Coupling blockchain systems is a breakthrough that will bring with it improved efficiency and ease of use, but for now it is a benefit for bank treasuries alone.

Amid a hastening surge of big tech firms into the financial services space, the question of regulatory reform is becoming ever more critical.

Open banking technology shows great promise but is being underutilised, especially when it comes to sharing data within banks themselves. 

Boosting interoperability and speed while cutting risk, wholesale CBDCs would be a boon for cross-border settlements but are still very much in the experimental phase, making co-operation between central banks vital for success.

Across the continent, cashew farmers – among those in a growing range of agricultural markets – are making use of blockchain to digitise their finances and track the numbers more effectively.

Central bank digital currencies are still a way off the mainstream, but progress is being made in both developed and emerging economies.

The spectacular fall in the value of crypto assets over the past year and November's collapse of crypto exchange FTX has highlighted the pitfalls of investing in this market. Michael Imeson explores how the risks are being managed by different players in the crypto ecosystem.

Many are expecting to see consolidation in the fintech community as a result of the impending global recession and the easy money of recent years drying up. 

The OCC has announced a new fintech office in response to rising financial digitalisation, creating a fork in the road that leads either to rigid regulation or innovation inspiration.

These oases of regulatory safety are being leveraged by fintechs and challenger banks to trial groundbreaking technologies, and incumbents should join them.