Fintech

Delta Data Declares Blockchain for Mutual Funds Biggest Tech Miss of Decade

Published

5 years ago

December 23, 2019

COLUMBUS, Ga., Dec. 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Delta Data, a fintech company providing infrastructure technology for the pooled investment community finds that Blockchain technology, which enjoyed 100s of millions of investment dollars for its potential of revolutionizing 40 Act fund trading, was a miss. In short, Blockchain is a solution for a problem that doesn’t exist within the mature mutual fund management industry.

“The hype, largely driven by the Ponzi scheme of the decade, Bitcoin, was able to overcome the normal gatekeepers to sane technology investment,” says Whitfield Athey, CEO of Delta Data. “All fintech investments must meet at least one of three criteria: an increase in the revenue opportunity for the firm, solution of regulatory requirements, and a clear back office ROI. In today’s cost-conscious fee pressured environment, a project needs to meet at least two of these three requirements to be worthy of receiving funding,” he adds.

The attributes of Blockchain ledger technology include decentralization, immutability, security, and transparency, allowing for verification without third-parties dependency. Within the collective investment fund world securities are cleared by a consolidated and mature industry that leverages services like the DTCC. These services have already enabled known and trusted counterparty networks that utilize tools, like the Delta Data or other mature, automated and STP trading systems, that operate at hyper scale with near zero reconciliation issues in an ultra-cost-effective environment.

“Blockchain vendors within the mutual fund space claim to solve three problems: trust, coordination of disparate data and cost scalability, however these aren’t issues within our space. 15 years ago, the ‘Buzzword Bandits’ hyping Blockchain today were selling data warehouses, and five years ago started to sell AI. This is another example of overhype and under delivery. Blockchain within our space is a square peg looking for a hole that would have to be drilled to find a home. Ripping out and replacing our current systems would cost hundreds of billions of dollars. Now, I will say that if we were starting from scratch, it would make sense to build on a ledger like this. But we aren’t, so Blockchain applicability may be found creeping into the industry as older systems are slowly obsolesced and replaced, and that’s not happening fast. In short, this tech is pretty late to the horse race,” observes Athey.

Blockchain’s scalability has not reached the point where it makes sense for any company within the pooled investment industry to make a significant investment to replace vetted, more efficient existing infrastructures with what is essentially an evolving technology. These findings are the result of benchmark transaction specifications stipulated by many of the largest banks and investment fund managers in the country. Currently the fastest Blockchain service available claims a speed of 3,000 Transactions Per Second (TPS), or 180,000 per minute and 10,800,000 per hour. Platforms like Delta Data, currently in use by the country’s largest banks and investment management companies, can process hundreds of millions of transactions per hour at a nominal cost.

Delta Data Dividend Calendar available now

Manage the whopping 38,000 periodic distribution events in December, as well as those scheduled for the rest of the year. The Delta Data Dividend Calendar is available now, at a 10% discount during the month of December.

Delta Data’s All-encompassing annual calendar tracks every fund’s payout and enables exact income processing for trust companies, recordkeepers, and broker dealers. The calendar alerts users to payouts in advance by projecting forward all dividend events over the next 13 months.

Features:

See all annual security events in an easily accessible online calendar format

View daily, weekly and monthly payouts by fund complex, dividend type or for a specific security

View daily exceptions and receive alerts when projected dividends have yet to be received by a certain time of day or the expected dividend type differed from that received.

Proactive notification of dividend expectations

About Delta Data:
Delta Data provides back-end solutions processing trillions of dollars in assets for the mutual fund industry, supporting four of the top 10 US banks, four of the top five US retirement recordkeepers and four of the top five US investment managers. Delta Data’s industry-vetted and sophisticated SaaS integrated technology suite enables financial companies to manage the dynamic environment of regulatory change and risk associated with internal and external data management. Delta Data’s unique position within the financial industry allows for the maximum effective application of the latest technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to provide a turnkey solution for financial services companies seeking to stay ahead of the change.

Media Contact:
BIGfrontier for Delta Data
[email protected]

Fintech

Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief (Pennant Technologies, MogoPlus, Stash, Kennel Connection, RedRover)

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2024

Peter Tolan

fintech-pulse:-your-daily-industry-brief-(pennant-technologies,-mogoplus,-stash,-kennel-connection,-redrover)

As the fintech world evolves, emerging technologies, strategic collaborations, and industry shifts continue to shape the financial landscape. Today’s briefing covers the intensifying AI race between fintechs and banks, transformative partnerships, executive changes, and industry-wide innovations, highlighting the crucial role of fintech in reshaping the future of finance.

The AI Race: Fintechs vs. Traditional Banks

The competition between fintech firms and traditional banks to dominate AI integration is heating up. Fintech companies are leveraging AI to enhance customer experience and streamline operations, whereas banks are adopting AI cautiously, balancing innovation with regulatory compliance. The dynamic is reshaping customer expectations, with fintechs pushing the envelope in personalization, risk assessment, and fraud prevention. Traditional institutions are adopting fintech-style agility to stay competitive.

Source: Yahoo Finance, Fintech Futures, Cointelegraph

Collaborations for Enhanced Services

Pennant Technologies and MogoPlus have joined forces in Australia to revolutionize the lending process. By integrating their technologies, they aim to streamline the value chain in lending, offering enhanced speed and efficiency to both institutions and borrowers. This partnership reflects a growing trend of fintechs collaborating to offer comprehensive solutions, expanding their reach and impact within traditional financial sectors.

Source: Fintech Futures

Leadership Shifts and Layoffs: Stash’s Turbulent Turn

Stash, a major player in the fintech space, is undergoing significant leadership changes and layoffs amidst acquisition speculations. The fintech industry is experiencing a wave of strategic realignments, with several firms reevaluating their business models in response to market pressures and investor demands. This reflects broader industry concerns about sustainability and scaling in a competitive, innovation-driven market.

Source: Fortune

Fintech Meets Pet Care: A Unique Philanthropic Move

Kennel Connection has made waves by contributing $5,000 to RedRover on Giving Tuesday, an amount doubled through impact matching. This innovative use of fintech in pet care philanthropy highlights how financial technology can facilitate social impact, offering seamless donation solutions and promoting corporate responsibility in niche markets.

Source: PR Newswire

The post Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief (Pennant Technologies, MogoPlus, Stash, Kennel Connection, RedRover) appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.

Fintech

Revolutionizing Rewards: How ZBD and Finfare Connect Are Bringing Bitcoin to Everyday Spending

Published

2 days ago

December 5, 2024

Zoltan Tundik

ZBD, a pioneer in merging gaming and payments through Bitcoin rewards, is taking a bold step beyond gaming with its new partnership with Finfare Connect. By offering instant Bitcoin cashback for everyday purchases at major retailers like Nike, Adidas, and Best Buy, ZBD is transforming how users engage with rewards. In this interview, Ben Cousens, CSO of ZBD, shares insights on the partnership, its impact on user loyalty, and how it’s shaping the future of Bitcoin adoption through seamless, real-world applications.

Q: ZBD has been a key player in merging gaming and payments through Bitcoin rewards. How does this new partnership with Finfare Connect enhance ZBD’s existing offerings, and what excites you most about giving users more ways to earn Bitcoin through everyday purchases?

Ben: The ZBD app has been used by millions of players to earn rewards instantly within games; a process made possible through our payments system. We’re constantly looking to provide new ways for users to earn rewards within the ZBD app, building upon the credibility and growth we’ve seen in the games industry. Our partnership with Finfare provides instant cashback through the ZBD app to customers in the USA, as they shop at brands and retailers like Nike, Adidas, and BestBuy. What’s exciting to me is we get to flex the power of our payment system even more – instant payments with no minimums are an amazing cashback mechanic.

Q: With the ability for ZBD users to link payment cards and accounts to earn Bitcoin rewards from brands like Nike, Adidas, and Best Buy, how do you see this partnership impacting user engagement and loyalty within your platform?

Ben: I see audiences behaving in two ways. The first are users who may come to the shopping section of the app often to check available deals, and purchase accordingly to take advantage of the discounts offered.

At the same time, other users will just link their accounts, shop as they normally would, and automatically receive rewards in the ZBD app without even thinking about it. I actually find this second segment more exciting, as it just seems such a seamless and, from a payments point of view, pretty futuristic solution.

We are doing this to provide a valuable service and delight our users. If we can succeed in that, which so far seems to be the case, then engagement and loyalty will increase. It’s about fulfilling the promise of being the best place for rewards with real value, paid out instantly and available for people to use instantly.

Q: ZBD is known for integrating Bitcoin rewards with gaming and social experiences. How do you envision this partnership with Finfare Connect helping ZBD extend its appeal beyond gaming and into more mainstream shopping and daily transactions?

Ben: Providing more use cases outside of gaming fits with our ethos of being a tech-first company focused on revolutionizing online payments. Once payment accounts are linked to Finfare, ZBD seamlessly provides cashback with no input required from the user. This perfectly aligns with why users come to ZBD – we are using payments to make digital experiences more rewarding.

We believe the partnership allows us to bring our users a feature they will love, but it might also bring a different type of user to ZBD: one that comes primarily for the shopping aspects and sees the gaming and entertainment features as less important. This is something the market will show us and we’ll adapt based on the users and usage we see, but it’s certainly exciting.

Q: The collaboration with Finfare Connect seems to make Bitcoin rewards more accessible for everyday users. How important is this accessibility to ZBD’s strategy, and how do you see it contributing to broader Bitcoin adoption in the long term?

Ben: ZBD is a payments company that plays heavily in the rewards space and the way we revolutionize payments is by using the Bitcoin lightning network as our underlying rail. This isn’t about pushing Bitcoin or making users aware of it, though I won’t lie, it can make user acquisition easier. It’s about laying groundwork and building out meaningful steps forward in online payment experiences, starting with rewards, and then going beyond.

It’s always our goal to make everything we do accessible to everyday users with no Bitcoin knowledge. We want the experience to be simpler, more seamless and faster than any other type of financial technology. The majority of our users are new to Bitcoin and find us through games. Our goal is to educate them a bit, but mostly to just give them products they can use intuitively and get value from even if they aren’t at all interested in Bitcoin. Now, we’re bringing this approach to shopping rewards.

Bitcoin adoption will happen if Bitcoin is used by a wide range of people as part of their everyday lives. Bitcoin will be used if it is useful, simple and solves a problem. So we aren’t ever thinking about Bitcoin adoption. We’re just doing what we do the best we can and adoption will take care of itself.

Fintech

Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief (Axos Bank, Global Trading Network, Fonepay, Compass Plus Technologies, Instacoins)

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2024

Peter Tolan

fintech-pulse:-your-daily-industry-brief-(axos-bank,-global-trading-network,-fonepay,-compass-plus-technologies,-instacoins)

Axos Bank Partners with Way.com to Address Rising Car Costs

Axos Bank has teamed up with Way.com to help customers mitigate increasing car expenses. This partnership focuses on vehicle refinancing and aims to offer savings through integrated digital solutions. By combining Way.com’s auto services with Axos’ financial products, users can streamline their vehicle-related expenses, from insurance to payments. This move reflects Axos’ strategy to enhance its consumer offerings by leveraging partnerships in niche sectors.

Source: Axos Bank.

Brazil’s Largest Drug Gang Under Investigation for Fintech Infiltration

Brazilian authorities are probing the country’s largest drug gang for using fintech platforms to launder money. This investigation highlights concerns over the growing use of digital financial tools by organized crime. The gang allegedly exploited fintech’s lack of stringent oversight compared to traditional banking, raising red flags about regulatory gaps in the digital financial landscape.

Source: Bloomberg.

GTN Appoints New CEO to Drive European Expansion

Global Trading Network (GTN) has appointed Christopher Gregory as CEO for Europe, marking a pivotal step in its strategic expansion across the continent. Gregory, known for his expertise in fintech and capital markets, is expected to lead GTN’s efforts in diversifying its product offerings and enhancing its market presence. This leadership shift underscores GTN’s commitment to capitalizing on Europe’s burgeoning fintech market.

Source: PR Newswire.

Fonepay and Compass Plus Launch Nepal’s First Virtual Credit Card

Nepal’s digital payments ecosystem takes a leap forward with Fonepay partnering with Compass Plus Technologies to introduce the nation’s first virtual credit card. This innovation aims to promote cashless transactions and enhance financial inclusion by offering secure, contactless payment options. This development aligns with Nepal’s digital transformation goals and is set to redefine consumer payment experiences in the region.

Source: Fintech Futures.

Instacoins Partners with Luxury Brands for Digital Payments

Instacoins is expanding its footprint in the luxury market by partnering with high-end brands to enable cryptocurrency payments. This initiative is designed to offer affluent customers a seamless digital payment option, blending traditional luxury shopping with modern fintech solutions. The partnership also reflects the increasing adoption of cryptocurrency in mainstream commerce.

Source: PR Newswire.

The post Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief (Axos Bank, Global Trading Network, Fonepay, Compass Plus Technologies, Instacoins) appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.