Tag: banking

The pivotal role of digital accessibility for goods and services has become abundantly clear over the past few years. The global economy, now more than ever, relies on the seamless flow of transactions across borders. Whether it involves individuals, businesses, or financial institutions spanning different countries, the realm of cross-border payments has taken center stage in our interconnected world.

The rise of financial technology (fintech) in Africa is not just a story of innovation; it's a narrative about empowerment and transformation. As the continent continues to grapple with the challenges of limited access to traditional banking services, fintech has emerged as a beacon of hope, offering a path towards financial inclusion and economic growth.

While the President has signed the National Health Insurance (NHI) into law, the bean counters at National Treasury have yet to start looking for their excel sheets needed to ensure the NHI is fully costed. The first reason is due to the confusion of objective versus political ideology. The NHI has been touted as introducing “universal healthcare coverage” (UHC).

Geographic information systems (GIS) are transforming banking by integrating location-based insights with customer relationship management (CRM) tools. New technologies are rapidly reshaping the banking sector, signalling a shift from traditional, branch-centric models to a more data-driven, customer-centric approach.

In 2023 the operating environment for South African banks was more challenging than initially forecast. In addition to a weaker global economy, domestic economic activity was impacted by record levels of load-shedding (electricity shortages), logistical constraints, higher-than-expected levels of inflation and, as a result, higher-than-expected increases in interest rates. Collectively, these conditions have put increasing pressure on consumers’ finances and led to reductions in business confidence and investment in most sectors other than energy.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and it’s a special day to celebrate and show love to our loved ones. As rewarding spoiling your loved ones may be, it doesn’t mean you should break the bank, more so if you didn’t budget and plan for it.

There are many challenges for treasuries across the world, in any market, but the developing world has an opportunity for a head start in the switch to digital. This is borne out by the fact that the adoption of best practice treasury management tools, technology and integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that feed off data points all along the ERP value chain, are entirely within the grasp of corporate treasuries.

3D Secure for online payments continues to gather momentum globally. However, for some industries, real-time authentication requirements can be a significant drawback, especially those that rely on recurring, subscription or instalment card-on-file transactions.

In a cryptocurrency market surpassing a staggering US$1 trillion valuation, it is no surprise that it has become a magnet for opportunistic thieves and cunning conmen. However, unlike the stereotypical villains from old Western tales who would brazenly attack stagecoaches in broad daylight, today’s crypto thieves operate with remarkable finesse, sophistication, and an uncanny ability to remain hidden.

Property technology (commonly known as proptech) is on the rise globally. The escalating significance of proptech within the industry is underscored by its staggering projected market value - poised to reach $86.5 billion by 2032.