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Did the regulator just admit that banking is a mess?
I’ve just read the regulatory roadmap that the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority released this week and realised that it is less a neat plan and more a recognition that the current system is broken and we’ve run out of road with Open Banking. For the past decade, Open Banking has been the poster child of……
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Things worth reading: 16th April 2026
Things we’re reading today include … Industry Tender Explained: The Real Fintech Scandals Crypto Market Update: Goldman Sachs Files for Bitcoin ETF Big energy shock will push up prices, Bank of England boss tells BBC Big US banks rake in near $50bn profit as Iran war shakes markets Largest US banks spend record $33bn on……
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Tokenization and AI are building a whole new world of money
I just had an interesting podcast conversation about stablecoins, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and tokenised deposits. Most people in finance think they understand the differences, but it’s worth pausing for a moment, because the distinctions really matter. At a very simple level: stablecoins are privately issued digital tokens (think USDC or Tether) backed by……
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The Finanser’s Week: 13th April – 19th April 2026
This week’s main discussions include … Did the regulator just admit that banking is a mess? I’ve just read the regulatory roadmap that the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority released this week and realised that it is less a neat plan and more a recognition that the current system is broken and we’ve run out of……
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A chat with Wio Bank, a fully digital, platform-based bank
A chat with Wio Bank, a fully digital, platform-based bank – I recently had a nudge to talk to Wio Bank, who claim to be the Middle East’s first fully digital, platform-based bank launched in Abu Dhabi in 2022 (not sure about this as there are over 20 neobanks operating in the Middle East). Backed……
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Things worth reading: 17th April 2026
Things we’re reading today include … OpenAI buys personal finance fintech Hiro Bank of England and FCA commit to action on AI following warnings from MPs – Committees – UK Parliament Latest AI models could threaten world banking system, financial officials warn Our latest views on the major central banks | ING Bank robbers hold……
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What vision of the future do you have?
I always love looking back to the past for predictions of the future. From The Jetsons flying car to the communicator in Star Trek, there are so many examples of science fiction, much of which has become science fact. Just look at SpaceX’s reusable rockets or the Artemis II crew flying around the moon, and……
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Why do you rob pensioners? Because that’s where the money is …
It interests me that there are so many reports about pensioners or, if you’re American, seniors are the highest group of people suffering fraud, scams and hacks. What’s going on? Financial fraud and scams targeting adults over 60 have reached “epidemic proportions”, with billions lost and often many occurrences of repeat victimisation. According to recent data, roughly……
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Is everyone scared of the AI threat? If not, you should be
It was interesting that, last week, US regulators called an urgent meeting with the CEOs of the largest banks last Thursday, after the emergence of a new AI model from Anthropic called Claude Mythos. The reason wasn’t hype – it was capability. This model appears able to identify deep vulnerabilities in widely used software and……
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Is everyone scared of the AI threat? If not, you should be
It was interesting that, last week, US regulators called an urgent meeting with the CEOs of the largest banks last Thursday, after the emergence of a new AI model from Anthropic called Claude Mythos. The reason wasn’t hype – it was capability. This model appears able to identify deep vulnerabilities in widely used software and……