Category: Finance

Land banking is a practice where developers buy land and hold it for future development, often without planning permission, in order to profit from rising land values. This reduces the supply of land available for housing and drives up prices, making it harder for local authorities and social housing providers to build affordable homes for the people who need them. Labour has proposed a radical reform of the planning system…

China’s banking sector is facing a rising tide of bad loans as the country’s economic slowdown and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic take a toll on consumer credit. The four largest state-owned banks have increased their provisions for potential losses, while smaller lenders are selling off their distressed assets to cope with the pressure. Bad loan ratio hits highest level since 2009 According to the China Banking and Insurance…

Nigerian banks are facing a severe shortage of cash as the festive season approaches, due to a combination of insider abuse and hoarding by customers. This has led to long queues at ATMs, reduced withdrawal limits, and increased charges for cash transactions. Insider abuse erodes bank liquidity According to a report by BusinessDay, some bank staff have been involved in fraudulent activities that have drained the liquidity of their institutions.…

Brazil is one of the largest and most sophisticated financial markets in Latin America, with a diverse and competitive banking sector. However, many banks still rely on legacy core systems that limit their ability to innovate and offer personalised products and services to their customers. To overcome this challenge, some Brazilian banks are partnering with global technology providers to modernise their core banking services with cloud technology. Regions Bank chooses…

Digital banking is not a new concept, but it is one that is constantly evolving and adapting to the needs and preferences of the modern consumer. With the rise of fintech and cryptocurrency, digital banking has become more than just a convenient way to access and manage money online. It has also become a platform for innovation, inclusion, and empowerment. One of the companies that is leading the digital banking…

Charities are facing a crisis of banking services, as many of them have reported their accounts being closed or frozen by high street banks without warning or explanation. This has caused severe disruption to their operations, as they are unable to pay staff, access funds, or receive donations. In this article, we will explore the reasons behind this problem, the impact it has on charities and their beneficiaries, and the…

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has recently launched a series of initiatives to promote the adoption of green fintech solutions in the Hong Kong banking industry. The HKMA aims to enhance the resilience of the banking sector to climate risk and support the transition to a low-carbon economy. Green Fintech Competition The HKMA announced the launch of the Green Fintech Competition on 21 September 2023. The competition invites green…

The banking and financial services industry is undergoing a rapid and radical transformation in 2024. Driven by technological innovations, regulatory changes, consumer preferences, and environmental challenges, the industry is facing multiple fundamental shifts that will reshape its future. In this article, we will explore some of the biggest trends that are dominating the banking and financial services sector in 2024, and how they are impacting the way banks operate and…

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued new guidelines for customer due diligence (CDD) by banks and regulated entities (REs) on Tuesday. The central bank has asked them to adopt a risk-based approach for periodic updating of Know Your Customer (KYC) information. The amendments to the Master Direction on KYC follow the latest government instructions related to money laundering, unlawful activities, and weapons of mass destruction. The RBI has…

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) announced today that the four major banks in the country have met the requirements of its outsourcing policy, which aims to ensure the resilience and stability of the banking system. What is the outsourcing policy? The outsourcing policy is a set of rules that the RBNZ imposes on registered banks that have a significant share of the banking system’s assets, liabilities, or payment…