How CBA Unlocked 90 Percent of Its Customer and Transaction Data
Commonwealth Bank completed a migration from an on‑premises SAP R/3 mainframe to an SAP S/4 HANA core hosted on AWS in October 2023. The new in‑memory architecture cut infrastructure costs by 30% and boosted processing performance by the same margin, handling up to 5,000 transactions per second. Real‑time data streams now feed Amazon SageMaker, Bedrock and AgentCore, enabling AI‑driven personalization and fraud detection. Resilience improved dramatically, with the recovery time objective dropping from 90 minutes to 16 minutes after deep engineering with SAP, Red Hat and AWS.
Crypto.com Secures Conditional Approval for National Trust Bank Charter
Crypto.com has secured conditional approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to charter Foris Dax National Trust Bank, operating as Crypto.com National Trust Bank. The bank will deliver custody, staking and trade‑settlement services under OCC supervision,...
Securities and Exchange Commission Schedules Roundtable to Discuss “Retailization” Of Private Securities
The SEC will host a Private Markets Roundtable on March 4, 2026 to discuss the retailization of private securities. Currently, non‑accredited investors are limited to Reg A and Reg CF, while most private offerings remain inaccessible. Pending legislation could relax accredited‑investor thresholds, adding a...
Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News
Finovate’s weekly roundup highlights a flurry of fintech activity as Flywire names a new CTO, MoneyHash teams with Wayl to enter Iraq, and Payabli partners with Huntington Bank to embed payments in digital banking. Worldline launches One Commerce for omnichannel...
Fintech Focused Banking as a Service Is Reshaping Bank Stability and Consumer Expectations : Analysis
Cornell Law professor Dan Awrey released a working paper titled "Banking, Technology, and Instability" analyzing fintech‑driven Banking‑as‑a‑Service (BaaS). The paper argues BaaS flips traditional outsourcing, with fintechs delegating core banking functions to partner banks, creating regulatory arbitrage. This shift destabilizes...
Bank Mortgage-Banking Earnings Slip in Fourth Quarter
Bank mortgage‑banking earnings slipped in the fourth quarter, falling roughly 12% year‑over‑year despite a modest 5% rise in loan volume. Residential mortgage‑backed securities (MBS) holdings saw a sharp decline, while demand for non‑agency, GSE‑eligible loans surged. Banks turned to stablecoin‑based...
Mortgage Investors Expect Early Challenges With New Credit Score Models
Mortgage investors are bracing for short‑term disruption as major credit bureaus roll out next‑generation scoring models that incorporate alternative data and machine‑learning algorithms. The new frameworks promise finer risk granularity but also introduce uncertainty around model validation, regulatory approval, and...
Risks Seen in Potential Shift From Tri-Merge Process
Industry analysts warn that moving away from the established tri‑merge securitization framework could introduce significant operational and liquidity risks for mortgage lenders. The tri‑merge process, which bundles GSE‑eligible loans from multiple originators, has underpinned stable funding flows for years. A...
Short Takes: Expanded-Credit MBS From Redwood / MSRs on Offer / Rate Launches Crypto Option / Sales of New Homes...
Redwood introduced an expanded‑credit mortgage‑backed security, widening the pool of agency‑eligible assets as banks see their residential MBS holdings dip in Q4. Mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) are now being offered directly, reflecting heightened M&A activity that is reshaping the conventional...
Stablecore Marks Jack Henry Integration to Enable Stablecoin Payments And Acceptance
Stablecore has joined Jack Henry’s Fintech Integration Network, allowing its stablecoin and digital‑asset services to be delivered through the Banno digital‑banking platform used by over 1,000 banks and credit unions. The integration adds tokenized deposits, asset management and digital‑asset‑backed lending...
CPI Card Group CFO Exits
CPI Card Group announced that CFO Jeffrey Hochstadt will leave the role on Feb. 13, with senior vice president Terra Grantham stepping in as interim CFO. The transition occurs just weeks before the company’s Q4 and full‑year earnings release scheduled for...
Sebi Chief Tuhin Kanta Pandey Flags Big PMS Overhaul, to Examine New RBI Funding Rules
Sebi chair Tuhin Kanta Pandey announced a sweeping review of portfolio‑management‑services (PMS) regulations, citing the sector’s Rs 10.5 lakh‑crore asset base and 17% CAGR growth. The draft overhaul will prioritize investor suitability, governance, and technology, with a public consultation slated before the...
Article Adds Klarna Option and Other Digital Transactions News Briefs From 2/23/26
Klarna has partnered with Canadian furniture retailer Article to offer buy‑now‑pay‑later at checkout. Payments platform WanderWallet launched a QR‑code based service in Bolivia, targeting local payment habits. Gift‑card provider Tillo will now reward childcare spending through the Kindo platform. SignaPay...
ECB Steps Up Scrutiny of European Banks’ AI Industry Exposure
The European Central Bank has launched a focused inquiry into banks’ exposure to the artificial‑intelligence sector, requesting detailed loan information on data‑center financing and related AI firms. Parallel workshops are probing how banks deploy generative AI, covering governance, business models...
Bharti Airtel Shares to Be in Focus After ₹20,000 Crore Capital Infusion in NBFC Arm Airtel Money
Bharti Airtel announced a ₹20,000 crore capital infusion into its non‑banking financial company arm, Airtel Money, to accelerate its digital finance push. The funding is expected to expand the company’s payments, credit and savings offerings across its telecom customer base. Following...
Financial Services Roundup: Market Talk
Malaysia’s banking sector is poised for further gains despite a recent rally, according to AmInvestment Bank analyst Paul Yap. He cites continued buying from local and foreign investors and relatively attractive valuations versus Singapore peers as key drivers. The note...
Capital Markets Expected to Drive Big 6 Banks as Earnings Season Kicks Off
Canada’s Big Six banks are kicking off first‑quarter earnings with analysts forecasting solid capital‑markets and wealth‑management revenue, positive operating leverage and contained credit losses. Return‑on‑equity expansion is highlighted as the key upside catalyst, with many institutions already raising FY2025 targets....
The EBA Publishes Follow-Up Report on ICT Risk Assessment Under the Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process
The European Banking Authority released a follow‑up to its 2022 peer‑review on ICT risk assessment under the Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process (SREP). The report finds that competent authorities have markedly strengthened ICT risk supervision, largely due to the Digital...
Mencía Bobo: From Financier To Trusted Trade Advisor
Santander has rolled out Invensa, an inventory‑finance solution that lets the bank hold physical stock for clients, easing balance‑sheet constraints amid volatile supply chains. The bank also introduced Navigator Global, a platform that blends financing with market intelligence to act...
Banks, Operators to Drive Africa’s Stablecoin Tipping Point
African banks and mobile network operators are poised to accelerate stablecoin adoption, turning the continent’s burgeoning mobile‑money ecosystem into a mainstream digital payments layer. Ripple’s Reece Merrick highlighted that once banks and telcos embed stablecoins in custody, payments and treasury...
Why Banks Are Struggling to Deliver ROI on AI Investments
Major banks have invested billions in generative AI, yet a MIT study shows 95% see no measurable return. Isolated task‑level gains have not translated into enterprise‑wide efficiency, leaving boards and CFOs uneasy. The root causes are the sequencing problem—guessing which...
Open-Loop Systems Help Modernize Transit Payments
Transit agencies worldwide are replacing cash and paper tickets with contactless payments that use bank‑issued cards and mobile wallets, delivering a tap‑and‑pay experience identical to everyday purchases. Open‑loop systems route each tap through global payment networks, meeting sub‑300 ms response times...
Planned Purchases Rise as Financial Stress Eases, Study Finds
The PYMNTS Intelligence report finds that as financial stress eases, U.S. consumers are increasingly planning purchases rather than using credit spontaneously. Yet 42 % still doubt they will be approved for a new card, and 15 % experience denial while 43 % never...
Rupee Support Tool Turns Pressure Point; $7 Billion NDF Maturities Come Due
The Reserve Bank of India relies on non‑deliverable forwards (NDFs) to support the rupee without draining reserves, but $7 billion of contracts are set to mature this week, creating rollover pressure. RBI’s total forward book stands at $62.3 billion, a size that...
UK Floods Raise Specter of ‘Mortgage Prisoners’ Across Banks
UK banks are confronting mounting flood‑risk exposure as climate change pushes millions of homes into high‑risk zones. Nationwide led the way by halting loans to flood‑prone properties, prompting peers such as Barclays, NatWest, Lloyds and HSBC to map flood exposure...
It Looks Like Open Banking’s ‘Breakout Moment’ Is Finally Here
Open Banking in Australia is reaching a breakout moment as three notable consumer‑lending firms—an ASX‑listed billion‑dollar player, a $300 m listed firm, and a $60 m private company—have shifted from screen‑scraping to regulated Open Banking data feeds. This transition replaces insecure credential‑based...
Wellspring Debuts Treasury Management Tool for Small Businesses
Wellspring has launched Wellspring Institutional, a treasury management platform tailored for small and midsize businesses. The solution merges traditional banking APIs with regulated stablecoin settlement rails, delivering centralized cash visibility, domestic and cross‑border payments, and yield generation on idle balances....
Regtech HYPR Introduces Context-Based Attestation, Enhancing Identity Verification Beyond Traditional Checks
HYPR has launched a context‑based attestation framework to strengthen identity verification across hiring, onboarding, and account recovery. The method layers traditional document, location, and biometric checks with internal role data, workflow cues, calendar events, and peer validations. By continuously cross‑referencing...
The People's Bank of China Set Its Loan Prime Rates (LPRs) Today - No Change Is Expected.
The People’s Bank of China left its benchmark Loan Prime Rates unchanged at 3.00% for the one‑year and 3.50% for the five‑year tenor, marking the ninth straight month of stability. Market participants had widely priced in a hold, reflecting the...
Adyen Shares Drop Up to 20% Following Cautious Outlook for Future Growth
Adyen posted H2 2025 net revenue of €1.27 billion, a 17% year‑over‑year rise, and total processed volume of €745 billion, up 19% excluding a major client. EBITDA grew 23% to €702 million, delivering a 55% margin, while full‑year 2025 revenue reached €2.36 billion. The company’s...
Yotta’s Fraud Suit Against Evolve Bank Dismissed by San Francisco Judge, Provisionally
A San Francisco federal judge dismissed Yotta Technology’s fraud lawsuit against Evolve Bank & Trust, citing procedural deficiencies and the indispensable‑party rule. The ruling hinges on the bankruptcy of Synapse Financial Technologies, the middleware that linked Yotta’s prize‑linked savings app to Evolve’s...
Betterment Strengthens Client Offerings with Mortgage Partnership and Advisor Model Marketplace Expansion
Betterment announced a nationwide partnership with mortgage fintech Rate, giving eligible clients with at least $100,000 in assets a discount of up to 0.75% on 30‑year fixed mortgages and a $500 closing‑cost credit through December 2026. The platform also launched an...
Pensioner Takes on NAB in AUSTRALIAN STORY Tonight
Victorian pensioner Ian Williams lost $1,338 to an online banking scam and sued National Australia Bank (NAB) for a symbolic $379 million in damages. His case, featured on ABC’s Australian Story, highlighted the bank’s initial refusal to refund or apologise. Although...
In the $3 Trillion Private Credit Market, the ‘Shadow Default’ Rate Is Increasing as More Money Chases Lower-Quality Deals
Lincoln International’s Private Market Index shows the $3 trillion private‑credit sector is growing in size but slipping in quality. Enterprise value rose 1.9% while EBITDA growth slowed and the “shadow default” rate more than doubled to 6.4% over the past year....
Figure Technology Faces Major Data Breach Impacting Nearly One Million Customers
Figure Technology Solutions, the largest non‑bank home‑equity lender, disclosed a data breach affecting roughly 967,000 customer accounts. The breach resulted from a social‑engineering (vishing) attack on a single employee, allowing the ShinyHunters group to exfiltrate personal identifiers such as names,...
Iran’s Rial Collapse Mirrors Lebanon’s Crisis, Driving Citizens to Bitcoin
The Iranian rial has collapsed in 2026, spurring hyperinflation and prompting middle‑class savers to flee the banking system. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have attracted billions of dollars, echoing Lebanon’s 2019‑2021 crisis where crypto became a financial lifeline. On‑chain data shows...
10x Banking and HassemPrag Partner to Drive Core Banking Modernisation Across Africa
10x Banking, a cloud‑native core banking provider, has teamed up with South African digital platform HassemPrag to offer African banks a low‑risk path to replace legacy systems. The joint solution combines 10x’s modular, cloud infrastructure with HassemPrag’s regional integration expertise,...
From Corporate Iftars to Deep Discounts, Ramadan Reshapes Dubai Business
Ramadan slows Dubai’s relentless pace, trimming private‑sector workdays by two hours and compressing school schedules. Evening becomes the new business hub as hotels and convention halls host corporate iftars and late‑night suhoor gatherings that double as networking platforms for Muslims...
Vedanta Resources Mobilises $350 Million in Fresh Borrowing
Vedanta Resources secured a $350 million, 3.5‑year revolving credit facility from a consortium of six banks, including First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mashreq, Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan. The loan, priced at SOFR + 435 bps, will refinance existing maturities, fund interest payments and...
First Citizens Seeks New Mergers to Cross Growth Threshold
First Citizens BancShares, sitting at $230 billion in assets, is actively scouting acquisitions to push past the $250 billion regulatory threshold that imposes stricter capital and reporting rules. The bank recently secured 138 BMO Bank branches across 11 states, adding a solid...
The Philippines: Digital Banking Empowers Northern Negros Students
Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) launched its Cash‑Lite Campus Programme at the State University of Northern Negros, bringing digital banking to more than 2,000 students and campus partners. The initiative offers no‑deposit PISO Plus accounts, QR‑enabled person‑to‑merchant payments, and...
Access to Credit and Employment Growth for MSMEs: Evidence From Latin America and the Caribbean
A new IDB Invest technical note analyzes 21,696 MSMEs across 30 Latin American and Caribbean economies, linking credit access to employment growth. The study finds that an extra US$1 million in financing generates roughly four permanent jobs per year. Effects vary:...
Philippine Banks Deliver Another Banner Year
Philippine banks posted a record P403.1 billion net profit in 2025, up 3% year‑over‑year and the highest since 2008. Strong net interest income, which jumped 11% to P1.15 trillion, and a 10% rise in non‑interest income drove the earnings surge, despite a...
Virginia-Based City Lending Shuts Down
Virginia‑based retail lender City Lending announced its shutdown, ending operations after 11 years. The firm reported $446 million in mortgage origination volume for 2024 and employed more than 220 staff across 29 states, Puerto Rico and D.C. CEO Jorge Campodonico cited...
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Profits Decline in 2025
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reported a sharp decline in 2025 net earnings, falling roughly 12% year‑over‑year. The drop coincides with an 8% contraction in bank holdings of agency residential mortgage‑backed securities in Q4 and a reduced share of correspondent...
Rep. Hill Unimpressed by Trump’s GSE ‘IPO’ Plan
Representative Hill voiced strong skepticism toward President Trump’s proposal to launch an initial public offering of the government‑sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He warned that a rushed IPO could destabilize the secondary mortgage market and raise borrowing costs...
FHFA Eliminates Key Fair Lending/Fair Housing Rule
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced the repeal of its longstanding fair‑lending and fair‑housing rule that imposed heightened nondiscrimination standards on GSE‑originated mortgages. A recent GAO review gave FHFA a clean bill of health on its accounting, while noting...
Pulte Met With Many in Industry During First Year
FHFA Director Bill Pulte’s first seven months in office were marked by an intensive outreach schedule, meeting with dozens of banks, GSE representatives, fintech firms, and mortgage servicers. The FOIA‑released list shows roughly 45 engagements covering agency‑MBS policy, stablecoin warehouse...
Study Finds GSE-Backed Investor Loans Crowd Out FTHBs
A recent study shows that loans backed by government‑sponsored enterprises (GSEs) for investor purchases are increasingly displacing first‑time homebuyers (FTHBs) in the mortgage market. Investor‑originated, GSE‑secured loans grew 12% year‑over‑year, while FTHB loan share slipped 8% in Q3 2025. The...
Lightspark Teams Up with Cross River Bank for Fiat Payments via Bitcoin
Lightspark, a Bitcoin Lightning Network startup, has partnered with FDIC‑insured Cross River Bank to enable 24/7 fiat settlement of Lightning transactions via the FedNow service. The collaboration aims at B2B, cross‑border and retail payments where instant settlement can improve cash‑management...