On The Web

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Companies

IBM partners Stronghold for new digital stable coin

September 18 2018

• in
• Blockchain
• IBM

“International Business Machines Corp (IBM.N) is backing a new cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar, in a partnership with U.S.-based financial services provider Stronghold that adds stability to a sector known for its volatility, the companies said.”

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Providers

With  blockchain, financial institutions hope to  avoid scams in a  digital world

September 18 2018

• in
• Blockchain
• Financial institutions

“However, as data analytics becomes increasingly important for banks to extend their omnichannel reach, there is simultaneously the pressing need to protect consumer privacy, ensure transparency of transactions and prevent security breaches to avoid scams in a digital world. It is in this context that blockchain, the technology that powers cryptocurrencies such as the volatile bitcoin, […]

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Companies

Mastercard Patent Filings Tout Blockchain for Immutable Data Records

September 17 2018

• in
• Blockchain
• Mastercard

“In a series of largely similar patent applications published last week by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Mastercard outlines how a distributed ledger can be used to record “point-to-point transactions” as they are processed. This information can then be used by organizations or members of those organizations to create a log of items procured during the course of business.”

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Domains

Ripple’s XRP Product xRapid May Go Live in the Next Month

September 18 2018

• in
• Blockchain

“xRapid is unique from Ripple’s other blockchain-based settlement system, xCurrent, in that it utilizes XRP and the XRP ledger in order to facilitate cheap and instant cross border transactions, with the product being specifically marketed towards banks and other financial institutions. The product allows a group, like a bank, to convert their fiat currency to XRP, […]

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Global

SG govt pushes for mobile payments with unified QR code

September 18 2018

• in
• QR codes
• Singapore

“The government of Singapore has launched the Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) which combines multiple payment QR codes into a single SGQR label, making QR code-based mobile payments simple for both consumers and merchants. The SGQR was developed by an industry task force co-led by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Infocomm Media Development […]

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Tech

Outage fever strikes UK banks

September 21 2018

• in
• Reliability

“No sooner had Barclays announced that it had resolved a glitch to its online banking service that affected customers on Thursday, than customers of RBS, NatWest and Ulster Bank reported being unable to access their online banking services. The latest problems emerged at 5am this morning and the time of writing remained unresolved. An RBS spokesperson […]

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Tech

Westpac welcomes Siri for managing payments

September 21 2018

• in
• Voice interface

“Westpac is enabling Siri for its users to manage their accounts and transactions from iPhone devices, claiming to be the first in the country. To authenticate payments, customers will be prompted to input their fingerprint or face ID before the money is transferred to the payee.”

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Tech

What is Alternative Credit Data?

September 21 2018

• in
• Big Data

“Some examples of alternative credit data include alternative financial services data, rental data, full-file public records and account aggregation. These insights can ultimately improve credit access and decisioning for millions of consumers who may otherwise be overlooked.”

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Tech

Fanatics Revamps Cloud Platform, Addressing the Online Unpredictability of Sports Fandom

September 18 2018

• in
• Ecommerce

“For the last several years, Fanatics has been developing a home-grown cloud platform designed to handle the sometimes predictable, sometimes surprising online traffic spikes associated with fans seeking out their favorite team’s merchandise.”

On The Wires

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Tech

Metal Pay Launches With Peer-to-Peer Payments App That Rewards Users With Up to Five Percent Back in Cryptocurrency

September 17 2018

• in
• Blockchain

“Metallicus Inc., a blockchain-based payment processing platform, today announced the launch of its flagship product Metal Pay. Metal Pay allows people to instantly send money to friends, family and businesses with just a phone number and rewards them with some cryptocurrency for each transaction — think next-generation Venmo or Paypal. These rewards, called “Pop,” are delivered in Metal’s cryptocurrency […]