Fintech News Issue #266 April 30th, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is the most serious challenge to retail banking in almost a century. Retail banks have had to rethink distribution, support government relief programs and manage remote work forces, all while trying to meet consumer expectations during a period of household-level economic uncertainty.

Chris Skinner, the author of "Doing Digital," defends banks' response to the coronavirus crisis and discusses why he thinks the tech giants won't be able to take market share away from traditional financial institutions.

Fintech Beat sits down with Cornell University’s Daniel Awrey and Cato’s Diego Zuluaga to debate Facebook’s changes to the Libra cryptocurrency —and whether consumers and the financial system are safer.

FinTech World Forum 2020 (FinTech Conference) is based in London UK Europe as one of leading fintech events for global financial and banking technology industry. For more info visit: http://fintechconferences.com

The Covid-19 pandemic is radically changing cash usage in the UK, with ATM withdrawals falling 60% during the lockdown and three quarters of Brits reporting that their use of paper money is down.

As Covid-19-fearing, social-distancing conscious CEOs abandon packed skyscrapers, the humble branch, long expected to go the way of the dodo, could find a second lease of life as a place to house call centre workers and investment bank staffers, according to Barclays CEO Jes Staley.

People close to the digital bank told FN staff are under increasing pressure to meet targets

Silvergate Bank added 46 crypto customers in the first quarter and saw fee income and deposits increase from those customers because of “Black Thursday,” according to its earnings report released before market open on Wednesday.

The Lightning network might be key to the future of bitcoin, but it still has a long way to go in terms of user experience.

It’s no secret that small businesses have been struggling to secure funds with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Banks have wrestled not only to determine eligibility but also with the clumsy online application process.

China will begin trialling payments in its new digital currency in four major cities from next week, according to domestic media.

The coronavirus will wipe out some fintechs, but those that get through it will share in the next growth phase of the industry's development

Among emerging economies, Brazil has long been the red-headed stepchild.