On The Web

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Global

Orange And MTN Partner For Mobile Money Platform Mowali

November 26 2018

• in
• Africa
• Mobile Money

“Two of Africa’s largest mobile operators and mobile money providers, Orange Group and MTN Group, today announced a joint venture, Mowali (mobile wallet interoperability), to enable interoperable payments across the continent. Mowali makes it possible to send money between mobile money accounts issued by any mobile money provider, in real time and at low cost.”

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Systems

TransferWise Won’t Buy Into Blockchain Until More Banks Use Ripple

November 20 2018

• in
• Blockchain

“Part of the problem is that blockchain technology has not yet achieved enough adoption among banks to make it more efficient than the prevailing payments systems. And as fintech companies find new and less expensive ways to transfer money, the bar that blockchain technology must clear to make it worth switching to has gotten higher.”

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Systems

Bitcoin and Ethereum fall to lows not seen since 2017

November 19 2018

• in
• Bitcoin
• Cryptocurrencies
• Ethereum

“Nobody knows why the cryptocurrency market has turned into such a bloodbath—just as no one really knew why cryptocurrencies enjoyed such a spectacular rise a year ago. But it seems likely that one factor is the ongoing turmoil of Bitcoin Cash, the third most valuable decentralized cryptocurrency.”

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Global

Mobile money transactions fall on new taxes

November 19 2018

• in
• Kenya
• Mobile Money

“Mobile money transactions have declined in the wake of new taxes introduced on digital cash transfers and bank charges. Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicate that transactions marked one of the steepest declines in several months, both in the number and value of money sent. “

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Systems

Ohio becomes the first state to accept bitcoin for tax payments

November 26 2018

• in
• Bitcoin
• Government

“Starting Monday, businesses in Ohio will be able to pay their taxes in bitcoin — making the state that’s high in the middle and round on both ends the first in the nation to accept cryptocurrency officially. Companies that want to take part in the program simply need to go to OhioCrypto.com and register to pay in crypto whatever […]

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Companies

How Zelle plans to recapture the smaller banks, credit unions it left behind

November 26 2018

• in
• Early Warning
• Faster payments
• Zelle

“A year after its launch, Zelle’s P2P payment volume has rapidly expanded through usage at the nation’s largest banks. But enabling smaller institutions to offer it to their customers is proving to be more challenging. Early Warning, the bank-led company that operates Zelle, said 51 banks are live on its network, with more than 200 under […]

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Systems

Coinbase Adds Privacy-Centric Crypto Zcash to Pro Trading Exchange

November 30 2018

• in
• Cryptocurrencies

“The platform announced Thursday that customers can transfer zcash into its professional trading platform, though as with previous additions, users can not yet purchase the token until the exchange has established enough liquidity. Deposits will be accepted for at least 12 hours after the announcement at 18:00 UTC. When trading is enabled, only Coinbase Pro users in most […]

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Systems

ECB takes on PayPal with instant payment system

November 30 2018

• in
• Faster payments

“Developed in just over a year, the ECB’s TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) system will let people and companies in Europe transfer euros to each other within seconds and regardless of the opening hours of their local bank.”

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Systems

Digital Fiat Currency Is Going Main Stream

November 29 2018

• in
• Central bank digital currencies (CBDC)

“In Hangzhou, the New Digital Economy capital of China, I attended the Asia Pacific Fintech Round Table at the Inauguration of the International Business School of Zhejiang University and Cambridge University, where I met the Former Prime Minister of South Korea, Prof Han Seung-soo.　He has invited me to present at the International Finance Forum annual […]

On The Wires

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Systems

ECB goes live with pan-European instant payments

December 3 2018

• in
• Faster payments

“The European Central Bank (ECB) has launched an innovative pan-European service for settling electronic payments instantly. TARGET instant payment settlement (TIPS) uses central bank money to settle payments individually in less than 10 seconds.”