Recent Posts
News•Feb 27, 2026
Things Worth Reading: 27th February 2026
Block announced a 40% workforce reduction, cutting 4,000 jobs and citing AI‑driven efficiency gains. Klarna reported US$1 bn in revenue, positioning itself for further global expansion. The UK introduced stricter buy‑now‑pay‑later regulations, aiming to curb predatory lending, while Lloyds halted new account openings at branches, accelerating its digital shift. Meanwhile, crypto markets remain in a prolonged winter, and gold continues its rally amid inflation concerns.
By The Finanser
News•Feb 20, 2026
Why Punish the Mule, when You Want the Rider?
UK regulators recorded a surge in money‑muling, with 207,889 cases in 2024, up from 170,338 in 2023. Predominantly young adults are lured by promises of quick cash, only to become unwitting conduits for criminal proceeds. Banks, fearing fines, are now...
By The Finanser
News•Feb 20, 2026
Things Worth Reading: 20th February 2026
Chris Skinner’s roundup highlights a wave of fintech activity on February 20, 2026. Forbes lists the 50 hottest fintech startups, while Santander signals a push to scale its global investment bank. Regulatory pressure mounts as the ECB sanctions JPMorgan for capital‑misreporting, and...
By The Finanser
News•Feb 19, 2026
Sport, Trade and Visa
Visa Consulting & Analytics reports that the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan boosted overseas Visa cardholder visits by more than 60%, with U.S. travelers up 160% year‑on‑year. European visitors, especially from Germany, also surged, driving average spends of €297, €267...
By The Finanser
News•Feb 12, 2026
After Talking to 300 Fintech CxO’s, Here’s What We Missed
A recent Finextra survey of 300 fintech leaders shows AI has moved from experimental pilots to core operations, with 85% of institutions now using it and the AI‑in‑fintech market projected at $30 billion by 2025. Predictive analytics are evolving into an...
By The Finanser
News•Feb 10, 2026
NPV and PSD3: What Next?
2026 marks a regulatory turning point for payments in the UK and EU. In the UK, a strengthened supplementary safeguarding regime takes effect on May 7, 2026, and the Payments Vision Delivery Committee will release a Payments Forward Plan outlining ecosystem...
By The Finanser
News•Feb 9, 2026
How to Be an Intelligent Bank?
The post outlines a roadmap for banks to become "intelligent" by first embedding digital at their core, then embracing open‑banking APIs and modernizing back‑office systems, and finally layering AI‑driven intelligence on high‑quality customer data. It stresses that without clean, actionable...
By The Finanser
News•Feb 8, 2026
The Finanser’s Week: 2nd February – 8th February 2026
The post warns that cryptocurrency fraud and money‑laundering remain rampant, urging tighter AML controls. It connects widening wealth inequality to heightened risk of social unrest, suggesting political volatility for financiers. It highlights a shift in perception of AI, citing Lloyds...
By The Finanser
News•Feb 6, 2026
Cryptocurrencies Are Rife with Scams and Money Laundering
The cryptocurrency ecosystem is increasingly plagued by scams and money‑laundering schemes, with criminal thefts reaching $3.4 billion in 2025 and individual losses topping $713 million. Blockchain analytics firms report divergent estimates of illicit flows – Chainalysis cites $82 billion in laundering, while TRM Labs...
By The Finanser
News•Feb 4, 2026
Things Worth Reading: 4th February 2026
Chris Skinner’s roundup highlights a wave of regulatory turbulence and innovation. Peter Mandelson is accused of lobbying for weaker U.S. banking rules, while rising cryptocurrency activity in Iran has prompted tighter U.S. oversight. The UK FCA announced its first fintech...
By The Finanser