Blockchain
2020 Study: How Blockchain is Transforming the Financial Services Industry – Current Use Cases Propelling Growth Opportunities in Trade Finance, KYC/AML, and Cross-Border Payments
Dublin, Feb. 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The “How Blockchain is Transforming the Financial Services Industry” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
Blockchain has begun to come into its own in 2019.
In this study, we provide use cases and growth opportunities in 3 sectors: global payments, trade finance, and KYC/AML. These are 3 of the areas where Blockchain has been tested and leveraged with key use cases emerging in financial services; in particular, cross-border payments, and digital identification and verification. There have been use cases in smart contracts across multiple sectors; smart contracts have been especially effective in real estate, supply chain logistics, and law.
The number of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in blockchain and cryptocurrency had a peak year in 2018. Year-over-year to date, the 2019 M&A count is only at 48% of 2018. In terms of value, 2019 is at 64% of the amount at the same time in 2018. The study also includes key findings and growth opportunities going forward. The interest in blockchain solutions as a means of reducing cost, improving efficiency, and increasing collaboration among private and public players is still growing in financial services. Establishing consortia and utilizing the services of large players like Hyperledger and Ethereum confirms this interest, even as smaller blockchain start-ups continue to emerge globally and make an impact.
Regulating blockchain is in development. There has been a significant advancement in the United States though; leading banks and blockchain fintechs are collaborating with regulators and experts to potentially influence future regulations. Currently, a majority of the states in the country have taken action to legislate cryptocurrency and/or blockchain. This lack of industry standards for the technology is one of the biggest concerns across industries in using blockchain.
Fintechs have been partnering with banks for several years. This cooperation will continue but there will also be consolidation; as start-ups develop and test new technologies, and grow their businesses, the larger companies will acquire them to utilize that technology.
The enthusiasm for blockchain and its promise is demonstrated in the annual global survey that the publisher conducts on the state of digital transformation in different industries. We found in that survey that the top 3 reasons banks, financial services companies, and insurance companies are investing in blockchain are: to improve the security of certain classes of data, enable systems with blockchain-specific capabilities, and to gain efficiencies in their external operating ecosystem. Financial companies identified the advantages they are already seeing from blockchain – it improves cost efficiency, enhances customer care, and facilitates further innovation.
Some of the strategic imperatives for financial services companies that are interested in transforming their operations with blockchain include education – internally and externally in their ecosystem; focus on customer expectations when developing technology; recognizing its advantages and what it enables, since it is only likely to continue to grow.
Companies Mentioned
- Axoni
- Cambridge Blockchain
- Circle
- Ethereum
- Hyperledger
- Ripple
- SWIFT
- Templum
- TradeIX
- Veem
Key Topics Covered
1. Executive Summary
- Key Findings
2. Market Overview
- Research Scope
- About Blockchain
- Blockchain Market Segmentation and Ecosystem
3. Current State of Blockchain in Financial Services
- Blockchain in Financial Services – Market Size, Global
- Blockchain in Financial Services – Market Size, US
- Overview of Blockchain in Financial Services
- Largest Financial Institutions are Among the Top Players in the Blockchain 50
- First Consortia, then Universal Trade Network
- Blockchain Consortia are Redefining the Blockchain Space
- M&A Overview
- Landscape Overview
- Overview of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)
- Smart Contracts
- Role of Regulations – Outlook and Impact
- Recent Initiatives in US Blockchain Regulation
- Market Drivers
- Drivers Explained
- Market Restraints
- Restraints Explained
4. Trade Finance
- Trade Finance is an Obvious Application for Blockchain
- Using Blockchain in Trade Finance
- DLT Emerging as a Critical Technology in Trade Finance
- Example Market Initiatives
- Key Disruptor Profile – TradeIX
- Key Disruptor Profile – Axoni
5. Global Payments
- Overview of Cross-Border Payments
- The Status Quo Payment System and the Opportunity for Blockchain
- Benefits of Blockchain in Global Payments
- Example Market Initiatives
- Key Disruptor Profile – Veem
- Key Disruptor Profile – Circle
- Ripple and SWIFT – Competition Fueling Innovation
6. KYC/AML Compliance
- The Cost of KYC/AML
- Preventing Money Laundering Through Collaboration
- Blockchain – Uniquely Positioned to Improve KYC/AML
- Example Market Initiatives
- Potential DLT or Blockchain-enabled KYC Solution
- Example Market Initiatives
- Key Disruptor Profile – Templum
- Key Disruptor Profile – Cambridge Blockchain
7. Growth Opportunities
- Growth Opportunity in Financial Services – Blockchain
- Strategic Imperatives for Blockchain Companies
8. Current State of Digital Transformation
- Global Survey Results – Digital Solutions: All Industries, 2019
- US Survey Results – Digital Solutions and Blockchain/Distributed Ledger: All Industries, 2019
- US Survey Results – Blockchain/Distributed Ledger: All Industries, 2019
- Global Survey Results – Blockchain/Distributed Ledger: Banking/Finance/Insurance, 2019
- US Survey Results – Blockchain/Distributed Ledger: All Industries, 2019
- Global Survey Results – Blockchain/Distributed Ledger: Banking/Finance/Insurance, 2019
- Global Survey Results – Blockchain/Distributed Ledger: All Industries and Banking/Finance/Insurance, 2019
- The Last Word – Predictions for Blockchain in Banking
9. Appendix
- Additional Sources of Information on Fintech, Blockchain, and Financial Services
- List of Exhibits
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/euwf2c
Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
Blockchain
Web3 Startups Raise Nearly $1.9B in Q1 2024 Despite Overall Downtrend in Crypto VC Interest
Venture capital funding for cryptocurrency and blockchain projects has seen a notable resurgence in the first quarter of 2024, marking its first quarterly rise since 2021. Crunchbase data released today indicates that Web3 startups secured nearly $1.9 billion in funding across 346 deals during this period. This represents a substantial 58% increase from the previous quarter, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the ongoing downward trend in overall crypto VC interest.
The recent surge in funding can be attributed to investors adopting a more long-term perspective on Web3, as opposed to the hype-driven “tourist investors” predominant in recent years. Chris Metinko, the author of the report, notes that investors are shifting their focus to the AI sector, indicating a change in investment strategy. There is a growing interest in supporting the foundational infrastructure of the decentralized internet, rather than solely concentrating on crypto wallets and lending platforms, which attracted significant investments during the peak period of 2021 to 2022.
While large funding rounds were relatively uncommon in Q1, several notable investments stood out. Exohood Labs, a company integrating AI, quantum computing, and blockchain, secured a remarkable $112 million seed round at a valuation of $1.4 billion. EigenLabs, an Ether token “restaking” platform, raised $100 million in a Series B round led by a16z crypto. Additionally, Freechat, a decentralized social network leveraging blockchain technology, secured $80 million in a Series A round. These investments, among others, contributed to the increase in valuations and the emergence of four new Web3 unicorns in Q1.
Despite the recent progress, the future trajectory of Web3 remains uncertain. Metinko suggests that the next few quarters will be pivotal in determining the industry’s direction. While investors anticipate a rebound in investment as the decentralized internet evolves, it may take another year for venture capital activity to stabilize after the exuberance of 2021. Factors such as the approval of U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds and the upcoming Bitcoin halving could also influence the market, given the rising prices of Bitcoin and Ether.
A noteworthy example of significant funding in the Web3 space is Monad Labs’ recent successful funding round, which secured $225 million led by Paradigm. Monad Labs is a layer-1 blockchain compatible with Ethereum, offering faster transaction processing. This funding round harkens back to the golden era of crypto funding in 2021-2022, when L1 solutions attracted substantial investments.
Earlier this year, Balance, a digital asset custodian based in Canada, announced that it had once again reached $2 billion in assets under custody (AUC) amidst the recent market recovery. Similarly, Korea Digital Asset (KODA), the largest institutional crypto custody service in South Korea, has experienced remarkable growth in crypto assets under its custody, expanding by nearly 248% in the second half of 2023.
Analysts at Bernstein Research project that crypto funds could reach an impressive $500 billion to $650 billion within the next five years, representing a significant leap from the current valuation of approximately $50 billion. This forecast underscores the growing optimism and potential for substantial growth within the crypto industry in the coming years.
Source: cryptonews.com
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Blockchain
ASIC cracks down on blockchain mining firms
Three blockchain mining companies – NGS Crypto, NGS Digital, and NGS Group – along with their directors, Brett Mendham, Ryan Brown, and Mark Ten Caten, are facing legal action from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) for allegedly operating without a license, in violation of Australia’s Corporations Act. ASIC initiated legal proceedings against these entities on April 9, citing concerns about their non-compliance with financial regulations and their solicitation of Australian investors.
According to ASIC, the NGS companies promoted blockchain mining packages with fixed-rate returns to Australian investors, encouraging the transfer of funds from regulated superannuation funds to self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) for conversion into cryptocurrency. Approximately 450 Australians invested a total of around USD 41 million in these packages, raising concerns about potential financial losses.
The legal action filed by ASIC alleges that the companies violated section 911A of the Corporations Act, which prohibits companies from providing financial services without a valid Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). ASIC is seeking interim and final court orders to prohibit the NGS companies from offering financial services in Australia without an AFSL.
ASIC Chair Joe Longo emphasized the importance of investors carefully considering the risks before investing in crypto-related products through their SMSFs. Longo stated that ASIC’s actions send a message to the crypto industry about the regulator’s commitment to ensuring compliance with regulations and protecting consumers.
In a separate development, the Federal Court appointed receivers for the digital currency assets associated with the NGS companies and their directors to safeguard these assets amid concerns about the risk of dissipation. Mendham was also issued a travel restriction order, preventing him from leaving Australia.
While a court date for the proceedings has not been set, ASIC’s investigation is ongoing, with the regulator continuing to gather evidence and build its case. It is worth noting that the investigated companies share a similar name with NGS Super, a legitimate Australian pensions provider, leading to potential confusion among investors. NGS Super clarified that it is not involved in selling cryptocurrency or related products and has taken legal action to protect its trademark and members’ interests.
Source: iclg.com
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Blockchain
Crypto and Blockchain Weave Deeper Into the Biometrics Space – Identity News Digest
AuthID Inc. has formed a strategic partnership with the National Notarial Centralized Verification System (NNCVS) to integrate biometric identity verification into NNCVS’s online notary platform. NNCVS, a provider of nationwide online services for notaries, aims to transition from a local, in-person framework to a more secure, digital model. By leveraging AuthID’s platform, NNCVS will authenticate the identities of notarial agents and their clients using biometric checks that compare selfies with ID document photos. This enhancement ensures heightened security throughout users’ interactions with the service.
iVALT has introduced a mobile app called OnDemandID, designed to enable users to verify the identity of individuals during phone calls, video calls, or online interactions with a single click. The app employs multiple verification elements, including biometrics, device ID, and location-based parameters like geofencing and time windowing, to prevent deepfake attacks and identity fraud. OnDemandID prioritizes user privacy by storing biometric data locally on the device and refraining from tracking user movements. Additionally, iVALT offers integration into existing enterprise mobile apps, providing a solution to enhance caller verification processes within corporate environments.
Keyless, a company specializing in secure facial recognition, has partnered with EnQualify, an AI-powered Know Your Customer (KYC) verification provider, to enhance online identity verification. Keyless’s privacy-centric ZKB technology will integrate with EnQualify’s AI for initial user verification, enabling a seamless and secure authentication process. This collaboration eliminates the need for repetitive steps and data storage, offering a faster and more user-friendly verification experience while ensuring robust security measures.
Australian fintech Waave has launched its Wallet app to enhance security and convenience for online payments. Integrated with Waave’s Pay by Bank system, Wallet utilizes fingerprint or facial recognition for secure authentication, eliminating the need for passwords and card details. This approach addresses concerns about online fraud, providing a streamlined payment process for consumers and merchants alike. Additionally, Wallet will introduce expense tracking features later in 2024, further enhancing its utility for users.
BeatBit Wellness Lab has introduced the CUDIS ring, a wearable device focused on user-controlled health data management. Powered by Solana blockchain technology, CUDIS tracks biometric data and offers personalized health insights using AI algorithms. Users can contribute anonymized data to a research network and earn rewards, emphasizing data ownership and privacy. The CUDIS ring integrates securely with other Solana and Web3 products, offering users a comprehensive health monitoring solution within the decentralized ecosystem.
Worldcoin has unveiled World Chain, a new blockchain platform designed to prioritize verified human users over bots, aiming to reduce network congestion and transaction fees. Integrated with the Worldcoin protocol’s Proof of Personhood, World Chain provides verified users with priority blockspace and gas allowances. This Layer 2 solution, secured by Ethereum, offers developers access to a large pool of verified users for deploying utility applications. World Chain is set to be open source and permissionless, with plans for community-based governance in the future.
New South Wales (NSW) has launched an Australia-first trial to test digital birth certificates, involving over 18,000 children associated with specific educational institutions. Led by the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in collaboration with the Department of Customer Service, the pilot explores the use of digital certificates with the same legal validity as traditional paper versions. Digital birth certificates aim to simplify administrative tasks and offer enhanced security and convenience, particularly in disaster-prone areas where paper documents could be compromised.
Source: findbiometrics.com
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