Issue 336 · Nov 4, 2021 Weekly edition · 4 min read

Issue #336

Even if we witnessed a huge scam these days - we’re talking about SQUID - a conscious and responsible use of fintech solutions is giving people financial freedom. Fintech, cryptos and banks are cooperating to find new

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The ‘Metaverse’ Prompts High-Stakes Race for Big Tech

Meghan Bobrowsky talks about this new digital space, the “metaverse”: this new virtual world is attracting billions from tech giants like Facebook and Epic Games. Will this new world be the future of human interactions?

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In this issue · 10 items

How Gaming Cryptos Became a Gateway for Gen Z to Fintech Finextra — Gen Z people are getting closer to FinTech, maybe unconsciously. The gaming industry, that finds in this generation its best target, is developing ever more innovative features and platforms thanks to fintech companies and cryptos, and that’s enough for Gen Z to do their own research on the topic. Open story ↗ China’s PBOC Says Digital Yuan Users Have Surged to 140 Million Bloomberg — At the Hong Kong FinTech Week Mu Changchun, head of the People’s Bank of China’s Digital Currency Institute, pointed out that the digital yuan, known as e-CNY, experienced a surge in transactions. The country hasn’t always had a positive relationship with cryptos, but this digital currency is totally supported by the Chinese bank. Open story ↗ The Role of Digital Assets In The Trasformation Of The Funds Industry Calastone — Adam Belding, Chief Technology Officer at Calastone, the largest global funds network, talks about the possibilities the funds industry will lose if it will not follow the digital asset revolution. Today, any illiquid asset - even a house - can be tokenized and made liquid thanks to the knowledge of fintech and crypto-related companies. But blocks remain. Open story ↗ American Express® Launches New Fully Digital Business Checking Account for U.S. Small and Mid-Sized Businesses, with First-Ever Amex-Issued Debit Card BusinessWire — American Express keeps an eye on digital solutions, and launches a checking account designed for U.S. SMEs: high-yield, low fees and security are some of the characteristics of this new product. Open story ↗ Hong Kong’s Faster Payment System has surpassed 700,000 transactions a day in fintech milestone, says Financial Secretary Paul Chan South China Morning Post — Paul Chan Mo-po, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong, reveals at the Hong Kong FinTech Week conference that Hong Kong’s FPS (Faster Payment System) has surpassed 700,000 transactions a day, after only three years from its launch. Open story ↗ Is There a Place for Banks in a Fintech-Driven Future? Finextra — Covid-19 has proved that people react very well to fintech-driven financial solutions. That’s because they are faster and more inclusive than their traditional counterparts, banks. What about the future of these traditional institutions? Open story ↗ Fintech And The End Of Money Forbes — David G.W. Birch quotes Matt Harris and makes an interesting reflection on the revolution that finds in fintech its core. If today cash is less important, we may reach a point when even money will be useless, because our transactions will be made up of assets. Open story ↗ Visa invests in fintech start-up Deserve to drive adoption of crypto-powered cards Fintech Futures — Visa makes another big investment. Once again, the payments giant partners with fintech and crypto companies and start-ups to create innovative payments solutions. This time the partnership involves BlockFi and Deserve: the result of this cooperation is a credit card with crypto rewards, which mixes the best features of financial technology and cryptocurrencies. Open story ↗ How Microsoft Is Finding New Ways of Connecting People Bloomberg — Satya Nadella, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft, speaks with Emily Chang on Bloomberg Technology about how Microsoft is joining the metaverse: at the Microsoft’s Ignite conference the company announced the launch of over 90 new services where the metaverse world will find its place. Open story ↗ Bitpanda hires JPMorgan fintech executive to lead Pro product The Block — Another big investment for Bitpanda: after Matthias Bauer-Langgartner and Irina Scarlat, the FinTech company now hires Joshua Barraclough, former global head of fintech and co-head of digital innovation at JPMorgan. It looks like a cooperation between banks and cryptos: a bank executive versed in digital economy and a crypto company that wants to attract more institutional investors. What will the outcome be? Open story ↗

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The ‘Metaverse’ Prompts High-Stakes Race for Big Tech

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