Paysafe looks to pocket profits by bolstering its digital wallet business August 10, 2016 Payment solutions company Paysafe has revealed it hopes to rake in the cash from its digital wallet business, including launching a new mobile-enabled wallet in September. Joel Leonoff, Paysafe president and chief executive, described the product in the pipeline as being focused on generic goods, including pharmaceutical products, groceries and alcohol. "What we're building and what we're [...]
Unauthorised overdraft charges can cost consumers more than payday loans, according to research from an online current account specialist August 10, 2016 Overdraft fees can cost as much as five times more than a pay-day loan according to figures from digital current account provider Ffrees. Borrowing £100 for a month on a short term loan can incur charges of as much as £20, but taking the same amount from an unauthorised overdraft could see consumers stung for £100, [...]
Four reasons why you should think about switching your bank account August 10, 2016 Banks are going to offer customers more sophisticated digital products following an order from competition chiefs. Every high street bank alongside the only-online “challenger” banks will soon have to launch an app where customers can see all of their accounts in one place. It will also allow people to see better deals among competitor banks, so [...]
Challengers lambast competition watchdog’s report for focussing on technology and ignoring red tape issues August 10, 2016 Challenger banks have lambasted the competition watchdog for squandering a rare opportunity for change in a sector dominated by larger players. Many of the UK’s up-and-coming lenders were disappointed that yesterday’s final report from the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) retail banking investigation focused more on using technology to disrupt the sector than on tearing down some of the [...]
The CMA missed its opportunity to level the playing field for challengers and end the banking oligopoly August 9, 2016 To deal with a problem, first you need to recognise it. While yesterday’s final report from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on UK retail and SME banking identifies the problems of the market, it has fallen short when it comes to making recommendations that will address the underlying issues. The report makes several constructive suggestions [...]
Anger erupts as North Sea decommissioning contract goes to non-UK firm August 9, 2016 Anger erupted today after UK companies lost out to a Norwegian firm in a tendering process to decommission an oil platform in the UK North Sea. Unions urged policymakers in Holyrood and Westminster to ensure that the UK North Sea oil and gas industry benefits from an estimated £47bn which will be spent on decommissioning by 2040. It comes [...]
Banking bazooka? CMA report great for fintech, costly for banks August 9, 2016 The competition watchdog has today handed fintech startups a bazooka for their mission of disrupting banks, with new rules for making data more open to improve customer choice. The so-called big four – HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland – and other smaller high street banks will have to work together to create standards for sharing [...]
CMA banking review pushes up banks’ share prices August 9, 2016 Shares in the UK's largest lenders rose this morning, after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published its "shake up" of the UK's banking sector. Shares in Barclays were up two per cent at 160.6p in lunchtime trading, while RBS rose 1.9 per cent to 188.2p. Meanwhile, Lloyds and HSBC both edged up 0.5 per cent, to [...]
How the big high street banks responded to the CMA report August 9, 2016 There's been a lot of noise in the banking sector this morning, as people try to digest the recommendations laid out in the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) final report from its retail banking investigation. Among the most eye-catching announcements was that of the Open Banking programme, which will enable personal and small business customers to share [...]
Vodafone has ditched separate line rental charges amid regulatory pressure over pricing August 9, 2016 Vodafone – the mobile phone giant that has recently turned its hand to broadband – has said it will scrap line rental charges in a UK industry first. Both new and upgrading home broadband customers in the UK will not be billed the £18 monthly charge if they commit to an 18-month contract. Vodafone came late to the broadband party in the [...]