News and Views by the Fintech Times

The Density Shift : Why Nvidia GB300 chips are pushing rack power requirements to 150kW, necessitating a move to liquid cooling. Regional Hub Status : How the Middle East is leveraging subsea cable connectivity and reliable power to become a global data hub. Infrastructure Obsolescence : The risks facing investors in legacy "powered shell" data centres as technology requirements leap forward. Data...

  Key Topics Covered: Regional Growth : Comparing the energy and investment landscapes of Web Summit events in Lisbon, Rio, and Qatar. Scaling Success : How Started PR evolved alongside its clients from pre-seed stages through to international expansion. Market Trends : The current industry focus on AI applications and the role of stablecoins in modern finance. Globalisation Hurdles : Strategies f...

Episode Notes : The Graph Advantage : Shifting from rigid data tables to mathematical nodes and relationships to mirror real-world systems. Financial Crime Prevention : How the ICIJ used graph databases to untangle the complex shell company webs of the Panama Papers . AI’s "Left Brain" : Using knowledge graphs to provide deterministic logic, explainability, and access control for Large Language Mo...

Key Topics Covered : Leapfrogging Development : Why the Middle East and Africa are moving directly to open finance rather than following the incremental UK/Europe model. Inclusion over Competition : How regional frameworks are designed to foster collaboration between banks and fintechs to reach underserved segments. Infrastructure Foundations : The role of standardisation and quality APIs in build...

Key Topics Covered: The surge of new entrants in the Dubai and Abu Dhabi FinTech ecosystems, with a 20% increase in investment managers setting up shop annually. Trends in regional asset classes: Growth of private credit, hedge funds, and regulation of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies overseen by FATF and VARA. Challenges in attracting experienced talent for emerging asset classes, emphasizing...

Key topics discussed: How family offices and portfolio managers approach risk management during high volatility, especially in gold and silver markets The importance of portfolio diversification amidst global political and economic upheavals The shifting investment landscape from passive to active assets in response to policy changes The rising integration of AI in portfolio management and market...

Key topics: Evolution of payment infrastructure over the last 3-4 years, driven by fintech innovations and the pandemic The role of stablecoins and blockchain in enabling faster, cheaper cross-border transactions Challenges and opportunities in regulatory frameworks for stablecoins globally The potential of Ripple, Circle, and other networks to create interoperable payment rails The impact of cons...

Join Mark Walker as he delves into the world of stablecoins with Vincent Chok, CEO of First Digital. Recorded at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, this episode explores the latest announcements from First Digital, including their public listing and the launch of a new platform for agentic payments. Vincent shares insights on the future of stablecoins, the role of digital currency in Web3, and the importance...

In this engaging episode, Mark Walker, Editorial Director at the FinTech Times, sits down with Matthew Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise Asset Management, at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. They explore the UAE's emerging role as a leader in the digital asset space, highlighting its regulatory clarity and technological advancements. Matthew shares Bitwise's journey from launching the world's fir...

In this episode of the FinTech Times News and Views podcast, Mark Walker interviews Samantha Yap, founder of Yap Global, at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. They discuss the explosive growth of digital assets and Web3, the role of stablecoins in cross-border payments, and the regulatory environment in the UAE. Takeaways Bitcoin hit all-time highs, indicating explosive industry growth. Stablecoins are becom...

In this episode of the FinTech Times News and Views podcast, Mark Walker interviews Rico van de Veen, co-founder and CEO of Semi Liquid, at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. They discuss the launch of the Programmable Credit Protocol, its impact on digital asset lending, and the advantages of operating in Abu Dhabi's regulatory environment. Takeaways: Programmable Credit Protocol allows bilateral credit wit...

Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of stablecoins and digital transformation with Anthony Soohoo, CEO of MoneyGram. Recorded live at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, this episode explores the rapid evolution of digital currencies, the potential of stablecoins as a "killer app," and the convergence of AI and digital assets. Anthony shares insights on MoneyGram's strategic refounding, likening it to...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Linda Fitz-Alan, CEO and Registrar of ADGM Courts, as we explore the digital transformation of Abu Dhabi's judicial system. Discover how the direct application of English common law and the digitization of court processes have positioned Abu Dhabi as a leading investor-centric jurisdiction. Linda shares her journey from Australia to New York and finally...

Takeaways: eToro's evolution from TradFi to digital assets leader. The impact of DeFi and non-custodial wallets on finance. Tokenization of real-world assets is now possible. Regulatory environments are adapting to digital finance. The rise of Gen Y as a wealthy cohort. eToro's global expansion and local services. Trust in established brands like eToro is crucial. Digital assets are reshaping trad...

Key Topics: Introduction to embedded finance and its growth - The role of banks as data mediators - Challenges and opportunities in data monetization - The future of stable coins in global finance - Insights into the digital transformation of banks Quotes: "Embedded finance is in its relative infancy." "Banks evolving from balance sheet providers to data mediators." Chapters: Introduction to Embed...

Introduction to Stablecoins (00:41): Mark Walker introduces the topic of stablecoins and their role in economic stimuli, focusing on the Japanese yen and government strategies. Global Perspectives (01:04): Aishwary discusses the varying approaches to stablecoin integration in countries like Japan and India, highlighting the challenges posed by capital controls. Regulatory Challenges (02:12): The c...

Takeaways Sustainable finance is crucial for renewable energy projects. Emirates NBD is a leader in financing electric vehicles. Green buildings reduce emissions and energy costs. Digital transformation enhances ESG data accuracy. AI chatbots handle sustainable finance inquiries efficiently. Green bonds are integral to corporate sustainability strategies. Transition finance is key for hard-to-abat...

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Loqbox publishing new findings highlighting concerns about Brits’ understanding of the lending sector, GoHenry research into including financial education within the national curriculum & wac urging the government to do more to ensure more employees are paid correctly. The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers...

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about HSBC receiving a fair amount of criticism after it revealed that it was quitting the Net Zero Banking Alliance & re:cap launching in the UK, backed by HSBC Innovation Banking and Avellinia Capital. The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services,...

On this week's episode of News & Views, the Fintech Times Podcast team are joined by Mouloukou Sanoh, Cofounder and CEO at MANSA to discuss dLocals' new partnership with BVNK which will allow them to offer faster settlements to their global merchant base & PAPSSCARD, the first pan-African card scheme, which plans to reclaim the continent’s financial autonomy. The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast...

On this week's episode of News & Views, the Fintech Times Podcast team speak about dLocal and BVNK joining forces to bridge stablecoins and fiat currency, Yapil's new findings uncovering what merchants and shoppers view as the most important factors when offering or choosing a new payment method & the £40billion in crypto and web3 opportunities the UK can unlock, per Startup Coalition The Fintech...

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about new Project Nemo data revealing that 61% of adults with learning disabilities say banks don’t meet their needs, Mastercards research into Gen Alpha's digital financial experience & Bitget's collaboration with UNICEF Luxembourg to advance digital skills and blockchain literacy among young people. The Fintech Times Ne...

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about crypto scam losses exceeding $4billion in 2024 with an increase in Deepfake and AI Tech use, merchants and financial institutions not offering digital ID being at risk of losing customer trust & the Financial Conduct Authority unveiling its ‘supercharged sandbox’. The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strat...

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about a recent report from Zilch stating that 66% of shoppers insist on carrying a physical card despite digital wallet popularity & Revoluts' official announcement that it will roll out its own branded ATM machines in Spain. The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining globa...

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Apple launching Tap to Pay on iPhone in eight new European countries & Curve announcing that it will be launching Curve Pay on iOS as an alternative digital wallet to Apple Pay for iPhone users. The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, wit...