Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto originally suggested it as a peer-to-peer form of electronic cash. But as the cryptocurrency gains credibility as an asset class, and demand grows for its use in emerging markets, it is beginning to resemble gold as a store of value, writes Daniele Bianchi.
With both the second Payment Services Directive and the UK Competition and Markets Authority plans for open banking coming into effect in January 2018, firms are under pressure to balance customer convenience and customer protection to maintain their place in the market, writes Jonathan Hoey, partner at UK law firm TLT.
After a spell of economic success, the 10 member-states of the Association of South-east Asian Nations face a more challenging future due to both infrastructure deficiencies and a rapidly changing demographic. Don Kanak, chairman of Eastspring Investments, explains why businesses and governments must come together to confront the issues.
Risk management is a permanent fixture of the financial world, so it is wise to take the smart approach to hiring management accountants, writes Andrew Harding of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.
Although technology can sometimes feel like a threat, financial institutions that embrace it can slash costs, reduce cyber risks and better meet customer needs, says Timothy Adams of the Institute of International Finance.
Western banks are understandably cautious about doing business in Myanmar and Iran, even after changes to sanction rules were introduced in 2016. Matthew Oresman and Aaron Hutman of Pillsbury Law negotiate their way around what remains a delicate subject for many.
The EU should abandon a one-size-fits-all mentality to ensure a diverse banking market by setting proportionate regulation and encouraging innovation, says Chris de Noose of the European Savings and Retail Banking Group.
Determining how UK financial services interact with the EU following the referendum will be no easy task. One approach might be to look to how banking regulation was originally negotiated, suggests former Association for Financial Markets in Europe director Peter Beales.
The shadow banking sector got a bad press after the global financial crisis, but it can be a valuable source of innovation while helping to mitigate financial risk, writes Harald Benink of the European Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee.