Revolut has overtaken Nubank as the world’s most valuable neobank, reaching a valuation of US$75 billion after an employee secondary share sale, according to a staff memo seen by Bloomberg. The London-based fintech startup was valued at US$45 billion last year following a share sale by new and existing investors. The new transaction priced its shares at US$1,381.06, increasing Revolut’s valuation by two-thirds. The surge comes after Revolut boosted its annual profits by 149% to US$1.4 billion in 2024, driven by growth in wealth management, foreign exchange (FX), and interest income. The company is now accelerating its global expansion plans. In Latin America (LatAm), Revolut expects to launch as a bank in Mexico early next year, and is planing entries into Colombia and Argentina. In Asia-Pacific, Revolut is preparing to launch in India after securing a payment license in April, and is pursuing further licenses in Australia and New Zealand. In Europe, it intends to submit a French banking license application, and open branches in Portugal and Belgium. Finally, in Africa and the Middle East, the company was recently awarded an in-principle payment license in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Founded in 2015, Revolut offers banking services for individuals and businesses, including crypto, stock trading, loans, and FX. The company claims more than 65 million customers worldwide, and over a billion transactions a month. Its enterprise arm, Revolut Business, has surpassed US$1 billion in annualized revenue and is now processing over 4 million monthly payments for merchants. Revolut aims to reach 100 million customers by mid-2027, and enter more than 30 new markets by 2030. This growth will be powered by US$13 billion in planned investments over the next five years comprising a US$4 billion commitment to the UK, US$1.2 billion to its Western Europe hub in France, and US$500 million to accelerate its operations in the US. A valuation exceeding industry benchmarks Though Revolut continues to show strong growth, the company’s valuation significantly exceeds industry norms. New data from Multiples, a UK-based valuation data platform, reveal that Revolut is trading at an enterprise value-to-revenue multiple (EV/R) of 18.3, compared to an industry median of 5.8. The EV/R ratio compares a company’s enterprise value with its revenue. It’s one of the main indicators used by investors to gauge whether a stock is priced fairly. Implied EV/revenue multiples of the world’s most valuable neobanks, Source: Neobanking valuations, Multiples, Sep 2025 This disparity means that investors are willing to pay nearly four times more per dollar of revenue for Revolut than for the average industry peer. This may suggest that investors are viewing Revolut as having stronger growth prospects, a more favorable strategic position, or greater expansion opportunities. However, it may also imply that the market is overvaluing Revolut relative to its actual earnings power. In comparison, Brazil’s Nubank, which has a market capitalization of about US$72 billion and ranks as the world’s second most valuable neobank, trades at an EV/R close to the industry media while delivering stronger financial performance. In fiscal year (FY) 2024, Nubank generated US$11.5 billion in revenue, nearly double Revolut’s US$4 billion, and US$1.97 billion in net income, 41% higher than Revolut’s. It also boasts a much larger customer base of 123 million customers across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. Number of customers of the world’s top neobanks, Source: Neobanking valuations, Multiples, Sep 2025 Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Sao Paulo, Nubank is the largest digital bank in LatAm and one of the most influential ones globally. The company provides a comprehensive suite of digital financial products and services designed to simplify banking and improve financial inclusion, including a no-fee digital payment account, international credit cards, personal loans, insurance products, investment services, and business banking solutions. Having established a strong foothold in LatAm, Nubank is now setting its sights beyond the region. This week, the company announced that it has applied for a national bank charter in the US, with plans to offer deposit accounts, credit card, lending and digital asset custody. The move marks its first major step into a new market outside LatAm. Profitability still elusive After Revolut, Nubank, and WeBank, which lead the global neobanking market in valuation, customer base, and revenue scale, other major players include: Wise, a UK player initially focused on cross-border transactions. Wise is valued at US$15.3 billion and generated US$1.9 billion in revenue in 2024; Klarna, which specializes in buy now, pay later (BNPL) arrangements (US$14 billion valuation and US$2.8 billion in revenue in 2024); Chime, a neobank from the US (valued at US$9 billion with US$1.7 billion in revenue in 2024); Kakao Bank, a digital bank from South Korea (valued at US$8.2 billion with US$2.1 billion in revenue in 2024); and Monzo, an app-based challenger bank in the UK (valued at US$5.9 billion with US$1.6 billion in revenue in 2024). Top neobanks valuation, Source: Neobanking valuations, Multiples, Sep 2025 Together, these eight companies are among the world’s top 15 most valuable neobanks. Though these neobanks have valuations ranging from US$1.8 billion to US$75 billion, only 11 of them are turning a profit, with major names like Chime, Klarna, Germany’s N26, and Argentina’s Uala still yet to achieve profitability. Pre-tax profit of the world’s top neobanks, Source: Neobanking valuations, Multiples, Sep 2025   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by rawpixel.com via Freepik The post Revolut Dethrones Nubank as World’s Most Valuable Neobank appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

The global payment industry is undergoing structural changes as digital payments rewrite the rules and new technologies including stablecoins and artificial intelligence (AI) gain traction, a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) says. The report, released in September, explores the main transformative forces reshaping the landscape, identifying digital currencies, agentic AI, real-time account-to-account (A2A) payments, and the rise of software platforms, as major trends to watch. Digital currencies enter the mainstream The first trend outlined is the rise of digital currencies, with US dollar-denominated stablecoins in particular having achieved clear product market fit, supported by greater regulatory clarity. In 2024, stablecoins reached a market capitalization of around US$210 billion, with transaction volumes exceeding US$26 trillion. Tokenized real-world assets, including money market funds and private credit, are also expanding rapidly, with market capitalization reaching roughly US$28 billion, marking a nearly fourfold increase in two years. This surge is fueling the build-out of a more modular foundation for transaction banking, payments, and banking-as-a-service (BaaS), where blockchain-native components operate largely in the background. For banks and payment service providers (PSPs), the challenge will be now to determine how to connect to this architecture in ways that match their competitive strengths, risk appetite, and regulatory constraints. Strategic options include acting as custodians of digital assets, issuing stablecoins or tokenized deposits, forming consortiums to scale adoption, or focusing on infrastructure and “as-a-service” models. Five strategic options for banks and payment service providers to participate in stablecoins and tokenized deposits, Source: 23rd annual Global Payments Report, Boston Consulting Group, Sep 2025 Agentic AI moves into the payment stack AI agents are another prominent trend in the payment landscape. These agents leverage AI to make decisions, take actions, and pursue objectives over time with minimal human intervention. They are able to solve complex problems, interpret and create actionable plans, and execute these plans using a suite of tools. Within the payment landscape, AI agents are expected to take on tasks such as budgeting, bill payments, and dispute resolution. Merchants and small businesses will deploy customer-facing agents to deliver faster, more personalized service, and simplifying other touchpoints, and manage financial workflows such as vendor onboarding, invoicing, reconciliation, and payment scheduling, more efficiently. AI agents may also be used to optimize marketing budgets, trigger reorders, and adjust pricing in real time, allowing businesses to save resources while making faster and better-informed decisions. PSPs, meanwhile, will adopt similar tools across their operations, using AI agents to autonomously resolve inquiries, enhance onboarding and fraud detection, and deliver personalized offers informed by transaction history. According to a 2025 BCG consumer survey, 81% of consumers expect to shop using agentic AI. In the coming years, more than US$1 trillion in spending, representing about 50% of total e-commerce expenditure today, could be agent assisted, with early adoption focused on routine purchases such as groceries, restaurant orders, and personal care products. Use of agentic AI for commerce, Source: 23rd annual Global Payments Report, Boston Consulting Group, Sep 2025 BCG expects payment networks to gain the most from the agentic commerce trend. These players will get to define roles, set standards, and shape economics, unlocking new monetization opportunities. Issuers, meanwhile, will find opportunities in creating category-specific agents for sectors like traveling and dining, while acquirers will need to establish advanced fraud and risk capabilities to help merchants participate effectively in AI-driven commerce. Cost excellence to lift margins Across the payment industry, margin pressures are intensifying, making operational efficiency a critical priority. BCG believes that PSPs which specialize in a small set of high-impact moves, and which focus on cost and productivity measures, can improve margins by 30% to 40% while sharpening performance across the board. According to BCG, payment acquirers and issuers can improve profitability by optimizing transaction routing and authorization processes, using data-driven, real-time routing to cut costs and boost success rates, especially in cross-border payments. Issuers can further improve outcomes by applying advanced analytics to raise approval rates and reduce false declines. Merchants, meanwhile, can use advanced analytics and generative AI (genAI) to target high-value customer segments with personalized and timely engagement, reducing acquisition costs, boosting conversion rates, and maximizing return on investment (ROI). Finally, payments-integrated software-as-a-service (SaaS), especially independent software vendors (ISVs), can use genAI to streamline operations, and automate support queries. They may also use genAI to accelerate software development. Cost excellence and margins, Source: 23rd annual Global Payments Report, Boston Consulting Group, Sep 2025 Software platforms gain ground Software platforms with embedded financial services are experiencing rapid growth, especially in the small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) segment. From 2020 to 2024, software platforms increased their total revenue by roughly 40% annually, twice the pace of digital acquirers and nearly triple that of incumbents. As a result, revenue in payments is shifting from basic transaction processing toward value-added services and embedded finance. Between 2019 and 2023, the revenue share from value-added services (VAS) and embedded financial services grew sharply, rising from a share of 0-10% to 15-25% in Europe. Projections suggest that VAS could reach 20-25% of revenue in Europe by 2027 and embedded finance could reach 15-20% in the same time frame. Revenue mix across addressable business acquiring market, Source: 23rd annual Global Payments Report, Boston Consulting Group, Sep 2025 Unlike traditional payment providers which mainly focus on processing transactions, platforms like Shopify, Toast, and Lightspeed integrate payments, lending, payroll, fraud prevention, and other financial tools directly into SME workflows, creating a seamless “all-in-one” operating system. SMEs are attracted to these platforms because they are easier to use, offer better support, and deliver more value than traditional acquirers or banks. To stay competitive, banks and acquirers must shift from volume to value. They should also build full-service merchant propositions either by developing proprietary solutions or forming partnerships. Furthermore, investment in embedded finance and modular, API-enabled VAS platforms will allow providers to deliver personalization, benchmarking, and insights at scale. Instant cross-border payments accelerate Real-time A2A transactions are gaining momentum worldwide, with now more than 70 countries having real-time systems in place. By 2024, real-time A2A payments represented around a quarter of global retail digital payments, up 40% YoY. Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LatAm), the Middle East, and Africa are leading A2A adoption, with LatAm topping the charts with penetration of around 45%, followed by APAC, the Middle East, and Africa at roughly 30%. Notable systems include India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which now handles more than 20 billion transactions per month; Brazil’s Pix, which serves over 160 million users and 16 million merchants; and Thailand’s PromptPay, which processes 2.3 million transactions per month. According to BCG, the next stage of growth will come from cross-border real-time payments. These capabilities offer an alternative to traditional correspondent banking and SWIFT-based transfers, and are poised to capture up to 30% of total transaction-related revenue pools in high-priority remittance and trade corridors. Within cross-border instant payments, real momentum is underway. UPI International is already live in Singapore, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France, and several other countries, with expansion to more than 10 other countries planned. Meanwhile, Pix is moving toward cross-border integration, with Brazil’s central bank prioritizing corridors to nations such as Uruguay and Argentina. Finally, Project Nexus, led by the Bank for International Settlements, focuses on linking domestic instant payment systems across countries for faster and lower-cost cross-border payments. The Eurosystem, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are among those part of the initiative. Cross-border account-to-account initiatives, Source: 23rd annual Global Payments Report, Boston Consulting Group, Sep 2025   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on images by myriammira and Who is Danny via Freepik The post BCG Study: Stablecoins, Agentic AI, Instant Cross-Border Transactions Among Top Trends Reshaping Payments appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

JCB has published a new strategic guide titled “Asian Traveller Personas: Inspiring European Merchants to Unlock Greater Spend.” The guide provides European merchants with insights into the spending habits and motivations of travellers from Asia, aiming to help them design services and experiences that match different consumer needs. The launch comes as spending by Asian visitors in Europe grows significantly. Understanding the diversity of this market can be challenging, and the guide seeks to address this by summarising cardmember data and market trends into practical information for merchants. The guide identifies five distinct traveller personas. The Security-Seeking Family Spender, common in the Philippines and Indonesia, prioritises safety and convenience. Filipino cardmembers increased their in-Europe physical spend by 101% year-on-year from 2022 to 2023, and this group looks for reliable fraud prevention, contactless payments, and family-friendly services. The Social Deal Hunter, mainly from Thailand and Indonesia, comprises digital-savvy consumers aged 20-40 who focus on flash deals and instant rewards. Thai online spending grew by 112% YoY between 2022 and 2023, with a strong preference for app-based services. The Premium Traveller, found across India, Taiwan and Vietnam, values travel as a status symbol and expects high-quality service. Indian physical spend rose 641% YoY and online spend 988% YoY between 2022 and 2023. This persona prefers personalised experiences and seamless, secure payments. The Value Gift Hunter, typical of Japanese and Korean leisure travellers, purchases thoughtful gifts abroad. Japanese physical spend increased 114% YoY from 2022 to 2023. This group seeks clear pricing and bundle offers to make gift-buying straightforward. The Acceptance-Driven Digital Nomad, often from South Korea and the tech diaspora, prioritises simple and fast transactions. South Korean physical payments grew 36% YoY and online payments 34% YoY from 2022 to 2023, reflecting their preference for seamless, mobile-first payment solutions. For each persona, the guide outlines spending triggers and potential barriers, allowing merchants to adjust their payment processes to meet specific needs. This approach aims to support targeted strategies that encourage higher spending and foster loyalty. Ray Shinzawa “The European market is seeing unprecedented growth from Asian consumers, and to truly capitalise on this, merchants need a deep cultural and behavioural understanding,” said Ray Shinzawa, Managing Director, JCB Europe. “This strategic guide, built on a combination of JCB’s insights into our cardmembers’ spending patterns and wider global trends, serves as a vital blueprint. It empowers European retailers to move beyond generic approaches, enabling them to anticipate needs, personalise interactions, and ultimately support revenue growth.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by TravelScape via Freepik The post Asian Traveller Spend in Europe Surges, JCB Reveals 5 Key Personas appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

LSEG Risk Intelligence announced the launch of World-Check Verify, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). The cloud-native screening API is designed to integrate compliance directly into payment and onboarding workflows, offering instant and secure checks without affecting processing speed or the customer experience. The solution aims to support financial institutions in meeting the demands of today’s rapidly evolving digital economy. World-Check Verify is intended for the modern payment ecosystem as a lightweight, stateless screening solution that allows enterprises to operate at scale with speed, reliability, and privacy safeguards. This capability addresses growing compliance demands driven by instant payments, embedded finance, and regulations such as the EU Instant Payments regulation. David Wilson, Group Head of LSEG Risk Intelligence, said: David Wilson “World-Check Verify makes compliance invisible, with timely, trusted data ensuring screening happens in the background, at the precise moment it’s needed, so payments and onboarding remain instant and seamless. It sets a new standard for embedded compliance in a world where speed, trust, and accuracy must coexist.” The solution provides real-time screening against LSEG’s World-Check data, allowing organisations to carry out embedded, low-latency checks within payment and onboarding workflows. It offers a highly available infrastructure suitable for digital platforms and neobanks, while data sovereignty is maintained through a secure, scalable, cloud-native architecture powered by AWS. The system is designed to ensure resilience and high performance for enterprise and cross-border operations, while also providing efficiency through flexible integration, precise screening, and policy alignment via advanced configuration options. Alison Kay, VP and Managing Director of AWS UKI, said: Alison Kay “This cloud-native solution scales instantly to meet demand spikes, reduces infrastructure overhead, and leverages advanced analytics to transform the manual workload burden that 77% of institutions struggle with into an automated, efficient workflow. It exemplifies how AWS’s cloud capabilities can help solve complex industry challenges so that financial institutions can innovate and scale their risk management operations with confidence, while maintaining the highest security standards.” The launch follows LSEG’s 2025 Global Risk Intelligence Survey, which found that 77% of financial institutions cite manual review workload as a key barrier to compliance, 75% report excessive false positives from legacy systems, and 98% say real-time data is critical to their compliance workflows. World-Check Verify aims to address these challenges by providing frictionless screening that does not compromise on accuracy, resilience, or security. Whether verifying a new customer, screening a beneficiary, or monitoring a transaction, the solution delivers trusted screening to clients, helping organisations manage risk, reduce operational burden, and support compliance.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by suksao via Freepik The post LSEG Launches World-Check Verify with AWS for Real-Time Compliance appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

The Capital Markets and Technology Association (CMTA) and the German Association for Electronic Securities (BfeW) have announced a collaboration to promote the adoption of tokenisation standards across jurisdictions. The partnership aims to align technical frameworks for tokenisation in Switzerland and Germany, contributing to international standardisation. A key outcome of this collaboration is the update of CMTA’s smart contract framework for tokenisation, the CMTAT, along with its reference implementation, to align with the requirements of the German Electronic Securities Act (eWpG). The update is included in the recently released version 3.0.0 of the Solidity reference implementation and allows the CMTAT to be used in tokenisation processes under Germany’s regulatory framework. In addition, the ERC-7551 standard, developed by BfeW, incorporates the core functions outlined in CMTA’s tokenisation standards for Switzerland. This alignment demonstrates the adaptability of both frameworks and facilitates the implementation of tokenisation processes across multiple jurisdictions. Markus Kluge has joined CMTA’s Technical Advisory Board Committee, which oversees the ongoing development of the CMTAT framework. His expertise is expected to support the framework’s compliance with German regulatory requirements. The CMTAT’s modular design allows token code to be adjusted to meet local legal requirements, providing flexibility across different jurisdictions. Dr Jacques Iffland “CMTA is committed to collaborating with associations across the world and partners to tailor the CMTAT for use in different jurisdictions,” said Dr Jacques Iffland, Chairman of CMTA. “International cooperation is essential to ensure the availability of smart contracts that can be used in a legally compliant manner across jurisdictions.” Christopher Görtz, Chairman of BfeW’s Board of Directors, added: Christopher Görtz “This collaboration is a major step toward ensuring that tokenisation frameworks remain compliant yet versatile, fostering innovation within the European digital securities market.”     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by rawpixel.com via Freepik The post CMTA and BfeW Collaborate on Cross-Border Tokenisation Standards appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Chainlink has announced a new technical solution that allows financial institutions to manage digital asset workflows through their existing systems using Swift messaging and the Chainlink Runtime Environment (CRE). By combining CRE with Swift, banks and institutions can access blockchains via the infrastructure they already use, without needing to replace processes or introduce new identity and key management systems. The first application of this solution was carried out with UBS Tokenize, the bank’s in-house tokenisation unit. In this pilot, subscriptions and redemptions for a UBS tokenised fund smart contract were initiated using ISO 20022 messages through Swift and CRE. These messages were received by CRE, which then triggered the corresponding workflows in the Chainlink Digital Transfer Agent (DTA) technical standard. This builds on the earlier collaboration between Swift, Chainlink and UBS within the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Project Guardian in 2024. That initiative demonstrated the potential for settlement of tokenised fund subscriptions and redemptions using off-chain cash settlement via Swift. The latest development extends this by integrating CRE, which simplifies interaction with tokenised assets and enables on-chain events to be triggered more flexibly through Swift messages. According to Chainlink, this form of interoperability offers financial institutions a means of accessing tokenised asset workflows while relying on existing connectivity and infrastructure. UBS, through its tokenisation unit, has shown how such systems can be applied in practice, with smart contracts supporting fund lifecycle events such as subscriptions and redemptions. Sergey Nazarov, Co-Founder of Chainlink, said: Sergey Nazarov “I’m very excited about this landmark innovation we’ve achieved by leveraging Swift’s standards and UBS’ tokenised asset design, as we are showing how the use of smart contracts and new technical standards can enable transfer agents and other entities to manage tokenised asset workflows on-chain.” He added: “UBS is demonstrating how the use of smart contract-based technologies can be used by financial institutions to more readily explore new types of product lifecycle composability.” The ability to manage complex workflows on-chain through familiar Swift messaging may reduce operational friction, support compliance processes, and improve transparency, while streamlining reconciliation and lifecycle management for institutions engaging with tokenised funds.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik The post UBS Pilots On-Chain Fund Workflows via Swift and Chainlink appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Deutsche Börse Group and Circle have signed a MoU to explore the use of Circle’s EURC and USDC stablecoins within Deutsche Börse’s financial market infrastructure. The agreement is the first of its kind in Europe and aims to connect token-based payment networks with traditional market structures. The collaboration is supported by the EU’s Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCAR), the first comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto assets. Circle was the first major global issuer to achieve MiCAR compliance. Initial plans include the listing and trading of stablecoins on 360T’s digital exchange 3DX and via institutional crypto provider Crypto Finance, both part of Deutsche Börse Group. Custody services will be provided through Clearstream, with Crypto Finance acting as sub-custodian. Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Circle, said: Jeremy Allaire “Together with Deutsche Börse Group, we’re planning to advance the use of regulated stablecoins across Europe’s market infrastructure, reducing settlement risk, lowering costs, and improving efficiency for banks, asset managers, and the wider market.” Stephanie Eckermann, Executive Board member responsible for Post-Trading at Deutsche Börse Group, said: Stephanie Eckermann “Digital assets have the potential to reshape financial markets by enhancing efficiency, transparency, and security. Through this collaboration, we are taking a step toward integrating stablecoins into regulated, reliable and trusted infrastructure.” The initiative adds to Deutsche Börse Group’s existing digital asset activities, including settlement and custody services through Clearstream and Crypto Finance, and its participation in European Central Bank trials on wholesale central bank digital currencies.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by wirestock via Freepik The post Deutsche Börse and Circle to Collaborate on Stablecoin Integration appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

LSEG Risk Intelligence, a provider of compliance, risk management and fraud prevention solutions, has announced the launch of World Check On Demand. The platform is designed to change how data is created and delivered, with the aim of meeting customer demand for timely, reliable and actionable intelligence to support risk management, reduce excessive screening, and speed up payment processing. World Check On Demand provides continuously updated, real time risk intelligence through an API. This allows organisations to access accurate and relevant information on sanctions, politically exposed persons, adverse media and enforcement actions. David Wilson, Group Head of LSEG Risk Intelligence, said: David Wilson “Navigating a new era of risk and compliance requires more than just data, it demands intelligence that’s real time, accurate, and most importantly, trusted. With World Check On Demand we are delivering just that, enabling our clients to act faster, smarter and with confidence, while reducing operational cost.” The launch coincides with the release of LSEG’s global study Operating at the Speed of Crime: The Case for Real Time Risk Intelligence. The research found that nearly all financial institutions surveyed, 98%, view real time data as important to their compliance workflows. 80% reported frequent delays in onboarding or payments due to outdated or slow screening, while 75% identified excessive false positives as an ongoing issue. World Check’s data, supported by AI, is intended to help compliance teams identify risks earlier, improve response times, lower the number of false positives and streamline operations, while maintaining transparency and clear data sources. World Check On Demand delivers the data foundation for quicker and more accurate decision making. It is designed to support smoother onboarding processes and reduce compliance-related delays highlighted in the survey. Through flexible APIs, it can be integrated into existing technology systems such as onboarding platforms and transaction monitoring tools, providing institutions with up to date information to act promptly and with assurance.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Alla541 via Freepik The post LSEG Launches World Check On Demand for Real Time Risk Intelligence appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Murex, a global leader in enterprise-wide, cross-asset financial technology solutions used by sell-side and buy-side capital markets players, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced a multi-year strategic collaboration agreement, expanding the long partnership between both organisations. The agreement is the result of many months of intensive technical collaboration between both organisations, and it allows Murex to further scale its MX.3 platform into a suite of managed services powered by AWS. Financial institutions can already access unrivaled functional coverage while benefiting from the highest security standards, servicing operational excellence, and the ability to meet evolving regulatory requirements. The collaboration accelerates the initial deployment and facilitates the frequent upgrade of Murex’s solutions for financial institutions worldwide. The agreement specifically expands Murex’s software-as-a-service offering, MXSaaS, and innovative cloud-native solution XVA as a Service through flexible turnkey services on AWS. XVA as a Service particularly leverages AWS elastic computing to deliver scalable, sophisticated risk analytics to its clients. Murex has added four new customers to MXSaaS since the collaboration agreement was signed in June, proving the value of the AWS collaboration and consolidating MXSaaS as a mature, well-established service. By running on AWS, Murex Managed Services gain enhanced agility, flexibility and resiliency, across Murex’s solution suite, optimising client experiences through technical process automation, performance monitoring, and proactive incident management. Benefits include runtime trends identification, accelerated time-to-market and service disruption prevention. As part of this strategic shift, Murex is investing significantly in scaling MXSaaS operations. Its aim is to equip FinOps and DevOps practices with state-of-the-art technologies and grow its global team to serve a large percentage of its existing and future customer base. Charlie Sanderson “Financial institutions across banking, capital markets, and asset management are increasingly seeking cloud-based solutions that can reduce operational complexity while providing access to innovation,” said Charlie Sanderson, Director, EMEA Technology Partners, AWS. “This collaboration combines AWS’s proven infrastructure with Murex’s capital markets solutions to help customers increase agility and time-to-market, while maintaining the highest levels of security, compliance, and efficiency.” “Financial institutions face mounting pressure from macroeconomic volatility, regulatory demands and cybersecurity concerns,” said Elias Eddé, Murex CEO. “Running mission-critical trading and risk management platforms requires significant infrastructure investment and specialised resources to continuously maintain operational resilience and performance. Jointly with AWS, Murex delivers them as a service today powered by AWS, in a further extension of capabilities that Murex has developed over a long time with AWS.”   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik via Freepik The post Murex Announces Strategic AWS Collaboration Agreement appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

The European Union (EU)’s digital euro proposal has emerged as part of a broader set of policy responses to bring the bloc’s financial system to the digital age, ensure digital sovereignty and strategic autonomy in payments, and strengthen the currency’s international role. But according to Fernando Navarrete, a Spanish economist and politician, and a member of the European Parliament, the digital euro proposal will actually introduce greater risks than benefits, and should only be considered as a last recourse. In a new report published by Círculo de Empresarios, Fundación ICO, and Fundación Instituto Español de Analistas, Navarrete criticizes the digital euro proposal, arguing that in its current form, the retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) completely ignores recent private-sector progress toward interoperability, overlook intermediate options like regulatory sandboxes and standardization, and introduce issues relating to privacy and financial stability. Balancing resilience, sovereignty and innovation Instead, Navarrete advises for a more coherent and future-oriented approach that balances resilience, sovereignty, innovation, and democratic legitimacy, and which emphasizes public-private collaboration. In this scenario, the private sector would deliver pan-European solutions, while the ECB acts as a standard-setter, infrastructure provider, and enabler, rather not a competitor in retail payments. EU institutions, meanwhile, would focus on regulatory harmonization, interoperability, and targeted support rather than replacing market initiatives. This strategy should be based on three pillars: Delivering a competitive, innovative, interoperable private-sector payment infrastructure mobilizing commercial bank money; Offering a targeted and privacy-preserving offline digital euro for resilience and inclusion; and Establishing a wholesale CBDC to support financial market integration and international competitiveness. In this evolving payment landscape, Navarrete believes that the European Commission (EC), together with the European Parliament and the Council, should act as facilitators of convergence rather than direct service providers. They should focus on fostering innovation in the private sector by promoting interoperability, ensuring consistent regulatory frameworks across Member States, and supporting adoption through targeted incentives and proper regulation and supervision. The European Central Bank (ECB), meanwhile, should act as a neutral enabler, concentrating on supporting the development of technical standards, ensuring the availability of robust infrastructure, and promoting interoperability among payment systems. Navarrete also advises for the creation of an offline digital euro. This payment method would serve as a complement to cash as a central bank money usable in digital environments. It would offer targeted public value with limited risk to financial stability, citizens’ privacy, or long-term innovation, and might enhance the overall resilience of the payments system. But more importantly, Navarrete believes that an offline retail digital euro presents little risk to disrupt financial intermediation or market dynamics, as it would operate with clearly defined usage limits and a scope restricted to specific, complementary use cases. Instead of a retail CBDC, Navarrete advises for the creation of a wholesale CBDC, which he believes can deliver substantial benefits in terms of settlement efficiency, market integration, and strategic autonomy. Furthermore, because wholesale CBDCs build on the traditional role of central banks as providers of payment infrastructure, they carry little inherent risk. In fact, they can bring clear benefits. By enabling T+0 settlement in financial markets, wholesale CBDCs can help reduce counterparty and operational risks, improve liquidity management, and support the development of the Savings and Investment Union. They also enable cheaper remittances, smoother international trade, and stronger international financial cooperation. According to Navarrete, these components, aligned with the respective comparative advantages of public and private actors, should, in his opinion, be the EU’s “Plan A”. According to him, this approach offers a more proportionate and effective path forward than a full-scale, general purpose retail CBDC with all its risks and inherent limitations as it is currently proposed by the EC. A retail CBDC only if private initiatives fail Navarrete argues that the current retail digital euro proposal should be treated only as a “Plan B”, to be pursued solely if no better alternative proves viable. Should policymakers move in that direction, he stresses the importance of minimizing the risks and shortcomings inherent to a retail CBDC. These risks include potential threats to financial stability, reduced competition, data privacy concerns, and the added burden of new responsibilities in areas such as fraud prevention and anti-money laundering (AML). While wholesale CBDC are designed for use between financial institutions, retail CBDCs on the other hand, are intended for direct use by citizens through digital wallets. In normal times and especially during financial crises, people may prefer to hold their money in a risk-free digital euro rather than in commercial bank accounts. This would weaken banks’ deposit base, reduce their lending capacity, and create financial fragmentation across the euro area, significantly destabilizing the financial system. To contain this risk, the digital euro proposal introduces strict limits on how much digital euro any individual can hold. However, these limits are untested and could potentially come under political pressure in times of crisis, Navarrete warns. Another major concern is privacy. Unlike cash, retail CBDCs, like almost any other digital payment methods, leave a digital trail. Many people fear that the ECB or public authorities in general could monitor transactions, even indirectly, undermining individual autonomy or an erosion of civil liberties. This perception of surveillance can erode trust in the monetary system, weakening voluntary adoption and potentially driving privacy‐sensitive consumers back to informal or unregulated payment channels. The digital euro, initiated by the ECB in July 2021, aims to develop a fast and secure electronic payment instrument that would complement the euro for individuals and businesses in its existing form as cash and in bank accounts. Arguments and motives for its introduction include the opportunity to expand payment options, to provide a fee digital access to a secure legal tender in the Eurozone, and to ensure monetary sovereignty of the Eurozone. However, critics are warning of significant risks relating to technological dependencies, privacy trade-offs, and structural limitations. For financial institutions, global consultancy PwC estimates that each EU bank will need to spend about EUR 110 million to implement the necessary changes to support the digital euro. This excludes costs related to offline functionalities, multiple accounts, and merchant acquiring.   Featured image by Who is Danny on Freepik The post Spanish Economist Urges Alternatives to Digital Euro Proposal; Warns of Risks to Privacy and Stability appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being rapidly adopted across risk and compliance functions to improve fraud detection, streamline customer due diligence, and enhance operational efficiency. Between 2023 and 2025, the share of organizations using or trialing AI increased by 23 points with fintech companies leading adoption, according to a study commissioned by Moody’s and conducted with We Live Context. The study, which polled 600 risk and compliance professionals across different regions and sectors to understand, evaluate, and implement AI in risk and compliance, found that 53% of respondents are either utilizing or piloting AI. Of these, 24% of financial services organizations are already using AI, marking a 15-point increase from 2023, and a 13-point increase from 2024. AI implementation between 2023 and 2025, Source- From reactive to proactive: How AI is transforming risk and compliance, Moody’s, Sep 2025 Fintech leads AI adoption Fintech firms currently lead AI adoption in risk and compliance, with 74% of respondents either using or trialing the technology. Asset and wealth management firms follow at 73%, and professional services at 60%. By contrast, adoption is lower among corporates (35%), insurers (45%), and banks (50%). Government respondents also reported lower awareness of AI use in compliance (72%), compared with fintech (99%) and professional services (93%). Fintech companies are also applying AI more broadly as they innovate. For example, payment firm Stripe uses AI to identify and prevent fraud in real-time; ComplyAdvantage provides AI-driven tools and data to help clients like Santander, Mollie, and Plaid detect and manage financial crime risk; and Jumio offers AI-powered identity verification, electronic know-your-customer (KYC), and fraud and compliance tools to companies including Webull and Scalapay. Digital transformation, risk management among top areas of AI use At present, organizations mostly use AI as part of a broader digital transformation strategy (43% use/trial; 52% consideration), automating routine tasks where possible, and augmenting human decision-making where judgment is required. They also use of AI in risk analytics and management (41% use/trial; 45% consideration), data strategy and analytics (40% use/trial; 45% consideration), and data governance (40% use/trial; 46% consideration). Areas of AI use and consideration, Source: From reactive to proactive: How AI is transforming risk and compliance, Moody’s, Sep 2025 Impact of AI An overwhelming majority of the people polled (84%) agree or strongly agree that there are significant advantages to using AI, while 93% reported already seeing positive effect. Impact of AI adoption, Source: From reactive to proactive: How AI is transforming risk and compliance, Moody’s, Sep 2025 Streamlining repetitive tasks was cited as the top benefit, named by 23% of respondents as the primary advantage, and by 70% as a key advantage. Accelerating analysis (66%), reducing costs (64%), handling larger volumes of data (56%), and improving accuracy (51%) were all also cited as key advantages for more than half of those surveyed. Advantages of AI, Source: From reactive to proactive: How AI is transforming risk and compliance, Moody’s, Sep 2025 Concerns and challenges Despite these benefits, industry stakeholders expressed concerns about AI adoption. Over-reliance on AI (18%) was identified as their top issue, with fears of losing critical human expertise and judgment. Data privacy (12%) and mistakes stemming from AI (11%) were also frequently cited. Respondents also shared their biggest challenges to scaling AI, with regulatory concerns (33%), integrating with existing systems (30%), and lack of budget cited among the biggest hurdles that risk and compliance professionals face. But chief among them is a lack of internal expertise or skills, with 41% of respondents seeing this as the primary barrier to adopting AI at scale. Concerns around AI, Source: From reactive to proactive: How AI is transforming risk and compliance, Moody’s, Sep 2025 These results align with findings from other studies, which indicate that rapid AI adoption is intensifying the AI skills shortage. According to the 2025 Nash Squared/Harvey Nash Digital Leadership Report, AI is now the most scarce technology skill, jumping from sixth place just 18 months earlier. This increase marks the steepest and largest jump in any technology skills shortage recorded for over 15 years. Among 2,000 surveyed digital leaders, 51% reported an AI skills shortage, up from 28% in the previous report, representing an 82% increase over the period.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by vector_corp via Freepik The post AI Use in Risk and Compliance Surges; Fintech Leads Adoption appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Trade deficits are often perceived as a problem, but they are not inherently bad. According to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, trade deficits frequently reflect foreign capital inflows. They can indicate strong domestic investment, fiscal flexibility through access to global capital markets, and the ability to finance higher levels of investment or mitigate the costs to the private sector of fiscal expansion. Understanding trade deficits Trade deficits occur when a country imports more goods and services than it exports. Trade deficits also reflect the gap between national savings and investment. When national investment exceeds national savings, the difference likely comes from additional goods and services that are imported. These goods are often financed by borrowing “foreign savings” from other countries, which then shows up as a trade deficit. Conversely, if a country saves more than it invests, it lends to the rest of the world, generating a surplus. Looking for closely, trade imbalances can also signal an economy’s ability to borrow internationally to finance investment and consumption without increasing domestic interest rates. Savings tend to rise with the real interest rate, as higher returns encourage deferred consumption by households and firms. Conversely, investments tend to fall with the real interest rate, as the cost of capital increases and that fewer investment projects remain profitable. Because the US is an open economy that’s integrated into the global financial system, interest rates aren’t just determined by domestic saving and borrowing, but are also influenced by the world market rate. This means that US borrowers, public and private, can access foreign savings at a lower rate than what the rate would be if the US had to rely only on national savings. As a result, the US can spend and invest more than it saves without pushing US interest rates up, maintaining living standards and supporting credit, housing, and economic growth, while also funding critical infrastructure, research, and other long-term projects. Furthermore, trade deficits can accompany periods of strong economic growth or when the government is spending more. For example, a favorable policy shock, like a corporate tax cut, can increase the expected return on capital and spur firms to invest more. If this rise in investment outpaces saving, the economy turns to foreign capital to bridge the gap, resulting in a trade deficit. However, this deficit reflects economic dynamism, supported by access to global markets, rather than underlying weakness. A similar dynamic occurs with big government spending programs such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020 and the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, which increased budget deficits and foreign borrowing. Tariffs and trade deficits The report also examines whether taxes on imported goods reduce trade deficits. It notes that while tariffs undeniably affect trade flows, their net impact on trade balances is ambiguous because multiple offsetting factors are at play. For example, many tariffs target intermediate goods like parts or raw materials. This raises costs for domestic producers, diminishes output, and undermines export competitiveness, partially offsetting the trade balance reduction from lower imports. Meanwhile, tariffs on final consumption and investment goods can raise prices for consumers and businesses, which might reduce imports and narrow the trade deficit. But this impact depends on whether domestic substitutes are available and how foreign producers adjust their prices because of these tariffs. Finally, tariffs can also affect currency markets. If tariffs reduce demand for imports and consequently demand for foreign currency, the US dollar may appreciate. A stronger dollar makes exports more expensive and imports cheaper, which can increase deficits or offset reductions achieved through tariffs. But overall, the broader impact of tariffs depends on how tariff revenue is used and whether trading partners retaliate, which can harm exports. For firms and households, this may delay investment and spending decisions, temporarily reducing imports but also slowing down overall economic growth. The US’s persistent trade deficits The US has run persistent trade deficits since the mid-1970s. These deficits largely stemmed from three macroeconomic and structural forces. First, the US has consistently outperformed its peer in economic growth, and productivity growth, making it an attracting destination for global investors. Second, after the 1990s, rapidly growing economies like China started saving a lot of money, while aging populations in many countries increased global savings overall. This pushed down interest rates, and increased global savings, enabling the US to borrow more money and increase its trade deficit. Finally, the US dollar has consistently been a dominant reserve currency, ensuring persistent demand for dollar-denominated assets, especially during global crisis. This demand supports capital inflows, and makes US exports less competitive and imports cheaper, reinforcing the trade deficit. Trump’s US tariff policy President Donald Trump has sharply increased tariffs on goods reaching the US from countries around the world. Between January and April 2025, the average applied US tariff rate rose from 2.5% to an estimated 22.5%, the highest level in over a century. After changes and negotiations, the rate was estimated at 17.4% as of September 2025. Trump claims that the tariffs will promote domestic manufacturing, protect national security, and substitute for income taxes. He also says they will reduce the US trade deficit, which he views as inherently harmful. Currently, a patchwork of different rates is in place. They comprise 50% tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25% penalty for trade with Russia; 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods; 30% tariffs on South African goods; 20% tariffs on Vietnamese goods; 15% tariffs on Japanese goods; and 15% tariffs on South Korean goods. Negotiations continue with a number of countries. China and the US had threatened tariffs of more than 100% on each other’s goods, but have extended a truce until November. Canada and the US are also continuing their negotiations, and Mexico was given a reprieve from tariffs of 30% or more until the end of October to allow time to strike a deal. In Europe, the UK has negotiated the lowest tariff rate so far at 10%. The European Union (EU), meanwhile, secured a 15% rate, half the rate Trump initially threatened. The trading bloc would charge US firms 0% duty on certain products, subject to approval by its 27 member states.   Featured image by nespix on Freepik The post Trade Deficits Can Signal Economic Strength; Tariffs May Miss the Mark appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Since the launch of OpenAI’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot ChatGPT in late 2022, 100 startups have reached unicorn status, reflecting the sector’s rapid growth and heightened interest from the technology and investor community. A new report by business analytics platform CB Insights looks at this landscape, analyzing these 100 billion-dollar companies to understand how the cohort stacks up, top exits, leading investors, and more. According to the report, large tech firms back a significant share of the AI ecosystem. 36% of these 100 unicorns have received investment from companies such as Nvidia, Google, and Microsoft, with Nvidia leading the group with stakes in 24 of the 100 ventures. This reflects the firm’s strategy of building an AI ecosystem through strategic investments. Notable Nvidia-backed AI unicorns include Skild AI, which develops a universal AI model for robotics, valued at US$4.5 billion; Imbue, which specializes in AI agents for reasoning and coding; and Ayar Labs, which builds optical I/O solutions to enhance data movement and compute efficiency for AI systems. Google follows Nvidia with investments in 15 AI unicorns, and Microsoft with seven. Top performing venture capital (VC) firms are also heavily involved, with Lightspeed leading the category with investments in 17 AI unicorns, followed by Andreessen Horowitz, and Sequoia. Top investors in AI’s 100 unicorns, Source: CB Insights, Aug 2025 AI exits So far, this landscape has witnessed three exits. These transactions all occurred over the past year or so: BioCatch, a digital fraud detection and financial crime prevention startup, was acquired in September 2024 by Permira, a global private equity firm; CoreWeave, an AI infrastructure company, went public on Nasdaq in March 2025, raising US$1.5 billion in the largest US tech initial public offering (IPO) since UiPath’s debut in 2021; and Windsurf, an AI coding company, was acquired by Cognition in July 2025. Cognition is best known for its AI coding agent named Devin, which is designed to help engineers build software faster. According to CB Insights, Beamery and Huma are next in line to exit and are the two AI unicorns most likely to be acquired in the near future. Beamery is a UK-based human resource management software company, which integrates skills and task intelligence to real-time workforce data. Its agentic talent advisor enables businesses to hire, redeploy, and reskill talent. Beamery reached unicorn status in December 2022 following a US$50 million Series D. It recently launched its Workforce Intelligence Suite, featuring Task Intelligence to break roles into tasks for AI automation, and introduced Ray, an embedded AI consultant helping enterprise leaders make talent decisions across the platform. Beamery has secured partnerships with prominent names like LinkedIn Recruiter and Workday Skills. The startup has also seen its revenue surge from US$4.6 million in fiscal 2020 to US$112.8 million in fiscal 2024, marking a 2,352% increase. Huma, based in London as well, develops AI-powered digital health platforms for remote patient monitoring and decentralized clinical trials. These platforms are currently used by more than 3,000 hospitals and clinics, with over 35 million screened users and 4 million registered users in healthcare. Huma, which reached unicorn status in July 2024 following a US$80 million Series D, has inked partnerships with the likes of AstraZeneca, Google Cloud, and Bayer, reflecting industry traction. AI exits to date, Source: CB Insights, Aug 2025 Robotics gains momentum One trend highlighted in the report is the rise of physical AI. This category currently includes three unicorns, namely Skild AI, Physical Intelligence, and World Labs, and 3 humanoid robot developers, which are Figure, Unitree Robotics, and Zhiyuan Robot. This signals strong investor confidence in AI’s transition from digital to physical applications. Morgan Stanley expects the humanoid robot market to exceed US$5 trillion by 2050, including sales from supply chains and networks for repair, maintenance and support. By then, the number of robots that resemble and act like humans is projected to reach nearly 1 billion, with 90% used for industrial and commercial purposes. China is likely to have the highest number of humanoid robots in use by 2050, at 302.3 million, trailed by the US at 77.7 million. This surge will be in part driven by increased accessibility of humanoids. Prices are expected to fall to about US$150,000 by 2028 and US$50,000 by 2050, down from US$200,000 in 2024 in high-income countries. In lower-income countries, which may take more advantage of the cheaper Chinese supply chain, prices could fall to as low as US$15,000 by 2050, the firm says. Foundational infrastructure leads AI unicorns Large language model (LLM) developers currently dominate AI unicorns, with 12 ventures. Prominent players include France’s Mistral AI, valued at US$6.2 billion; Cohere from Canada, valued at US$5.5 billion; and China’s Moonshot AI, valued at US$3.3 billion. This category also includes the most well-funded AI unicorns, such as xAI, which has secured US$22,4 billion; and Anthropic, which has raised US$18.5 billion. These companies are also among the most valuable AI startups, worth US$75 billion and US$61.5 billion, respectively. LLM developers are followed by AI agents, with eight ventures focusing on coding AI agents and copilots, and five specializing in AI agent development platforms. Notable examples include Seekr, an enterprise AI company focusing on enterprise AI for critical infrastructure markets; Helsing, which develops AI-powered defense systems for Western militaries; and Safe Superintelligence, which builds AI systems focused on safety and high capability. Together, LLM developers and AI agent development platforms form the foundational infrastructure of AI, providing the building blocks for AI. Code AI agents and copilots, meanwhile, represent one of the most successful applications layers built on top of this foundation to date. Most of today’s 100 AI startup unicorns emerged in 2024 (41 ventures), coinciding with the surge of interest following ChatGPT’s launch. Momentum has continued in 2025, with 31 unicorns minted so far. Launched in November 2022, ChatGPT is a AI-powered chatbot that allows users to ask questions and then answer these questions with human-like responses. The app, owned by OpenAI boasts 700 million weekly active users. OpenAI is valued at a staggering US$300 million, making it the third most valuable startup in the world. The startup recently signed a US$100 billion deal with Nvidia and has received a total of US$11 billion in investment from Microsoft. It is now reportedly in talks to raise up to US$40 billion in a new funding round.   Featured image by wombatzaa on Freepik The post 100 AI Unicorns Minted Since the Launch of ChatGPT appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

With the Swiss Interbank Clearing Instant Payments (SIC IP) initiative now in Phase 2, Switzerland’s payments landscape is achieving meaningful new milestones, with implications for the EU and other world economies. So, what are those implications? With over 60 financial institutions (FIs) already live and more than 95% of Swiss retail payments now being processed instantly, the effort is at an inflection point. As the next wave of over 260 banks readies for Phase 2, experiences and insights from Phase 1 are invaluable. These insights were served up in the recent webinar “SIC Instant Payments – One Year On, One Year to Go for Phase 2.” Moderated by Zhenya Winter, Head of Global Marketing – Financial Messaging at Bottomline, and joined by an all-star panel of Swiss payment leaders. Phase 1 experiences were distilled into actionable insights and forward-looking perspectives for B2B payments. SIC IP Phase 1 Learnings: The Intricacy of Sending Payments About 15 months after the start of SIC Instant Payments Phase 1, the Swiss payments ecosystem is seeing considerable progress. Matthias Sailer Emphasising the importance of the service’s reliability and reach, Matthias Sailer, Managing Director at SIX Interbank Clearing Ltd (SIX), said, “The most exciting thing is that the service is live since the 20th of August 2024…and it’s working. That’s the most important thing. It’s a stable service we can provide.” Panelists agreed that the push to onboard additional banks by the November 2026 deadline looks good in the early going. Sailer added, “At the moment, we have around 70 banks reachable by our instant payment service. And out of the 70, there are 20 banks already sending instant payments.” Dennis Flad Nodding to the system’s operational status while highlighting the diversity of experiences among participating banks, Dennis Flad, Partner at Zurich-based consultancy t’charta, said, “The service, especially on the SIX side, runs smoothly with good quality,” yet he pointed to “mixed feedback” from some banks about certain aspects of onboarding. For example, he noted that “we still have a couple of [banks] that are struggling with sending payments. Sending payments has definitely been underestimated, on the bank side, for its complexity.” Cyril Rufener Acknowledging this, Cyril Rufener, Head of Cash Transfer at REYL Intesa Sanpaolo said, “For this specific project, it is very focused on IT capacities. But as a cash transfer team, we do believe that instant payments are the future for domestic payment cash flow. It will enable new possibilities for clients.” The panel’s consensus was clear: the system’s foundation is solid. However, the next phase of bank onboarding requires more coordinated effort and early engagement from stakeholders. Implementation Challenges: Operations, Technology, and Vendor Management As the discussion moved from strategy to execution, the panelists started digging into the real-world challenges of making instant payments work. Flad again observed that while receiving payments is generally straightforward, sending instant payments requires more significant modifications. Although the goal is clear, it quickly became obvious that getting there has brought many operational, technical, and vendor-related challenges to the forefront. “Operational processes are changing,” he said. “Monitoring and screening are changing. 24/7 operations and availability [are things that banks] need to consider when they want to offer [instant] sending services as well.” The bigger need is cross-functional planning as this is not a pure IT project. It goes far beyond, especially if you start to make outgoing payments. You need to think across your ecosystem. It’s not just the technical aspects. Reflecting on the internal coordination required on the bank side, Rufener noted with a touch of humour that “It was not really instant” to bring all stakeholders together on SIC IP Phase 1. Beyond overcoming initial inertia and alignment, the team encountered some surprising discoveries. Akin to the U.S. FedNow® Service seeing slow uptake of its instant “send” function, he said, “The incoming flow is not the…challenge. We are focusing on the step to send the instant payment, because it’s really…the biggest challenge in this project.” Vendor management also emerged as a critical factor, particularly in relation to core banking connectivity. Flad pointed to lingering “question marks” that needed solving, saying that while wave one banks had already tackled these issues, wave two banks could benefit from those learnings to overcome remaining obstacles. I would encourage Phase 2 banks to leverage existing tools as part of the transition to instant. “There are solutions on the market that are tested, proven, and working. This should all help to have projects done [cost-effectively and securely]. Basically, your project is leveraging the solutions that have been…delivered, tested, and implemented successfully with the Phase 1 banks.” What stands out across all parties is the value of early planning, cross-departmental collaboration, and proactive vendor engagement as vital for SIC IP adoption. Making Money with Instant Payments (and a Satisfying CX) As instant payments become ubiquitous in Switzerland, banks are exploring business cases and profits. Flad said, “We always ask, where’s the business case behind the instant payment?” He added that while instant may come to dominate, “That doesn’t mean that the new normal doesn’t need to have a business case or monetisation behind it.” With that, he pointed to one opportunity that makes a compelling case for instant B2B payments: verticals. “We see now, for example, a lot of insurance [companies that say] ‘we really want to implement instant payments,’ and you can imagine…the volume of outbound payments insurance has. That will…be a significant volume increase.” Meanwhile, it is important to focus at the broader potential. Real-time payments are growing, and we see that everywhere, [including] the UK now, also slowly in Europe, and everywhere in the world where you have end-to-end, real-time settlement between banks. There’s also a generational component to instant that will influence B2B payments, and not in the far-off future. “The younger generation expects this service now,” Sailer said. As Gen Z moves into management positions, they’re going to expect instant everything in their B2B relationships. “We need to prepare for this,” he said. “It’s not only payments.” The collective opinion is that instant is not a compliance exercise, but a strategic opportunity to deliver new value to business clients, unlocking advanced business models. Fraud, Resilience, and Paying by the Rules The move to instant payments has significant implications for compliance and fraud prevention. Rufener said security is improved by SIC IP, but added that “We expect some…long-term fine tuning on the compliance side, to make sure screening is on, and to make sure we have the maximum rate of non-rejected instant payments.” “It’s very important as a financial institution that you look…at your end-to-end processes,” Sailer said, reminding banks and partners that SIC IP involves more than instant payments. Faster payments shouldn’t mean faster fraud, certainly not if the right prevention tools are in place. Still, the notion of ‘faster payments, faster fraud’ came up. “Fraud is another topic we’re working on a lot with our banks,” Flad said, pointing to drivers like “…artificial intelligence, [and] the speed that fraudsters can program fake websites,” calling these fraud issues “a big, big problem.” Rufener and I agree that it is so important to perfect screening tools to reduce false positives and rejections, while maintaining regulatory standards. There are different workflows between screening a standard payment and an instant payment. You need to fine-tune your system to avoid too many false positives and, like Cyril said, I think there are opportunities in the solution to configure that appropriately, to reduce false positives in the case of instant payments, while remaining compliant. SIC IP Phase 2: Readiness, Resource Management, and Industry Collaboration As the industry proceeds with SIC IP Phase 2, there’s an emphasis on the importance of readiness and collaboration. Waiting often has operational impacts and financial consequences. “If you should have some delay, it’s not so easy to jump on the next slot because they are already full,” Sailer said. “I would ask you to take up the discussion with the Swiss National Bank if you have a major delay…and we will see what we can do for onboarding you” by 2026. It is also vital that you leverage established solutions and providers. Platforms and outsourcing are crucial for Phase 2. This is especially important for smaller FIs with limited capabilities. Time to market should be quick. Leveraging outsourced solutions will definitely help. And again, they are already deployed and available. Flad reminded banks to plan for vendor negotiations and resource constraints. “There are two other bottlenecks, apart from the testing, that I would like to make Phase 2 banks aware of. One is the negotiations with your providers.” His advice: leave extra time for it. The second thing to consider, he said, “…is the resources of your providers, because you’re not the only bank.” Rufener reinforced the need for internal alignment and resource planning: “It’s a regulatory…top priority for us. We are involving everyone.” The SIC IP Transformation The SIC IP initiative is transforming the Swiss payments ecosystem, offering new opportunities and challenges for banks and their clients. The experiences of Phase 1 banks underscore the importance of early planning, cross-functional collaboration, and leveraging proven solutions. In Phase 2, payments professionals must focus on operational readiness, compliance, and customer-centric innovation to fully realise the benefits of this change. By learning from the lessons of the past year and embracing the collaborative spirit of the Swiss financial community, the industry can deliver on the wider promise of real-time payments. Click here to view the webinar in full.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Freepik The post SIC IP Phase 2 Banks Are Moving More Confidently Using Phase 1 Lessons appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Mambu, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) cloud banking platform, has announced its collaboration with ABN AMRO to support BUUT, a new bank aimed at helping young people manage their finances. The bank was launched within 12 months. BUUT offers a range of services within a single mobile application, including a Dutch IBAN account, savings and budgeting features, payments, and cards. Mambu’s platform underpins the IBAN administration that supports BUUT’s payment and savings accounts. ABN AMRO has previously introduced other digital ventures, including the business lender New10 in 2016, which also made use of Mambu’s platform. Mark Geneste “With BUUT, ABN AMRO has shown how established banks can leverage a future-ready, cloud-native platform to move with the agility and scale needed to keep up with market needs and the demands of Gen Z and Alpha. We are pleased to expand on our partnership with ABN AMRO and support them to deliver a fresh, digital-first banking experience for the next generation,” said Mark Geneste, Chief Revenue Officer at Mambu. Hein ter Braak “BUUT has the ambition to build the most financially healthy generation ever, and aimed to launch on the shortest possible timepath. As one of our strategic vendors, Mambu has proven to be easy and fast to implement and provides BUUT with a solution capable of scaling fast, a perfect match,” said Hein ter Braak, Head of BUUT.   Featured image credit: ABN AMRO The post Mambu Supports ABN AMRO in Launch of BUUT, a Digital Bank for Youngsters appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Mastercard Start Path has announced the latest group of companies selected to join its startup engagement programme. Among them is amnis, a Zurich-based fintech, chosen alongside other firms from around the world. The companies were chosen through a global selection process for their expertise in areas such as card processing infrastructure, AI-driven credit access, treasury management and digital commerce. Their innovations reflect ongoing developments in the fintech sector and Mastercard’s work with scalable solutions that use emerging technologies. In line with Mastercard’s focus on supporting environmentally conscious practices, this cohort also includes startups developing technologies aimed at advancing circular commerce and promoting sustainable consumption and lifecycle management of goods. Meet the Emerging Fintechs:   AraxaTech connects issuers and processors through seamless integrations and zero-downtime migrations.     Hyperlayer helps banks and businesses leapfrog competitors with programmable financial products delivered in weeks, not years.     Kamina is an AI-enabled platform that helps financial institutions prevent delinquency, reward healthy behavior, and expand responsible credit access.     firmly is an agentic commerce platform that allows customers to purchase at a point of inspiration, powering seamless commerce experiences across every digital touchpoint without the need for complex integrations.     amnis empowers mid-sized companies to streamline cross-border banking and financial operations seamlessly in a single platform.     Qawn is a chat-based banking solution that facilitates value exchanges across the Middle East.     MoovnPay is redefining the way people move, pay and shop online through a seamless ecosystem of platforms, powered by Moovn Technologies.     Save Your Wardrobe is a customisable tech infrastructure that empowers companies to design, test and scale after-sale services beyond transactions.     Pentatonic is the AI-native, drop-in solution for brands and retailers to own their secondhand market by automating product buybacks and routing them to resale, repair, or recycling: creating a loyalty flywheel and waste-free product lifecycles.     Circulae helps millions of people regain purchasing power, reduce waste and consume more responsibly by integrating an automated “resale” service into payment methods.     Circulayo is transforming reusable packaging systems through financial touchpoints, with instant deposits, refunds, rewards and environmental impact measurements.   Featured image credit: Mastercard The post Mastercard Start Path Selects 11 Startups for New Cohort appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Deutsche Bank has conducted its first euro-denominated cross-border payment using Partior’s blockchain platform. The transaction was carried out in collaboration with DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest bank by assets, with Deutsche Bank acting as the settlement bank and DBS as the beneficiary bank. Deutsche Bank invested in Partior in 2024 and finalised a platform agreement in May 2025 to provide real-time, secure, and scalable settlement. This live transaction marks a key step in the development of Deutsche Bank’s cross-border payment solutions for financial institution (FI) clients. Deutsche Bank and DBS, a founding shareholder of Partior, worked to ensure the blockchain network was interoperable with traditional payment rails, allowing the transaction to be executed across different financial market infrastructures. Ciaran Byrne, Head of Product Management Institutional Cash Management at Deutsche Bank, commented: Ciaran Byrne “We envisage a future using multiple rails, be it SWIFT, stablecoins, or blockchain-based solutions, where intelligent and negotiated routing produces maximum value in terms of processing efficiency, cost and client experience. Blockchain is clearly gaining traction in the industry and will form an integral component of how we service our FI clients. Through our partnership with Partior, we will offer clients a whole new experience in terms of real-time execution.” Humphrey Valenbreder, Partior’s CEO, added: Humphrey Valenbreder “In a very short timeframe, we have demonstrated that our new rails create real, live business opportunities for our partners and their clients. By enabling real-time settlement alongside messaging, with the security and finality required by global systemically important banks, we are creating new possibilities for cross-border value transfer.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik The post Deutsche Bank Conducts First Euro Cross-Border Payment via Partior Blockchain appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

aosphere, a London-based provider of online legal and compliance analysis with more than 1,300 institutional clients, has announced the acquisition of Investment Navigator, a Zurich-based fintech specialising in the digitalisation of cross-border compliance. Founded in 2014, Investment Navigator has established itself as a utility provider for banks in managing cross-border compliance and investment processes. Its digital services include the digitalisation of cross-border banking manuals and a workflow tool designed to support internal and cross-organisational collaboration on regulatory matters. Its investment product eligibility platform integrates compliance checks and selling restrictions into investment management workflows, both before and after trade execution. aosphere said the move will enhance its existing digital capabilities at a time of significant change for the financial sector. The combined platform is expected to support the development of new technology-led compliance tools for private and retail banks, wealth managers, investment banks, and asset managers. Alberto Rama, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Investment Navigator, said: Alberto Rama “As part of aosphere, we have the possibility to stay ahead of the curve in regulatory technology by further accelerating our product development and leveraging market reach. Everyone at Investment Navigator is looking forward to this next chapter, seizing new opportunities and working together with the expert teams across the aosphere group.” Marc-Henri Chamay, Chief Executive of aosphere, said: Marc-Henri Chamay “The DNA of Investment Navigator is fully aligned with the core values of aosphere. This is the perfect starting point to accelerate the digitisation of regulatory obligations and bring innovative new solutions to the market.”   Featured image credit: Investment Navigator The post aosphere Acquires Investment Navigator to Expand Digital Compliance Solutions appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Meta has announced the expansion of access to its Llama AI models for key US allies, supporting defence and national security initiatives. Llama, an open-source platform, allows governments to securely deploy and fine-tune models using sensitive data without relying on third-party AI providers. “Llama is particularly well-suited to these sensitive use cases because, as an open source platform, it can be securely downloaded and deployed without the need to transfer sensitive data through third-party AI providers,” Meta said. Since last year, Llama has been available to US government agencies and the Five Eyes partners, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK, and their private sector collaborators. The expansion now includes France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and South Korea, as well as NATO and European Union institutions. Meta noted that Llama has been used to enhance decision-making, mission-specific capabilities, and operational efficiency in US military and national security contexts. For instance, the Army’s Combined Arms Support Command is piloting the use of AI with augmented and virtual reality technologies to accelerate routine equipment repairs. To support allied deployment, Meta is working with partners including Accenture, Amazon Web Services, AMD, Anduril, Booz Allen, C3 AI, Google Cloud, IBM, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Oracle, Palantir, and others. The company is also developing wearable augmented and virtual reality technologies with Anduril to improve perception and decision-making for US soldiers. Meta emphasised the importance of responsible AI use in defence. “It is the responsibility of countries leveraging AI for national security to deploy AI ethically, responsibly, and in accordance with relevant international law and fundamental principles,” the company said, referencing the Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy. Meta plans a step-by-step approach to extending Llama access and will consider further countries in consultation with the US government.   Featured image credit: Meta The post Meta Expands Llama AI Access for US Allies appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Boerse Stuttgart Digital, part of Boerse Stuttgart Group and a provider of crypto infrastructure for financial institutions, has announced its official launch in Spain. The move forms part of its wider European expansion strategy, with offices now in Stuttgart, Berlin, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Milan, Stockholm, Zurich, and Madrid. The development follows a year of growth and the granting of the first Europe-wide MiCAR license by BaFin in Germany. The company will now enable financial institutions in Spain to offer their retail clients access to cryptocurrencies under MiCAR-compliant standards. Its services include trading and custody solutions aimed at banks, brokers, and asset managers. Institutional demand for crypto in Spain has been rising, with market studies projecting a more than 50 per cent adoption rate in the country by 2025. Dr Matthias Voelkel “Our infrastructure is fully regulated, trusted, and institutional-grade. Spain with its high performing, innovative banks is a core market for us, and we are already engaged in advanced collaboration discussions with key players,” said Dr Matthias Voelkel, CEO of Boerse Stuttgart Group.       Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by bearfotos via Freepik The post Boerse Stuttgart Digital Expands into Spain with New Madrid Office appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.