelligence offers critical tools to support resilience and compliance. The solution’s integration into existing systems and ease of deployment in private or hybrid cloud environments or as part of Volante’s PaaS offering ensures that institutions can start seeing results immediately.
“We developed Volante Payments Intelligence as a transformative solution, crafted in close collaboration with a diverse range of our customers to address a critical gap no other platform could fill: Delivering actionable, measurable, and personalized business intelligence in real-time,” said Deepak Gupta, EVP, Product, Engineering & Services, Volante Technologies.
“Payments Intelligence doesn’t just bridge the shortcomings of existing intelligence solutions; it redefines what business intelligence can achieve, empowering Volante customers, from small enterprises to global institutions, to unlock new heights in their operational efficiency and strategic growth. This continues Volante’s track record of, and our valued commitment to, driving time-to-market speed, innovation, and business growth for our customers,” concluded Gupta.
Volante plans to continue its innovation drive within Payments Intelligence through the addition of advanced dashboards to provide operators, managers, and executives with a more complete view of their payments business. By adding exception management, payment controls, and new AI-driven capabilities, financial institutions will be able to monitor and identify market dynamics more effectively.
For a deeper dive or to schedule a demo, visit volantetech.com/payments-intelligence.
On behalf of Volante Technologies:
Americas
Julian Byrne
anthonyBarnum
Public Relations
Tel. +1 (512) 665-9258
[email protected]
EMEA
Assyria Graves
Hard Numbers
Tel: +447507870214
[email protected]
[email protected]
About Volante Technologies
Volante Technologies is the trusted cloud payments modernization partner to financial businesses worldwide, giving them the freedom to evolve and innovate at record speed. Real-time native, API enabled, and ISO 20022 fluent, Volante’s Payments as a Service and underlying low-code platform process millions of mission-critical transactions and trillions in value daily. Volante’s customers include four of the top five global corporate banks, seven of the top ten U.S. banks, and two of the world’s largest card networks. Learn more at www.volantetech.com and linkedin.com/company/volante-technologies.
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