Allianz UK has appointed Mansoor Reehana as its first Head of AI, a newly established role aimed at advancing the company’s AI strategy and initiatives. In his new position within the central data team, Reehana will lead the strategy, architecture, and delivery of AI projects, ensuring they align with Allianz’s broader business objectives. His responsibilities will include overseeing the development of enterprise-level AI and machine learning platforms, promoting collaboration across teams, and ensuring the ethical and scalable implementation of AI solutions. Reehana joined Allianz in May 2023 as a Data Science Manager and has contributed to a wide range of data science, machine learning, and AI initiatives. He has also played a key role in the design and migration of AI platforms, as well as the integration of generative AI technologies. Before joining Allianz, Reehana worked at EY’s AI Centre of Excellence and at Crawford & Company, where he led global data transformation projects. Fergal Coburn, Chief Operating Officer at Allianz UK, said: Fergal Coburn “I am delighted to welcome Mansoor to his new role of Head of AI at Allianz UK. I’m confident that his extensive experience and strategic vision will drive innovation and competitive advantage, ensuring Allianz UK remains at the forefront of the industry. “I’m looking forward to working with Mansoor as we leverage artificial intelligence to deliver impactful outcomes for our business, partners and customers.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by tahantanha10 via Freepik The post Allianz UK Appoints Mansoor Reehana as Head of AI appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Revolut is reportedly facing further delays in securing a full UK banking license due to regulators’ concerns over its risk controls related to cross-border payments. Separately, the fintech has acquired an AI travel agent that was incubated at an innovation hub run by Lufthansa. Revolut won initial approval for a UK banking license last year after a three-year dispute with regulators, according Finextra. The approval marked the start of a ‘mobilisation’ phase, during which its banking division can accept total deposits of only £50,000 while it strengthens its controls and infrastructure. It was initially expected that Revolut would complete the mobilisation period within 12 months, but that deadline passed on 25 July with no sign of further progress. According to the Financial Times, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) have raised concerns over how the firm manages cross-border payments. Officials are reportedly seeking assurances that Revolut will enhance its risk management systems as it accelerates its international expansion. The company recently outlined a five-year global strategy to invest £10 billion and create 10,000 jobs, with plans to reach 100 million customers by mid-2027 and expand into 30 new markets by 2030. The protracted mobilisation phase has previously caused friction between Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves. Reeves is said to have pushed for a three-way meeting between Treasury officials, the PRA, and Revolut to resolve issues hindering the company’s progress, but her efforts were reportedly blocked by Bailey, who cancelled the planned meeting (FT). In a separate development, Revolut has acquired Swifty, an AI-powered travel agent startup originally incubated at Lufthansa Innovation Hub (LIH). The acquisition brings Swifty’s proprietary AI technology and co-founders, Stanislav Bondarenko and Tomasz Przedmojski, to Revolut, where they will focus on developing the company’s loyalty and lifestyle offerings. Christopher Guttridge, Head of Loyalty at Revolut, said: “This acquisition strengthens our position at the intersection of finance, AI and lifestyle. Through this move we’re gaining both talent and expertise in AI-driven travel solutions, which will help us deliver even more personalised and seamless experiences to our customers.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by appshunter.io via Unsplash The post Revolut Faces Fresh Delay in UK Banking License Amid Regulatory Concerns appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Klarna has announced a partnership with Qatar Airways. Travellers booking flights with Qatar Airways can now use Klarna’s flexible payment options at checkout, giving them the choice to pay in full, pay later, split the cost into three interest-free instalments, or finance their booking over time. The partnership is enabled through Klarna’s integration with Worldpay and will be rolled out across 17 European markets, including the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Poland and the Czech Republic. David Sykes, Chief Commercial Officer at Klarna, said: David Sykes “With a single integration, Qatar Airways is now bringing Klarna to millions of travellers across 17 countries, providing a smoother, smarter booking experience that fits the way people prefer to pay today.” Christophe Guittard, Senior Vice President of Digital Commercial at Qatar Airways, said: Christophe Guittard “By partnering with Klarna, we’re making the Qatar Airways booking journey more convenient, giving our customers greater confidence at the point of payment.” Klarna’s payment options available at checkout include the ability to pay the total amount upfront, pay within 30 days, split the cost into three interest-free instalments, or spread the cost through monthly financing. These choices aim to give travellers greater flexibility in managing their travel expenses, allowing them to plan and pay in a way that best suits their needs.   Featured image credit: Qatar Airways The post Klarna and Qatar Airways Partner to Introduce Flexible Payment Options Across Europe appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Distributed ledger technology (DLT) has the potential to improve today’s slow, expensive, and opaque cross-border payment systems by enabling instant, transparent, and resilient settlements. However, because DLT systems rely on the public Internet, they remain exposed to infrastructure-based attacks. According to the Swiss National Bank (SNB), these vulnerabilities can be addressed through SCION (Scalability, Control, and Isolation on Next-generation Networks), a next-generation Internet architecture. SCION can offer an ideal network infrastructure for next generation DLT-based cross-border payment systems, effectively mitigating critical network-layer vulnerabilities while also enhancing reliability and strengthening regulatory compliance and adaptability, the central bank says. Challenges in current cross-border payments Traditional cross-border payments are slow, costly, and hard to track. They rely on correspondent banking, where money passes through several intermediary banks, each charging fees and adding delay. Furthermore, currency conversions often go through the US dollar, increasing costs and complexity. Additionally, different time zones and banking hours slow things down even more, while the process’s opacity prevents customers from easily tracking costs or transaction status. In response, SNB highlights the potential of DLT and digital currency to address these inefficiencies. DLT eliminates intermediaries and enables near-instant, 24/7 settlements. Furthermore, its shared ledger provides real-time transparency and auditability, while its decentralized structure offers greater resilience to local outages. However, DLT systems that operate over the public Internet inherit the vulnerabilities that affect Internet-based platforms. These include the risk of infrastructure-level attacks, such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, where attackers overwhelm a website, server, or network resource with malicious traffic, and border gateway protocol (BGP) hijacking, where attackers maliciously reroute Internet traffic. These attacks can delay or disrupt information flow, potentially causing network partitioning by isolating participants. What is SCION? To address these vulnerabilities, SNB highlights SCION as a compelling solution. Originally developed by researchers at Switzerland’s ETH Zurich, SCION is an Internet architecture designed to improve security, reliability, and path control compared to traditional Internet routing. On today’s Internet, data takes routes chosen automatically by routers, which can be unreliable or insecure, and users can’t see or influence them. In contrast, SCION lets users see and choose the path their data takes, each of which is cryptographically verified. It can also use multiple paths at once, maintaining connectivity even if one fails. A key innovation in SCION is the isolation domain (ISD), which is a logical grouping of autonomous systems. These groups share the same security rules and trust authorities, and manage their own routing and cryptographic infrastructure. This prevents problems or attacks in one ISD from spreading to others, creating self-contained, secure zones across the SCION Internet. A DLT-based settlement system on SCION According to SNB, a DLT-based settlement built on SCION could combine the advantages of DLT with the robustness of SCION’s network design. This would effectively mitigate critical network-layer vulnerabilities but also enhance reliability, and improve regulatory adaptability. For cross-border payments, each country or legal jurisdiction could establish a dedicated SCION ISD overseen by its financial regulator or central bank. National ISDs would interconnect between one another, supported by SCION’s secure inter-ISD communication through agreed trust anchors and peering links managed by ISD core nodes. Regulators would establish bilateral or multilateral agreements and embed these policies in their trust-root configurations to govern those peering links, ensuring that only messages that traverse authorized AS paths are forwarded. This approach would introduce regulatory compliance at the network layer, and allowing regulators to enforce rules like anti-money laundering (AML), countering the financing of terrorism (CFT), and sanctions compliance directly without altering the blockchain’s core protocol. This structure allows secure, verifiable, and policy-compliant communication between countries while preserving complete sovereignty. SCION has been developed by researchers at ETH Zurich since 2009. It is already deployed in production networks worldwide, underpinning the Secure Swiss Finance Network (SSFN), and used by SNB, the Swiss financial market services provider and exchange operator SIX, UBS and other banks for interbanking communications. Upgrading cross-border payments Efforts to modernize cross-border payments have accelerated globally in recent years. The European Union (EU) is currently working on enhancing cross-border payments within and beyond the bloc by enabling cross-currency settlement and linking its TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) service with other fast payments systems. In Southeast Asia, the Regional Payment Connectivity (RPC) initiative, launched in late 2022, seeks to make cross-border payments within the region faster, cheaper, and more efficient by connecting national payment systems through standardized QR code payments, and allowing transactions to be conducted directly in local currencies. The initiative includes most ASEAN member states, in addition to Japan, which is reportedly exploring the integration of its QR payment system into RPC, with full implementation by the end of 2025. Finally, mBridge, initially led by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), is a multiple central bank digital currency (CBDC) platform developed to support real-time, P2P, cross-border payments and foreign exchange (FX) transactions using CBDCs. It supports jurisdiction-specific policy and legal requirements, regulations, and governance needs, and is backed by several central banks, including the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Bank of Thailand, and the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Soaring cross-border payment volumes The retail cross-border payments industry, comprising consumer-to-consumer (C2C), business-to-business (B2B), and consumer-to-business (C2B) transactions, had a global total addressable market (TAM) of US$40 trillion in 2024, according to FXC Intelligence data. By 2032, that market is set to have a TAM of US$62.3 trillion, representing a 56% increase from 2024, and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7%. This growth will be fueled by innovations in digital payments and enhancements using technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain. This will continue to drive costs down and reduce processing times, ultimately incentivizing greater flows. Furthermore, increased adoption of digital wallets, including PayPal, AliPay and Apple Pay, will continue to fuel deeper penetration across both C2B and C2C transactions. Wholesale and retail cross-border payments market size, 2024 and 2032F, Source: FXC Intelligence market sizing data and forecasts, June 2025   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by sodawhiskey via Freepik The post Swiss National Bank: SCION is an Ideal Infrastructure for DLT Cross-Border Payments appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Despite macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the information, media, and events sectors continues to rise in 2025, particularly in the information services vertical and among subscription-based businesses, according to a new report by Collingwood, a M&A advisory focused on information, media, and events. The report, released in October, provides insights into M&A activity in the information, media and events sectors, exploring market strategies, valuation trends, and the critical factors driving decision making today. Information remains the most attractive model According to the report, information remains the most attractive vertical, owing to the fact that, in this category, revenues are predominantly subscription-led. Investors favor these businesses because to their predictable and stable revenue from long-term contracts. The model also benefits from a high retention rate, with over 90% of customers renewing each year. Finally, even after accounting for cancellations, revenue still increases because existing customers spend more over time. Because of this stability and predictability, investors often consider information services businesses to have “the highest quality of earnings” and the strongest visibility over future revenues. Consequently, these businesses command premium valuations, with buyers willing to pay up to 20 times a company’s annual EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization). B2B trade shows drive growth in events category Event companies, especially in the business-to-business (B2B) space, are also attracting strong M&A demand, with buyers showing significant interest in large scale trade shows and paying up to 13 times annual EBITDA. The emerging “condex” model, which combines conferences with exhibitions, is also gaining traction, with multiples reaching 12. These models are compelling because of the fact that they offer both educational sessions, such as panels and talks, as well as networking and product showcases. Furthermore, they often feature 1-2-1 buyer meeting programs. These are structured, pre-arranged meetings between buyers and sellers during the event, which make networking more efficient and valuable. These programs boost audience engagement and exhibitor return on investment (ROI) through personalized interactions. In contrast to information services and events, media models continue to struggle this year, with deal activity and valuations remaining flat or declining. However, sophisticated lead-generation marketing services models remain in demand, with buyers willing to pay a 15% premium on the EBITDA multiple paid for marketing services businesses over digital media. EBITDA multiples for marketing services can reach up to 12, compared with 10 for digital media. AI becomes a critical consideration One key trend highlighted in the report is the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the technology’s growing importance in the information and media sectors. A survey of roughly 80 buyers and investors expressly active in the information, media and events sectors, found that 31% consider AI awareness within the management team essential, with an additional 42% considering it important. Half of respondents indicated that having a documented AI strategy is important. Going further, 31% emphasized the need for active AI product or feature development, while 41% expect to see demonstrable efficiency gains from AI adoption. Importance of AI strategy in target evaluation, Source: The Collingwood Market Report 2025, Collingwood, Oct 2025 Over the past 12 months, deal activity across information, media, and events has shown a cautious but steady improvement. H1 2025 saw 121 deals, the highest since 2022, driven primarily by volumes in Q2 2025 which reached a record high of about 70, predominantly led by information transactions in the US. Information, media and event deal volumes (2019-H1 2025), Source: The Collingwood Market Report 2025, Collingwood, Oct 2025 The information vertical recorded 47 deals in H1 2025, up significantly from only 20 transactions in H2 2024. The figure surpassed the 2024 total of 39. The surge was mainly delivered by private equity (PE) and PE-backed trade buyers, which accounted for 70% of deals in H1 2025. Deal volume by information and buyer type, Source: The Collingwood Market Report 2025, Collingwood, Oct 2025 Deal activity was also strong in media, totaling 37 transactions in H1 2025. This marks a significant increase from 21 in H2 2024, and 30 in H1 2024, and represents the highest level of deal volume for media business models since 2022. Deal volume by media and buyer type, Source: The Collingwood Market Report 2025, Collingwood, Oct 2025 Event models, meanwhile, saw volumes decline slightly in H1 2025, totaling 37 transactions against 43 in H2 2024 and 41 deals in H1 2024. Deal volume by events and buyer type, Source: The Collingwood Market Report 2025, Collingwood, Oct 2025 In the fintech sector, M&A deal activity is relatively subdued this year, aside from some consolidation and selective acquisitions by media platform FINTECH.TV. In April, the company acquired Bull Street Media, a digital financial news outlet recognized for its popular newsletters aimed at young professionals and investors. Following that, in June, it purchased America First News (AFN) with plans to transform it into a global news network focused on in-depth reporting of US economic policies, national security, and initiatives shaping domestic and international markets.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post M&A Activity Improves Across Information, Media, and Events appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) has appointed Terry Powell as Group Chief Technology Officer and Cristina Ghetti as Group Head of Digital Employee Experience. Both will report to Ericson Chan, Group Chief Information & Digital Officer, and will be based in Zurich. The appointments take effect on 20 October. Ericson Chan “I am thrilled to welcome Terry and Cristina to Zurich,” said Ericson Chan. “Their leadership in artificial intelligence in the retail and fintech space is precisely the expertise we need to accelerate our digital transformation and further drive AI adoption. They bring a vital customer-centric approach that will significantly elevate the experience for both our customers and employees.” Terry Powell joins Zurich from ANZ Bank, where he led IT services transformation and cloud adoption. He previously worked at Domino’s Pizza, centralising global IT and launching AI and digital initiatives to improve customer experience. As General Manager for Insurance Technology at Suncorp Group, he simplified core insurance systems. At Zurich, Powell will lead the Group-wide technology strategy, drive AI across the infrastructure, strengthen system resilience, and enhance efficiency and productivity through AI. Cristina Ghetti brings experience from Nestlé, where she led the sector’s largest AI-tool rollout and integrated GPT-based tools for internal use. She previously worked at Coca-Cola European Partners, delivering a multi-year digital roadmap and leading post-merger IT integration. At Zurich, Ghetti will oversee company-wide AI upskilling initiatives, aiming to equip employees with AI skills and support adoption and productivity across the organisation.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by mrsiraphol via Freepik The post Zurich Insurance Names New CTO and Head of Digital Employee Experience appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Ruwani Hewa has been appointed director of payments at UK digital challenger Starling Bank. Confirming the news on LinkedIn, Hewa said one of her key initial priorities will be the “relaunch of Starling Banking Services.” She explained that this initiative will aim to support regulated firms in accessing Faster Payments and Bacs, as well as issuing safeguarded and client money accounts under the CASS framework. Originally launched in 2017 as Starling Payment Services, Starling Banking Services operates a Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform that provides the bank’s payments infrastructure and services to financial institutions, fintechs, and businesses. The reference to a “relaunch” suggests that Starling, now under the leadership of group CEO Raman Bhatia, is planning to update, expand, or reposition the unit, though further details of its strategy have not yet been disclosed. Starling also runs Engine by Starling, its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, which is undergoing a US$50 million expansion into the United States. The bank recently appointed Jaideep Bhagat as president of North America to lead the effort. Hewa joins Starling from Nuapay, where she has served as product and propositions director since January 2022, overseeing account-to-account and embedded payment products. Her career also includes technology-focused roles at American Express, Barclaycard, Collinson, and Amadeus, where she was head of product management and merchant services for Amadeus Payments. In a statement to FinTech Futures, a Starling spokesperson said: “Ruwani Hewa has been appointed to lead Starling’s payments function and help us better serve customers and partners. She will also oversee the growth of Starling Banking Services, the group’s BaaS proposition, which complements our SaaS business, Engine by Starling.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by lifeforstock via Freepik The post Starling Bank Appoints Ruwani Hewa as Director of Payments appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Stablecoins are seen as having the potential to complement regulated payment infrastructure with additional functionality and efficiency. A planned legislative adjustment by the Swiss Federal Department of Finance is setting important foundations for Switzerland, particularly as a financial market and innovation hub. The timing of this proposal aligns with international developments in stablecoins. On 10 October, Swiss Stablecoin hosted a roundtable bringing together experts from business, politics, public administration, and academia to exchange knowledge. The discussions focused on global trends in digital currencies and the increasing relevance and acceptance of fiat-backed stablecoins. Their rise reflects both their diverse applications and growing regulatory integration. Stablecoins are expected to become a component of future payment infrastructure. The roundtable considered how Switzerland’s position as a market location could be strengthened for this specific form of blockchain-based payment. In his opening remarks, National Councillor Benjamin Fischer highlighted this objective and the broader importance of an innovative financial centre. The Boston Consulting Group provided an overview of international developments, noting that while US dollar-based stablecoins have dominated so far, Euro-based projects have emerged in recent months. Significant growth in volume is expected, supported by increased legal certainty through regulation. Discussions suggested that stablecoins will form a specific segment within the broader payment landscape. Various forms of a “digital franc”, including a central bank digital currency or potential deposit tokens, could complement rather than compete with each other, depending on their design. Technically, stablecoins can act as a bridge between decentralised systems and the regulated financial sector. Examples of practical applications were presented by Sygnum, UBS, and PostFinance. Sygnum highlighted demand from different customer groups, particularly in digital asset trading, and viewed a broadly accessible Swiss franc stablecoin as a valuable addition to reinforce Switzerland’s financial centre. UBS illustrated, through tokenised securities, how digital payments like stablecoins could create faster, more secure, and more efficient financial markets, noting Switzerland’s early adoption through the 2021 DLT Act. PostFinance identified potential uses for a CHF-backed stablecoin in the public sector, which could provide added value and differentiation for Switzerland. Switzerland’s legislative framework for stablecoins is currently under review. The forthcoming proposal from the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters is expected to provide a reliable foundation for issuing stablecoins, combining the country’s strengths in financial stability, legal certainty, and innovation. Participants agreed that future regulation must address financial stability risks while enabling Switzerland to offer a sovereign, regulated product. A regulated Swiss franc stablecoin presents opportunities to strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Switzerland as a financial and economic centre. With stablecoin adoption expanding into new markets, careful monitoring and timely strategic measures are necessary. The roundtable marked a milestone in Switzerland’s discussion on digital francs, as it considered the role of stablecoins within a regulated framework. Around 60 representatives from finance, industry, public enterprises, authorities, and academia attended. The roundtable was convened by Pascale Bruderer, founder of Swiss Stablecoin. Founded in 2022, the organisation has developed a platform for the regulated issuance of a Swiss stablecoin in collaboration with banks. Its ongoing objectives, reinforcing value creation, sovereignty, and innovation in Switzerland’s payment infrastructure, remain highly relevant and were underscored by the roundtable discussions.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by diana.grytsku via Freepik The post Switzerland Explores Role of Stablecoins in Payment Infrastructure appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

UBS is among ten major banks exploring the issuance of a stablecoin, highlighting traditional finance’s growing interest in digital assets. The consortium also includes Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Citi, MUFG, Barclays, TD Bank, Santander and BNP Paribas. The banks said they will work together to investigate creating blockchain-based assets pegged to G7 currencies, Reuters reported. The project, still in its early stages, will examine whether there is value in issuing assets on public blockchains that are pegged 1:1 to real-world currencies, a type of cryptocurrency known as a stablecoin. “The objective of the initiative is to explore whether a new industry-wide offering could bring the benefits of digital assets and enhance competition across the market, while ensuring full compliance with regulatory requirements and best practice risk management,” the banks said. Several banks and other financial institutions have announced plans to explore stablecoins, as rising crypto prices and support from former US President Donald Trump have rekindled interest in the potential of blockchain in mainstream finance. Regulators and financial stability authorities have expressed concern that stablecoins could facilitate the movement of funds outside regulated banking systems, potentially undermining commercial banks’ role in global payment flows. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has warned UK banks against issuing their own stablecoins, while European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said privately issued stablecoins posed risks for monetary policy and financial stability. To date, stablecoins have been mainly used for transferring money between crypto markets, which remain a small portion of wider financial markets. Nearly nine-tenths of stablecoin transactions relate to crypto trading, while only around 6% are used for payments for goods or services, according to a report by BCG earlier this year. France’s Societe Generale, which was not included in the current group, became the first major bank to issue a dollar-backed stablecoin through its digital asset subsidiary earlier this year. The token has not been widely adopted, with just US$30.6 million in circulation. Meanwhile, a separate consortium of nine European banks, including ING and UniCredit, announced last month that they were forming a company to launch a euro-denominated stablecoin. Some banking executives see greater promise in the tokenisation of financial assets, where digital representations of deposits, stocks and bonds are created and stored on a blockchain. Citi’s CEO said in July that tokenised deposits were likely more important than a stablecoin. Many of these projects remain in the pilot phase, with executives noting that efforts to tokenise assets are progressing more slowly than expected.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by user8285578, Dang Pham and Dang Pham via Freepik The post UBS Among 10 Banks Exploring G7-Backed Stablecoin appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Bianca End has been appointed Country General Manager at Nexi Switzerland as of 29 September. She succeeds David Gebhardt, who has led the company on an interim basis since October 2024. End brings more than 20 years of international experience in the technology and digital industries. Most recently, she served as Head of Field Sales Corporate at Google Cloud Switzerland and was part of the Google Cloud Alps leadership team. In that role, she was responsible for business development with clients from both traditional and digitally driven sectors and led a team focused on expanding Google Cloud’s business in Switzerland. Before joining Google, she spent eight years in various leadership positions at Microsoft in the areas of midmarket and small business, channel marketing, and enterprise services sales. Thomas Spreitzer “I am very pleased that Bianca End has taken on responsibility for Nexi Switzerland. With her clear focus on growth and collaboration, as well as her proven expertise in digital transformation, she is an excellent fit for Nexi and our expansion strategy in the field of omnichannel payment solutions,” said Thomas Spreitzer, CEO Nexi DACH. “The business with small and medium-sized enterprises is particularly important for us in Switzerland. Bianca End’s experience in this area is a great asset for continuing our growth strategy in this segment.” David Gebhardt assumed the role of Country General Manager of Nexi Switzerland on an interim basis in October 2024, following the departure of Marianne Bregenzer, who led the company for six years. During the transition period, he successfully continued business development and provided key contributions to the company’s strategic direction.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by mrsiraphol via Freepik The post Bianca End Appointed Country General Manager at Nexi Switzerland appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Luxembourg’s sovereign wealth fund has allocated 1% of its portfolio to Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), becoming one of the first European state-backed investment entities to do so. According to Cointelegraph, Luxembourg’s Director of the Treasury and Secretary General, Bob Kieffer, confirmed the investment in a LinkedIn post on 8 October. He said Finance Minister Gilles Roth announced the decision during his presentation of the 2026 Budget at the Chambre des Députés, Luxembourg’s legislature. Bob Kieffer “Recognising the growing maturity of this new asset class, and underlining Luxembourg’s leadership in digital finance, this investment is an application of the FSIL’s new investment policy, which was approved by Government in July 2025,” Kieffer wrote. The Intergenerational Sovereign Wealth Fund (FSIL) has invested about 1% of its holdings, roughly €9 million, into Bitcoin ETF products, based on its assets under management of €764 million as of 30 June. The move comes despite Luxembourg’s earlier cautious stance on cryptocurrencies. In May, the country’s 2025 risk report classified crypto firms as high-risk for money laundering, even as domestic institutions increased their engagement with digital assets. Kieffer said the FSIL would continue to invest in equity and debt markets but is now permitted to allocate up to 15% of its assets to alternative investments, including cryptocurrencies, real estate, and private equity. “To avoid operational risks, the exposure to Bitcoin has been taken through a selection of ETFs,” he added. The new framework, introduced in late September, followed a mid-June review of the fund’s investment policy. It was described as a “significant evolution” that reflects the fund’s growing maturity and aims to align with Luxembourg’s economic, social, and environmental priorities. Kieffer said the 1% allocation was designed as a balanced approach: “Given the FSIL’s particular profile and mission, the fund’s management board concluded that a 1% allocation strikes the right balance while sending a clear message about Bitcoin’s long-term potential.” Luxembourg’s decision follows similar developments in Europe. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, increased its indirect Bitcoin exposure by 192% over the past year, while the Czech National Bank expanded its holdings in US crypto exchange Coinbase in July. In Sweden, a member of parliament proposed a “budget-neutral” Bitcoin reserve earlier this year.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by pvproductions via Freepik The post Luxembourg’s Sovereign Wealth Fund Allocates 1% to Bitcoin ETFs appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

This year, distributed ledger technology (DLT) continues to gain traction in capital markets, with institutions emphasizing asset mobility, digital tokens, and public blockchains to unlock new revenue streams and drive innovation, a new study by the International Securities Services Association (ISSA) found. The study, conducted in collaboration with the ValueExchange, Broadridge, Accenture and Taurus, surveyed more than 420 respondents globally to track the evolution of DLT and digital assets, examining adoption trends, stakeholder perspectives, and ongoing developments in the sector. It found that in 2025, 36% of stakeholders had live DLT solutions, marking a 32-point increase from just 4% in 2020. North America is now the most the most active region for DLT and digital assets, with the share of respondents with live DLT and digital asset solutions rising 72% year-over-year (YoY) to reach 50%. This surge was propelled by a pro-crypto US Administration, new legislative action in the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act), and a unified framework for digital assets from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In contrast, momentum in Europe is slowing down, dipping to 35% in 2025 from 44% in 2024. Asia-Pacific (APAC), meanwhile, remains fairly stable at 43% in 2025, against 44% in 2024. Percentage of respondents live with DLT and digital assets per region, Source: DLT in the Real World 2025, ISSA, ValueExchange, Broadridge, Accenture and Taurus, Jul 2025 The report shows strong growth in investment in DLT and digital assets. Since 2020, global funding for DLT has tripled, with now an average of US$4 million being allocated to the technology globally. In 2025, annual spending increased 7% YoY globally. North America now leads DLT and digital asset investment, spending more than Europe and APAC combined. In 2025, North America allocated an average of US$10.8 million on DLT and digital assets, against US$5.3 million in APAC, and US$3.8 million in Europe. Average DLT and digital asset budget growth (2024/2025 YoY), Source: DLT in the Real World 2025, ISSA, ValueExchange, Broadridge, Accenture and Taurus, Jul 2025 A focus on mobility and liquidity This year, market participants are prioritizing asset mobility. Among buy-side participants, including asset managers, hedge funds, and institutional investors, 51% see liquidity and the shift from overnight to intraday processing as the primary benefit of tokenization and digital cash. Another 49% emphasized cash and collateral utilization, noting that faster collateralization can reduce financing costs and minimize the risk of over-allocating or locking up assets. Operational costs are also a key focus, with 48% of respondents still looking to DLT to reduce transaction processing costs. This proves that operational efficiency still remains a core consideration of technology related development in capital markets. Top strategic outlooks for engaging with DLT and digital assets, Source: DLT in the Real World 2025, ISSA, ValueExchange, Broadridge, Accenture and Taurus, Jul 2025 Another key trend this year is the shift away from private blockchains and toward public blockchains. This move aims to avoid fragmented, isolated digital ecosystems. This year, only 35% of respondents are planning private blockchain projects, down from 60% in 2022. In contrast, 65% are currently pursuing public blockchain initiatives, up from 40% in 2022. Growing buy-side participation Another significant development is the growing participation of the buy side. In 2025, 25% of investors reported having live DLT and digital asset solutions, up from 11% in 2024. Another 10% were in the development phase, and 8% were conducting proofs of concept. Percentage of investors working on DLT/digital assets (by stage), Source: DLT in the Real World 2025, ISSA, ValueExchange, Broadridge, Accenture and Taurus, Jul 2025 Beyond direct investments, buy-side firms are leveraging DLT to tokenize real-world assets (RWAs), including securities, funds, and bonds. An example is the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL). BUIDL is a tokenized money market fund that invests in high liquidity, short-term debt instruments, including cash, US Treasury bills, and repurchase agreements. It allow investors to earn yield while holding the token on the blockchain. Because the shares are tokenized, trades and transfers can happen on-chain anytime, enabling liquidity and 24/7 access. Furthermore, on-chain settlement avoids some of the delays or frictions in traditional fund share settlement, reducing cost and operational overhead. Finally, the on-chain nature also means that holdings, flows, and ownership are more visible than in many traditional setups, increasing trust and auditability. Tokenized funds have surged dramatically, totaling US$8.4 billion in global tokenized fund assets under management (AUM) in September 2025, according to the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME). This marks a significant 300% increase from US$2.1 billion in 2024, Digital assets driving adoption Another key trend outlined is increased focus on digital assets among both banks and investors. For banks and brokers, digital assets are creating new revenue streams across issuance, custody, trading, and more, with 44% of respondents already live with digital asset solutions. Percentage of each segment live with digital assets per year, Source: DLT in the Real World 2025, ISSA, ValueExchange, Broadridge, Accenture and Taurus, Jul 2025 Investors, meanwhile, are embracing digital assets, with participation rising from 11% in 2024 to 30% in 2025. This growth is evidenced by new bitcoin funding products, tokenized funds, and the inclusion of cryptocurrencies in wealth investing. A survey of 352 institutional investors conducted by Coinbase, in collaboration with EY-Parthenon practice, found that a remarkable 86% of the respondents had exposure to digital assets in January 2025, or planned to make digital asset allocations during the year. Nearly 70% viewed cryptocurrencies as the biggest opportunity to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns. The study also revealed expanding participation in crypto markets, including decentralized finance (DeFi) use cases such as staking, lending, and derivatives, underscoring the growing sophistication and diversification of institutional strategies within the digital asset ecosystem.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post DLT Adoption Accelerates in Capital Markets, With Growing Focus on Digital Assets, Public Blockchains appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

The European Commission has announced two new strategies to strengthen Europe’s position in AI: the Apply AI Strategy and the AI in Science Strategy. These initiatives aim to accelerate AI adoption across key industries and enhance Europe’s leadership in AI-driven scientific research. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: Ursula von der Leyen “I want the future of AI to be made in Europe. Because when AI is used, we can find smarter, faster, and more affordable solutions. AI adoption needs to be widespread, and with these strategies, we will help speed up the process. Putting AI first also means putting safety first.” The Apply AI Strategy focuses on expanding the use of AI across strategic sectors such as healthcare, energy, mobility, manufacturing, agriculture, defence, and communications. It aims to support both large industries and SMEs in integrating AI into their operations. Around €1 billion will be mobilised to fund initiatives including AI-powered healthcare screening centres and the development of sector-specific AI models for manufacturing, environmental management, and pharmaceuticals. To coordinate efforts, the Commission is launching the Apply AI Alliance, which will bring together representatives from industry, academia, public institutions, and civil society. An AI Observatory will monitor technological trends and assess the impact of AI across sectors, while the newly launched AI Act Service Desk will assist with the implementation of the EU AI Act. Running alongside Apply AI, the AI in Science Strategy aims to make Europe a global hub for AI-driven research and innovation. At its centre is RAISE, the Resource for AI Science in Europe, a virtual institute designed to consolidate and coordinate AI resources for scientific use. The strategy includes €58 million under the RAISE pilot to support Networks of Excellence and Doctoral Networks for AI talent, €600 million from Horizon Europe to expand access to computational power for researchers and startups, and plans to double AI-related funding under Horizon Europe to over €3 billion. It also introduces initiatives to help scientists identify data gaps and improve access to high-quality datasets. The Commission’s Joint Research Centre will contribute through technical assessments and studies on AI’s impact on science and research. Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, said: Henna Virkkunen “Europe is well positioned to become an AI continent. With the Apply AI Strategy, we will help our companies and key sectors, from manufacturing to healthcare and the public sector, use AI to deliver real benefits for EU citizens, reinforce our competitiveness, and strengthen our technological sovereignty.” To further advance AI integration, the Commission will present a Data Union Strategy at the end of October to improve access to high-quality, structured data for businesses and researchers. The AI in Science Summit, co-organised by the Commission and the Danish Presidency, will take place in Copenhagen on 3 to 4 November to launch key initiatives under the AI in Science Strategy, including the RAISE pilot.   Featured image credit: European Commission The post European Commission Outlines New Strategies for AI and Science appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Coinbase and Mastercard are reportedly in advanced discussions to acquire London-based stablecoin infrastructure startup BVNK, in a deal valued between US$1.5 billion and US$2.5 billion, according to Fortune. The talks remain ongoing, but sources say Coinbase currently has the lead. If completed, the acquisition would be the largest stablecoin deal to date, underscoring growing institutional interest in the technology. Founded in 2021 by Chris Harmse, Jesse Hemson-Struthers, and Donald Jackson, BVNK helps businesses use stablecoins for payments, treasury, and cross-border transactions. The firm last raised US$50 million in December 2024 from Haun Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, Tiger Global, and the venture arms of Visa and Citi. The reported deal follows Stripe’s US$1.1 billion purchase of stablecoin startup Bridge last year and reflects the accelerating integration of digital currencies into mainstream finance.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by katemangostar via Freepik The post Coinbase, Mastercard in Billion-Dollar Race to Acquire BVNK appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

In Switzerland, financial literacy varies significantly by education, income, and region, reflecting notable socio-economic and cultural disparities in how individuals understand, manage, and plan their finances, according to a new study by Swiss online wealth management firm True Wealth, in collaboration with Dr. Michael Kendzia from the ZHAW School of Management and Law. The study, which polled more than 2,000 adults in German- and French-speaking areas of Switzerland in June 2025, found that high earners are scoring substantially higher than those with lower incomes. In particular, respondents with a gross monthly income above CHF 12,000 answered roughly 70% of questions correctly, compared to around 40% for households earning less than CHF 4,000. For reference, Switzerland’s gross monthly median wage stood at CHF 6,788 in 2022, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). This shows that financial literacy not only correlates with higher income, but also contributes to economic success. People with strong financial knowledge make more informed decisions, which leads to more stable incomes and greater wealth accumulation in the long term. Proportion of correct answers by income, Source: True Wealth Financial Literacy Index 2025, True Wealth and Dr. Michael Kendzia from the ZHAW School of Management and Law, Sep 2025 Education is another critical factor, with striking differences based on educational attainment. Respondents with a higher level of education answered an average of 6.5 out of 10 questions correctly, while those with lower education averaged 3.7. Participants with lower educational levels also responded “I don’t know” significantly more often, suggesting that educational differences manifest not only in concrete knowledge, but also in the degree of confidence in their own financial abilities. These findings suggest that targeted educational initiatives could have a substantial impact, especially for people with limited formal education. Financial education contributes to greater economic resilience and social mobility in the long term, and should be an integral part of public education policy. Share of correct answers by education level, Source: True Wealth Financial Literacy Index 2025, True Wealth and Dr. Michael Kendzia from the ZHAW School of Management and Law, Sep 2025 Financial literacy higher in German-speaking Switzerland The study also found significant regional differences, with German-speaking Switzerland outperforming French-speaking Switzerland. In particular, German-speaking respondents answered an average of 56.8% of the questions correctly, compared to 47% in French-speaking regions. The gap is most pronounced on complex topics. For example, 72.7% of respondents in German-speaking Switzerland knew that an investment with higher expected returns is usually also associated with higher risk, against only 56.2% in French-speaking Switzerland. Understanding of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) also varies. Only 18.6% of respondents from French-speaking Switzerland were able to correctly name the key advantages of ETFs, namely lower fees and costs, and more than half of French-speaking Swiss answered “I don’t know” to this question, underscoring a knowledge gap in the area of passive investment. Avid investors These findings align with investment behaviors in Switzerland. People in German-speaking regions tend to invest more in public investments, including equities, ETFs, actively managed funds, and structured products, according to another 2025 survey by True Wealth. In French-speaking Switzerland, investments are more concentrated in private and real assets, such as real estate, private equity, and venture capital. Distribution of investment products by region, Source: ETF Study 2025, True Wealth and GfK Switzerland AG, Jun 2025 Age also influences investment preferences. Younger generations are more likely to invest in cryptocurrencies, with 27% of respondents aged 30-49 and 24% of those aged 16-29 reporting investing in digital assets, compared with only 10% of respondents aged 50-74. Distribution of investment products by age, Source: ETF Study 2025, True Wealth and GfK Switzerland AG, Jun 2025 Overall, financial literacy is increasing in Switzerland, with the True Wealth Financial Literacy Index for 2025 standing at 5.43 out of 10, marking a slight increase from 5.17 last year. Regarding investment, Swiss residents are generally active investors. Two-thirds participate in financial markets, with stocks (50%) and ETFs (30%) being the most popular investment instruments. Compared with other nations, Switzerland has a relatively larger and more active equity market. According to the Observatoire de l’Épargne Européenne (OEE), a French non-profit organization that studies household savings behavior in Europe, and the Association Française de la Gestion Financière (AFG), the country has one of the highest stock market capitalization-to-GDP ratios in the world at 224%. By comparison, that ratio stands at 158% in the US and 100% in the UK. At the lower end, Italy’s ratio is 36%, Germany’s 46%, and Spain’s 47%. Ratio of stock market capitalization to GDP, Source: Households’ long-term savings and stock market participation in Europe, OEE and AFG, Feb 2025   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik via Freepik The post Financial Literacy Uneven Across Switzerland, with Wealthier and Better-Educated Populations Leading appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are being increasingly adopted across financial services and telecommunications (telcos) to improve decision-making and reduce risks. A new study conducted by Forrester Consulting for credit reporting company Experian looks at the state of ML adoption in these sectors, revealing that approximately two-thirds of respondents are already using ML in live decisioning, while about one-quarter are experimenting with it. ML adoption across different use cases, Source: The ML divide in credit risk, Experian, 2025 Strong performance gains The study, which surveyed nearly 1,200 senior decision makers responsible for developing and implementing AI and ML in credit risk in financial services and telcos across 11 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC), found that most are already seeing substantial benefits from using ML. More than half of the organizations that have adopted ML reported seeing a significant or large improvement in their acceptance rates for all categories of lending since adoption. Most notably, the biggest improvement is for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) loans, with 88% seeing an improvement in acceptance rates for this segment. Impact of ML on acceptance rates, Source: The ML divide in credit risk, Experian, 2025 ML is also improving bad debt performance. 65% of respondents reported a significant or large improvement in their bad debt rates since adoption, with credit cards seeing the strongest uplift (86%). ML improves bad debt rates for all credit services, Source: The ML divide in credit risk, Experian, 2025 These gains are attributed to the greater predictive accuracy of these ML models, as well as their ability to analyze non-traditional data sources and better identify vulnerable customers. 70% of respondents cited operational efficiency and cost saving, as well as improved risk prediction, as the biggest benefits of ML. Based on Experian’s experience, ML models typically perform 5-20% better than the usual statistical models used in credit scoring. These systems also make the process faster and more efficient since they can evaluate alternative data variables automatically, test new data sources quickly, and reduce dependency on manual analytics, freeing up resources for strategic tasks. ML is also helping improve financial access, with 70% of those who are using advanced ML agreeing that the improved accuracy of these models means that they can widen access to credit for consumers who would otherwise be denied credit with traditional scorecards. Limited resources as top challenge to ML adoption Despite the clear benefits, several challenges are still hindering ML adoption. The most common barrier, cited by 55% of respondents, is the time and resources required to implement ML. Adding to this issue is the scarcity of AI talent. LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise 2025 report ranks AI and ML roles among the top fastest-growing positions in the US. Reuters estimates that in 2024, IT spending exceeded US$5.1 trillion, with AI spending pushing past US$550 billion. Yet, there was a hiring gap approaching 50% of all AI positions needed. Following time and resource constraints, the second biggest challenge, cited by 53% of respondents, is turning raw data into credit attributes that make up the individual features of each model. A lack of in-house expertise was also highlighted by half of respondents, reflecting broader concerns about access to specialized skilled labour. 66% of respondents expect the talent shortage to be a significant or large challenge over the next few years. Biggest challenges of implementing ML, Source: The ML divide in credit risk, Experian, 2025 Regulatory issues are also a major concern. 75% of respondents agreed that regulatory compliance is limiting their organization’s ability to innovate within credit decisioning, while 70% are holding back on implementing more automated ML credit decisions due to concerns about regulatory backlash. A similar percentage (66%) agreed that their national regulators lack a clear, consistent understanding of how ML models function in practice. AI, ML implementation among top business priorities Moving forward, 73% of respondents believe that organizations that adopt ML in credit underwriting will gain a significant long-term competitive advantage. Their top business priorities for the next one to three years include implementing AI and ML into risk decisions (76%), moving onto a unified data, analytics, decisioning, and fraud platform (75%), and improving the time to decision for customers (74%). Finally, 79% of respondents believe that in five years’ time, the vast majority of credit decisions will be fully automated. Top business priorities, Source: The ML divide in credit risk, Experian, 2025 In the financial services industry, AI and ML are being deployed in an array of use cases that extend beyond credit scoring. HSBC, for example, uses AI to fight financial crime, leveraging a system it developed in collaboration with Google. The platform helps it check about 900 million transactions for signs of financial crime each month, across 40 million customer accounts to identity suspicious activity. JPMorgan, meanwhile, spends about US$2 billion a year on developing AI technology, and reports that the resulting cost savings now offset its spending. In 2024, the bank launched its proprietary generative AI platform, LLM Suite, which enrolled 200,000 employees within eight months and support them with tasks such as idea generation, and content drafting. Worldwide spending on AI is forecast to total nearly US$1.5 trillion this year, up 50% year-over-year (YoY), according to Gartner, a business and technology insights company. By 2026, that amount is projected to rise by about 37% to more than US$2 trillion, led in large part by AI being more broadly integrated into products such as smartphones and PCs, as well as infrastructure.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik via Freepik The post Finance Firms, Telcos Integrate AI into Credit Underwriting to Improve Accuracy and Efficiency appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) lifted its ban on crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) on 8 October, allowing investors a new way to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies. This is Money reports that these products, which track the price of digital assets without requiring investors to hold them directly, are similar to ETFs but carry higher risk. ETNs differ from physical ETFs in that they do not need to hold the underlying assets. Instead, providers aim to match the return of the tracked index by any method they choose. Figures from investing platform IG suggest the UK’s crypto market could grow by around 20% as new investors explore these products. However, retail investors will not be able to access crypto ETNs immediately. Providers must first submit prospectuses for FCA approval, and the FCA only began accepting drafts on 25 September. Investors are expected to gain access from at least 13 October. Discussions between the FCA and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) over whether a new exchange segment was needed for these products contributed to the delay. Thomas Brown, partner at Shoosmiths, described the delay as “concerning, especially given that European and US retail investors already enjoy access to similar products.” Harvey Knight, partner and head of UK financial services regulatory at Withers, said the delay “is not necessarily a mere operational blip but quite symptomatic of how the UK has handled its approach to crypto and digital assets more generally.” The FCA argued the delay was procedural. A spokesperson told This is Money: “We had to wait until the segment opened on the LSE before we could start reviewing prospectuses. That happened on 23 September, and we started accepting prospectuses for review two days later. We are progressing policy development in support of the development of a sustainable, competitive crypto sector. We want to rebalance risk, and lifting the ETN ban allows people to make the choice on whether such a high-risk investment is right for them.” Crypto ETNs carry counterparty and issuer risk rather than true asset ownership. Seventeen crypto ETNs are listed on the LSE, including products from WisdomTree, Fidelity and Invesco, but have been limited to institutional investors over the past year. HMRC confirmed on October 8 that these products can now be held in stocks and shares ISAs and registered pension schemes, offering tax-free exposure to cryptoassets for the first time. From April next year, however, they will be reclassified as qualifying investments for innovative finance ISAs and become ineligible for stocks and shares ISAs, though the government will review this as the market matures.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Art Rachen via Unsplash The post FCA Lifts Ban on Crypto ETNs, Retail Access Expected in October appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

US banking giant Citigroup has revised its 2030 forecast for the global stablecoin industry, citing strong market growth, accelerated adoption, and conducive regulatory developments. In a new outlook report, released in September 2025, the bank increased its base case forecast to US$1.9 trillion, up from the US$1.6 trillion it predicted in April 2025. It also lifted its bull case prediction from US$3.7 trillion to US$4 trillion, and its bear case to US$0.9 trillion, up from US$0.541 trillion. These increases reflect stronger adoption trends than previously anticipated, including new favorable regulations, increased institutional acceptance, and soaring transaction volumes across real-world applications. Estimating stablecoin market size by 2030 (US$ billion), Source: Stablecoins 2030: Web3 to Wall Street, Citi Institute Global Perspectives and Solutions, Sep 2025 Citigroup attributes almost half of its US$1.9 trillion base case stablecoin issuance forecast to deposit substitution in the US and overseas. It models stablecoin demand equivalent to 2.5% of 2030 US bank system deposits driven by the growth of digitally native companies, including e-commerce, promoting stablecoins as a means of payments and an in-platform token. Furthermore, the base case assumes a continuation of the crypto-related stablecoin issuance run rate observed over the past three years, or approximately 20% annually. The bull case, on the other hand, projects a faster annual growth trajectory of 30%, driven by increasing regulatory clarity and rising allocation of institutional capital into cryptocurrency assets. Additionally, the forecast assumes 10% substitution of US banknotes held overseas into stablecoins. It references this to the experience of gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which capture nearly 8% of the investible gold bars and coins market by offering a lower-friction investment vehicle. Stablecoin market size in 2030 (projection), Source: Stablecoins 2030: Web3 to Wall Street, Citi Institute Global Perspectives and Solutions, Sep 2025 Market growth and momentum Over the past six months, momentum in the global stablecoin market has accelerated, with issuance volumes growing over 20% during the period and rising by nearly 40% year-to-date (YTD). Issuance volumes currently stand at about US$280 billion, compared with US$200 billion at the start of the year. Stablecoin supply, 2020-2025, Source: Stablecoins 2030: Web3 to Wall Street, Citi Institute Global Perspectives and Solutions, Sep 2025 Stablecoin transaction volumes are also surging. Once negligible, these digital currencies now measure in the trillions of dollars annually, scaling rapidly compared to other traditional payment systems. On an adjusted basis, stablecoin volumes are running close to US$1 trillion per month in August 2025, nearly double the levels from just a year ago, the Citigroup report says. Stablecoin transaction volume versus other modes (US$ billion), Source: Stablecoins 2030: Web3 to Wall Street, Citi Institute Global Perspectives and Solutions, Sep 2025 Though stablecoin transaction volumes are still largely driven by crypto trading and related activities, these digital currencies are rapidly being adopted across cross-border payments, peer-to-peer (P2P) remittances, business-to-business (B2B) payments, and treasury management. Factors driving stablecoin interest Soaring stablecoin issuance and transaction volumes are being fueled by increased integration by payment networks, developments in layer-1 blockchains, and regulatory clarity in key markets, including the US and the European Union (EU). In July 2025, Paul S. Atkins, the chairman of the US’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) unveiled Project Crypto, a commission-wide effort to modernize US securities regulation for digital assets. This initiative aims to implement recommendations from the President’s Working Group Report on Digital Asset Markets and seeks to establish a clear regulatory framework to classify crypto tokens as security, commodity, or others. One of the proposals includes a unified licensing regime that would allow firms to offer a full suite of crypto financial services, such as trading, staking, and lending. In the EU, the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) entered into force in 2024, marking the first comprehensive crypto framework introduced by a major global economy. Key components of MiCA include licensing requirements for crypto-asset service providers, specific travel requirements, as well as rules covering the treatment of stablecoins. In Asia and the Middle East, the central banks are building regulatory sandboxes and licensing regimes for stablecoin providers, setting the stage for further institutional adoption. For example, Hong Kong introduced licensing rules for stablecoins in August 2025 to help strengthen trust, transparency, and oversight. Beyond regulations, other factors driving mainstream interest in stablecoins and on-chain money include increased integration of stablecoins by payment networks, including Visa and Mastercard, the introduction of tokenized deposits by banking institutions like JP Morgan and HSBC, as well as growth in tokenized financial assets. The market for tokenized assets, which involves using digital tokens recorded on a blockchain to represent ownership rights, is currently estimated at US$600 billion. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Ripple expect the market to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 53% through 2033, and reach US$18.9 trillion by then.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post Citigroup Raises 2030 Stablecoin Forecasts Amid Strong Market Growth appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Zurich-based YAPEAL has announced changes to its Board of Directors following the company’s General Assembly on 3 October. The company offers a digital-first platform providing integrated financial services to businesses and their end customers. As part of the regular renewal process, Board Members Werner Vontobel and François Rüf have stepped down. Eva Künzi has been newly elected as an independent member of the Board. Werner Vontobel, who served as Chairman of the Board until March 2025 and subsequently as a member, played a significant role in shaping the company over several years, including the establishment of YAPEAL’s governance and compliance structures. Eva Künzi brings extensive experience in legal, regulatory, and compliance matters and joins the Board as an independent member, ensuring continuity in these areas. François Rüf contributed to YAPEAL with his technical expertise and entrepreneurial experience. The Board continues to maintain strong technical competence through members including Stephan Murer, former CTO of UBS, and Christoph Burkhard, an experienced software entrepreneur. Dominik Bollier “We sincerely thank Werner Vontobel and François Rüf for their tireless dedication and major contributions to YAPEAL’s development,” said Dominik Bollier, Chairman of the Board. “They not only accompanied the company through decisive phases but, with their knowledge, experience, and personal commitment, helped to shape important strategic directions for the future. With Eva Künzi, we are gaining a recognised expert in Legal & Compliance who will help us successfully navigate the next stages of growth.” Founded in 2018, YAPEAL is a holder of Switzerland’s first fintech license issued by FINMA.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by mkmult via Freepik The post YAPEAL Appoints Eva Künzi in Board Restructuring appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Checkout.com has entered a multi-year technology collaboration with Microsoft to enhance its payment infrastructure using Microsoft Azure’s cloud platform. Under the agreement, Checkout.com will migrate its core systems to Azure to improve the speed, security, and scalability of digital payments for its enterprise clients, which include eBay, ASOS, Vinted, Pinterest, and Klarna. The partnership supports both companies’ efforts to advance innovation and trust in the digital economy. Checkout.com’s AI-powered Intelligent Acceptance technology, which optimises payments in real time, will continue to help merchants improve acceptance rates, reduce costs, and increase revenue. Mariano Albera, Chief Technology Officer at Checkout.com, said: Mariano Albera “The Azure platform has leading machine learning capabilities, and Microsoft has long been a pioneer of embedding trust into every layer of cloud innovation so that organisations can build, run and scale critical workloads with absolute confidence.” Tyler Pichach, Global Head of Payments at Microsoft Financial Services, added: Tyler Pichach “The payments industry is a constant source of AI-powered innovation, and by collaborating and co-innovating with Microsoft, Checkout.com will be able to further enhance payment performance for merchants around the world.”     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik The post Checkout.com to Use Microsoft Azure to Strengthen Payments Infrastructure appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.