Blockchain
Budget No Longer a Barrier in Fintech Digital Transformation: Report Ahead of 2021 FinTech Connect
LONDON, UK – Wednesday 1st December – FinTech Connect, the UK’s largest fintech show, has today shared its 2021 Industry Survey. With insights collected from over 100 FinTech executives from across the industry ecosystem in Q4 2021, the report reveals the biggest challenges felt and opportunities anticipated by the today’s leaders. These findings come just ahead of FinTech Connect’s virtual event, taking place from 1st December to 2nd December. Registration for this event is still open, and can be found here: https://www.fintechconnect.com/events-london/
“To say that 2021 has provided the industry with some unexpected crossroads would be an understatement,” says Laurence Coldicott, Director of Content at FinTech Connect. “Financial providers have had to magnify their digital transformation efforts tenfold or explore different strategic options to not only keep up and grow with the demands of consumers, but to make it through such an intense period of disruption unscathed.”
For almost half of FinTech leads (49%) budget was a blocker to digital change in 2020 – but things are looking better. Today, only 6% of FinTech leads believe budget is a barrier to implementing a strong digital transformation strategy, which is considerably less to other factors such as internal concerns around cybersecurity and fraud (27%).
Other key findings from FinTech Connect’s 2021 Industry Survey include:
- Adaption Tops the Agenda for the Coming Year. 33% of respondents saying change management is the priority in the next 12 months
- Challengers To Be Abandoned by Consumers. 39% of respondents say consumers will return to trusted high street brands.
- AI & Cloud Lead for Deployment – But RPA and Blockchain Are Closing In. 31% say they are deploying blockchain on mass, while RPA climbs up the implementation agenda.
- The Covid Effect Most Felt in Culture. 41% of participants said that the pandemic caused a cultural shift in which perception of their business changed.
- Blockchain Is on The Up. Disillusionment clearing with positive signs of maturity and implementation.
- Banking On Baas and Embedded Finance. The impact of BaaS and Embedded Finance on the fintech landscape will be overwhelmingly positive over the next 18 months.
- Paris Rivalling London for Fintech Crown. Battle to be capital is a two-horse race, with Paris closing in on London.
- Supply Chain Woes Spare Most Fintech Players. Majority of FS organisations have been shielded from the effects of the supply chain crisis.
- Pan-European Hopes to Be Dashed by Consolidation. Fintechs with ambitious plans for European expansion most at threat from incumbent M&A.
The survey was compiled and anonymized by FinTech Connect and analysed along with commentary from members of the FinTech Connect Advisory Board. Full report available at: https://www.fintechconnect.com/events-london/downloads/2021-the-year-of-fintech-adaption
These key insights, and more, will be discussed further at FinTech Connect’s Virtual Event. Panels and speaker events will centre around DX Connect, PayTech Connect, Blockchain Connect, and Regtech & Security Connect. Each area will feature key speaker sessions and panel discussions with experts in their respective fields discussing everything from the role of blockchain in the global supply chain, to how corporations are embracing B2B payments in an ever-changing market. Speakers include:
- Ashok Vaswani, CEO Consumer Banking and Payments, Barclays
- Russell Pert, Director, Head of Industry, Financial Services and Travel, Facebook
- Marijke Nijhoff, Head of Product – Digital Payments, IKEA Group
- Andrew Murphy, Group Operations Director, John Lewis Partnership
- Alberto Cozer, Senior Global Digital Innovation Manager, Nestlé
- Arka Sircar, Director of Strategy, TSB Bank
- Vinayak Thakur, Group Product Manager, Risk and Payments, Uber
- Alison Harwood, Head of London Branch, Varengold Bank
-ENDS-
ABOUT FINTECH CONNECT
FinTech Connect is the UK’s leading fintech conference and is where the global FinTech ecosystem comes to connect. It is where large teams from major financial institutions go to assess the latest innovations in the market, and where fintechs come to accelerate dialogues with digital buyers with responsibility across digital transformation, payments, financial security, regtech and blockchain.
Established in 2015, FinTech Connect attracts 4,000+ delegates, 80+ speakers and 30+ tech demos from industry sectors including payments, retail banking, wholesale banking, lending, insurance, and capital markets.
The exclusive, invite-only Leaders Summit, held on 30 November at Central Halls in Westminster, featured talks by executives such as CEO of Starling Bank Anne Boden, and CEO of Ziglu Mark Hipperson. Panel discussions ranged from topics of DEI and sustainability to the future of digital finance in the UK and were joined by leaders from the London Stock Exchange Group, Lloyds Banking Group, Morgan Stanley, Mettle and Yobota.
To find out more, or to register as a visitor or sponsor, visit: https://www.fintechconnect.com/events-london/
Twitter: @FinTech_Connect
LinkedIn: FinTech Connect
Press contacts
Cait Córdova/Ryan O’Leary
[email protected]
Source: RealWire
Blockchain
Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – April 25, 2025 | BitNile, Dutch Blockchain Week, Citigroup, Philippine Blockchain Week, D.O.G.E Foundation
Blockchain’s metamorphosis from niche ledger technology to the backbone of Web3 has never been more evident. Today, we cover five stories that illustrate the evolving ecosystem: a gaming platform issuing its own token on Solana; Europe’s marquee Web3 summit; a major bank forecasting a “ChatGPT moment” for blockchain; a Southeast Asian conference aimed at busting crypto myths; and a foundation rebuilding blockchain from the ground up to solve scalability. Each development—whether product launch, industry gathering, macro forecast, educational initiative, or infrastructure innovation—offers a window into the trends shaping decentralized finance, NFTs, DeFi, and beyond.
1. BitNile.com to Launch Nile Coin on Solana
News Summary
Hyperscale Data’s subsidiary BitNile.com will introduce the Nile Coin on Solana starting May 1, 2025. The U.S.–based social gaming site chose Solana for its high throughput and low fees, aiming to enhance in-game economies, reward engagement, and deliver seamless micro-transactions. Details on tokenomics and governance are forthcoming, but management touts Nile Coin as a cornerstone of future gaming experiences.
Source: CoinTrus
Analysis & Commentary
Launching a proprietary token underscores two converging trends: the gamification of finance and finance-ification of gaming. By minting Nile Coin, BitNile.com taps into DeFi mechanics—staking, liquidity pools, NFT rewards—while leveraging Solana’s scalability. Strategically, BitNile.com positions itself for partnerships with NFT marketplaces and DeFi protocols, potentially opening secondary markets for in-game assets and generating new revenue streams beyond ad sales or subscription fees.
2. Dutch Blockchain Week 2025 Gears Up in Amsterdam
News Summary
From May 19–25, Amsterdam will host the sixth annual Dutch Blockchain Week, culminating in the two-day summit (May 21–22) at De Meervaart. Tier 1 exchanges (Bitvavo, Kraken, Coinbase), Web3 pioneers (WOW.ai, Blockrise), regulators (European Commission, De Nederlandsche Bank), and industry partners (Mastercard, Deloitte) will convene. Side events range from AI-powered hackathons tackling compliance to padel networking meetups—underscoring the event’s blend of technology, policy, and community.
Source: Dutch Blockchain Week
Analysis & Commentary
Dutch Blockchain Week typifies the maturation of blockchain conferences into multidisciplinary forums. Beyond token talk and yield farming, panels on regulation, institutional adoption, and security reflect Web3’s integration into mainstream finance. Anticipate announcements on CBDC pilots, DeFi compliance frameworks, and cross-chain interoperability projects that may emerge from the Block & Order Hackathon.
3. Citigroup Predicts Blockchain’s “ChatGPT Moment”
News Summary
In an April 23 report, Citigroup analysts argue that 2025 could be blockchain’s “ChatGPT moment,” driven by regulatory clarity around stablecoins and integration with traditional financial systems. They forecast stablecoin market capitalization ballooning to $1.6 trillion (base case) or as much as $3.7 trillion (bull case) by 2030—anchored by dollar-denominated issuers and collateralized with U.S. Treasuries. Regulatory frameworks like the GENIUS Act could catalyze adoption among banks and fintechs.
Source: Cointelegraph
Analysis & Commentary
Drawing parallels to generative AI’s explosive growth, Citigroup envisions a tipping point where blockchain moves from experimental to essential infrastructure. Successful integration will hinge on robust compliance tools, auditability, and clear governance models. Enterprise blockchain vendors should prepare for surging demand in tokenized payments, on-chain settlements, and embedded DeFi rails within legacy systems.
4. Philippine Blockchain Week 2025 Debunks Crypto Myths
News Summary
Scheduled for June 10–11 at SMX Convention Center Manila, Philippine Blockchain Week (PBW) 2025 will tackle misinformation and spotlight real-world use cases. Highlights include “Crypto, Unpacked” sessions demystifying the technology; “Smart Regulation” panels uniting policymakers and innovators; and “Blockchain for Impact” showcases on remittances, disaster relief, and digital identity. Founding President Donald Lim emphasizes government support and public–private collaboration to spur inclusive growth.
Source: UseTheBitcoin
Analysis & Commentary
PBW exemplifies how emerging markets leverage education to accelerate Web3 adoption responsibly. By engaging regulators early, PBW can shape balanced frameworks that encourage innovation while protecting consumers—an instructive model for markets wrestling with both hype and skepticism.
5. D.O.G.E Foundation Launches New Blockchain, Opens Seed Round
News Summary
The D.O.G.E Foundation announced a ground-up blockchain rebuild designed to solve the scalability and reliability challenges plaguing existing networks. This modular architecture separates validation from execution to enable parallel transaction processing—targeting real-time gaming, DeFi under high load, and AI-driven applications. A seed funding round is now open to investors who share the vision of a performant, decentralized infrastructure.
Source: D.O.G.E Altcoin GlobeNewswire
Analysis & Commentary
As layer-1 congestion and high gas fees persist, new entrants must justify a “why now” with clear architectural advantages. If the D.O.G.E blockchain delivers real-world throughput and maintains decentralization, it could spur a renaissance of high-performance DeFi protocols and NFT platforms hungry for cost-effective base layers.
Conclusion & Key Takeaways
-
Tokenization of Entertainment: BitNile’s Nile Coin on Solana highlights blockchain’s expansion into gaming economies and NFT reward systems.
-
Convergence of Tech, Policy & Community: Dutch Blockchain Week showcases Web3’s evolution into an ecosystem engaging regulators, enterprises, and developers under one roof.
-
Mainstream Inflection Point: Citigroup’s “ChatGPT moment” thesis suggests blockchain is poised for exponential adoption given regulatory support.
-
Education as Catalyst: Philippine Blockchain Week’s myth-busting curriculum underscores the importance of public–private dialogue in emerging markets.
-
Infrastructure Innovation: The D.O.G.E Foundation’s modular, high-throughput chain exemplifies the next wave of layer-1 networks addressing real-time, real-world use cases.
Today’s stories convey that blockchain’s next chapter will be written through strategic token launches, global convenings, regulatory clarity, educational outreach, and radical infrastructure redesign. By tracking these threads, industry participants can anticipate opportunities in DeFi, NFTs, Web3 games, and enterprise integration. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Blocks & Headlines, where we’ll continue to decode the innovations shaping decentralized finance.
The post Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – April 25, 2025 | BitNile, Dutch Blockchain Week, Citigroup, Philippine Blockchain Week, D.O.G.E Foundation appeared first on News, Events, Advertising Options.
Blockchain
Chameleon Finance Launches Green Finance Initiative to Advance Sustainable Digital Asset Infrastructure
Blockchain
Ov Finance Upgrades Blockchain Infrastructure to Deliver Faster, Safer Digital Asset Trading
-
Blockchain6 days ago
Islamic finance Market to Reach $3.4 Trillion by 2027 in the short run and $7.7 Trillion by 2033 Globally, at 12.0% CAGR: Allied Market Research
-
Blockchain5 days agoBlocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – April 22, 2025 (Activity‑Weighted Consensus, Pectra Upgrade, Yoki Legacy, Verae–Evercycle, Earth Day)
-
Blockchain3 days ago
Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – April 23, 2025 – EDPB, Binance, MicroCloud, Nile Coin, TruaBroker
-
Blockchain2 days ago
Blocks & Headlines: Today in Blockchain – April 24, 2025 (Decrypt, CoinDesk, Cointelegraph, 80 Level, UNDP/BGA)
-
Blockchain3 days agoBlaqclouds Board Approves 30-Day Revenue Acceleration and Ecosystem Monetization Plan
-
Blockchain Press Releases6 days agoIntroducing Clementine Bridge: Citrea Deploys First Complete BitVM Bridge Design on Testnet
-
Blockchain Press Releases4 days agoCompass Mining Partners with NiceHash to Provide Discounted Pool Fees to Customers
-
Blockchain Press Releases3 days ago
Blockchain for Good Alliance Launches Global Accelerator and Fund with UNDP
