Welcome to The Finanser by Chris Skinner. The Finanser discusses all things fintech, finance, banking, technology and, most importantly, the future. Chris Skinner has been voted the most influential technologist in Britain and received a lifetime achievement award for his visionary approach to the future of money from the Payments Association. He has advised the…
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I remember making a prediction twenty-five years ago that all of the biggest banks in the world would be Chinese. Unfortunately, I made this prediction at an American banking conference, when all of the biggest banks in the world were American. Twenty-five years earlier, or fifty years ago, all of the biggest banks were Japanese….
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The Bloomsbury Intelligence and Security Institute (BISI) produced a document yesterday about the risk of cryptocurrency to democracy . Seriously? Cryptocurrency is a libertarian dream that gives all of us a democratic vote. What risk is there? Well, let’s dig into the detail as this is not about “innovation in payments” or “the future of…
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I always remember walking into Barclays in Canary Wharf and having a Boardroom meeting. We looked over to HSBC and realised that they were bigger (200 metres versus 156). Then there was Citibank, also 200 metres. Bar stewards. But now there’s JPMorgan. The American bank is building a new tower that will be bigger than…
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I hesitate to write this, as my Polish friends have been asking me to keep it secret – that is the Polish way, humble but hopeful – but, as a Brit who moved to Poland in 2018, I can see it: Poland is the leading country of Europe today. It is the country that supported…
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I was recently interviewed by the International Finance Magazine about Revolut getting their UK banking licence and what this means to banks in general. Here’s the discussion: With Revolut securing a UK banking licence after years of scrutiny, do you see this as part of a broader shift where fintech platforms are evolving into fully regulated banks?…
Read MoreWe’ve moved from simplicity to fragmentation and now we’re struggling with the consequences. In short, we’ve built a highly fragmented financial world in the name of innovation and now the next phase is about reconnecting it, simplifying it, and making it usable again. By way of example, you have to launch several different apps to…
Read More
I’ve just read the regulatory roadmap that the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority released this week and realised that it is less a neat plan and more a recognition that the current system is broken and we’ve run out of road with Open Banking. For the past decade, Open Banking has been the poster child of…
Read More
We love to throw phrases around to try to ground the next generation of banking. I was lucky enough to coin the phrase “digital bank” and “banking-as-a-service” years ago, and have now moved on to “intelligent bank” (coming out soon). For those who read my blog regularly, you will know that I see this as…
Read More
I read Jamie Dimon’s latest annual letter released yesterday. It has become, for many, one of the best benchmark letters to read about the state of banking each year and, as always, it’s less a report card on JPMorgan Chase and more a reflection on the state of the world. What struck me most is…
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I just found an interesting report on fintech in Germany, a place I’ve spent a lot of time with the likes of N26, Trade Republic, Mambu, Raisin and Solaris. That is just to name a few! The reality is that there are hundreds of fintechs in Germany – “more than 700” according to the German…
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There’s a fundamental truth about money that we often forget: money only works because we all agree to use the same system. Whether it’s Visa, SWIFT or central bank money, the power of finance has always come from shared networks. The bigger the network, the more useful the money. This is why the latest working…
Read More
I was talking to an insider friend in the Revolut empire yesterday and he implied that Revolut is in talks to acquire a major Asian bank in its expansion across the region. I asked him which bank? but he kept schtum. So, I was thinking about it and wondered if it could be DBS? DBS operates…
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Short summary: Tokenization is not new, but dates back 10,000 years when early societies used clay tokens to record ownership of goods. These were not money, but data tools to track value. Modern digital tokens and blockchain systems are simply the latest evolution, but can now do more than just record transactions. We can now…
Read MoreI was recently interviewed by the International Finance Magazine about Revolut getting their UK banking licence and what this means to banks in general. Here’s the discussion: With Revolut securing a UK banking licence after years of scrutiny, do you see this as part of a broader shift where fintech platforms are evolving into fully regulated banks?…
Read MoreWe’ve moved from simplicity to fragmentation and now we’re struggling with the consequences. In short, we’ve built a highly fragmented financial world in the name of innovation and now the next phase is about reconnecting it, simplifying it, and making it usable again. By way of example, you have to launch several different apps to…
Read More
A chat with Wio Bank, a fully digital, platform-based bank – I recently had a nudge to talk to Wio Bank, who claim to be the Middle East’s first fully digital, platform-based bank launched in Abu Dhabi in 2022 (not sure about this as there are over 20 neobanks operating in the Middle East). Backed…
Read MoreI’ve just read the regulatory roadmap that the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority released this week and realised that it is less a neat plan and more a recognition that the current system is broken and we’ve run out of road with Open Banking. For the past decade, Open Banking has been the poster child of…
Read MoreWe love to throw phrases around to try to ground the next generation of banking. I was lucky enough to coin the phrase “digital bank” and “banking-as-a-service” years ago, and have now moved on to “intelligent bank” (coming out soon). For those who read my blog regularly, you will know that I see this as…
Read MoreI read Jamie Dimon’s latest annual letter released yesterday. It has become, for many, one of the best benchmark letters to read about the state of banking each year and, as always, it’s less a report card on JPMorgan Chase and more a reflection on the state of the world. What struck me most is…
Read MoreI just found an interesting report on fintech in Germany, a place I’ve spent a lot of time with the likes of N26, Trade Republic, Mambu, Raisin and Solaris. That is just to name a few! The reality is that there are hundreds of fintechs in Germany – “more than 700” according to the German…
Read MoreI was talking to an insider friend in the Revolut empire yesterday and he implied that Revolut is in talks to acquire a major Asian bank in its expansion across the region. I asked him which bank? but he kept schtum. So, I was thinking about it and wondered if it could be DBS? DBS operates…
Read MoreShort summary: Tokenization is not new, but dates back 10,000 years when early societies used clay tokens to record ownership of goods. These were not money, but data tools to track value. Modern digital tokens and blockchain systems are simply the latest evolution, but can now do more than just record transactions. We can now…
Read MoreThe Bloomsbury Intelligence and Security Institute (BISI) produced a document yesterday about the risk of cryptocurrency to democracy . Seriously? Cryptocurrency is a libertarian dream that gives all of us a democratic vote. What risk is there? Well, let’s dig into the detail as this is not about “innovation in payments” or “the future of…
Read More
I just had an interesting podcast conversation about stablecoins, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and tokenised deposits. Most people in finance think they understand the differences, but it’s worth pausing for a moment, because the distinctions really matter. At a very simple level: stablecoins are privately issued digital tokens (think USDC or Tether) backed by…
Read More
I’ve been inundated with reports about stablecoins lately, and they all say the same thing … but in very different ways. So let me try and cut through the noise. Stablecoins are for wholesale commercial banking and trading today. They are not for the likes of you and me. But that will change. Let’s narrow…
Read MoreThere’s a fundamental truth about money that we often forget: money only works because we all agree to use the same system. Whether it’s Visa, SWIFT or central bank money, the power of finance has always come from shared networks. The bigger the network, the more useful the money. This is why the latest working…
Read More
Google’s latest research delivers a clear warning: the cryptography securing today’s cryptocurrencies is not future-proof. Advances in quantum computing are accelerating, and the resources needed to break core encryption (elliptic curve cryptography) are far lower than previously thought. This isn’t a distant, theoretical risk anymore. It’s a strategic, time-bound challenge. What’s changed? 20x efficiency gain: Google…
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I recently tried to cash in a bitcoin. It’s a physical bitcoin that is active, and I have the bitcoin address. Then I realised I had lost the private keys to use it and, well, you can guess. It made me realise that, if I wasn’t around, what would happen to my crypto investments? How would…
Read MoreShort summary: Tokenization is not new, but dates back 10,000 years when early societies used clay tokens to record ownership of goods. These were not money, but data tools to track value. Modern digital tokens and blockchain systems are simply the latest evolution, but can now do more than just record transactions. We can now…
Read More
I was just having a chat with an AI engine asking about the most common questions people ask about cryptocurrencies. Really interesting answer so, I thought I would share it here (with my edits), as I’d be really interested in your views and answers. Equally, I’m tempted to say that this should be a test…
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I was talking with a friend the other day who asked me to explain some basic questions around cryptocurrencies, as he was confused. It started with why everyone is talking about layers of blockchain? I explained that there are four layers, starting with level 0 and then 1, 2 and 3, and it is all…
Read MoreThe Bloomsbury Intelligence and Security Institute (BISI) produced a document yesterday about the risk of cryptocurrency to democracy . Seriously? Cryptocurrency is a libertarian dream that gives all of us a democratic vote. What risk is there? Well, let’s dig into the detail as this is not about “innovation in payments” or “the future of…
Read More
I always love looking back to the past for predictions of the future. From The Jetsons flying car to the communicator in Star Trek, there are so many examples of science fiction, much of which has become science fact. Just look at SpaceX’s reusable rockets or the Artemis II crew flying around the moon, and…
Read MoreI’ve just read the regulatory roadmap that the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority released this week and realised that it is less a neat plan and more a recognition that the current system is broken and we’ve run out of road with Open Banking. For the past decade, Open Banking has been the poster child of…
Read MoreI just had an interesting podcast conversation about stablecoins, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and tokenised deposits. Most people in finance think they understand the differences, but it’s worth pausing for a moment, because the distinctions really matter. At a very simple level: stablecoins are privately issued digital tokens (think USDC or Tether) backed by…
Read More
It was interesting that, last week, US regulators called an urgent meeting with the CEOs of the largest banks last Thursday, after the emergence of a new AI model from Anthropic called Claude Mythos. The reason wasn’t hype – it was capability. This model appears able to identify deep vulnerabilities in widely used software and…
Read MoreI’ve been inundated with reports about stablecoins lately, and they all say the same thing … but in very different ways. So let me try and cut through the noise. Stablecoins are for wholesale commercial banking and trading today. They are not for the likes of you and me. But that will change. Let’s narrow…
Read MoreI was talking to an insider friend in the Revolut empire yesterday and he implied that Revolut is in talks to acquire a major Asian bank in its expansion across the region. I asked him which bank? but he kept schtum. So, I was thinking about it and wondered if it could be DBS? DBS operates…
Read More
I use a variety of sites like Coinbase and IG for investing but find them very cumbersome. Trying to find how to sell and get rid of assets is not easy, unless you do it often. Here’s my vision of the near-term future. Money, investing, saving, trading will be just like Siri and Alex. “Coinbase,…
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I wonder what my kids will feel in a financial future of 2050 and beyond. We will probably regale them with stories about using cheques and cash and paper to exchange value. They will probably be amazed that such systems worked, but it’s a bit like me being amazed about how tally sticks worked a…
Read MoreThings we’re reading today include … Europe’s largest cryptocurrency adoption study Fintech M&A rebounds despite drop in public valuations How US and Iran are playing a crypto cat-and-mouse game over sanctions The New Role of the Bank CIO in the AI Era BNP Paribas reports 9% rise in Q1 profit, investment bank stutters Nubank: Defining…
Read MoreThings we’re reading today include … Texas man who ran cryptocurrency scam supposedly backed by blue-chip art worth $1bn sentenced to 23 years in prison Barclays cuts back risky lending after £228m hit from UK mortgage firm MFS Lloyds Bank confirms another 80,500 customers’ transactions may have been exposed by major IT glitch Why healthcare…
Read MoreThings we’re reading today include … Bitcoin drives back toward $80K—but one billionaire may be fuelling much of the rally Swiss bank Lombard and daughter of former Uzbek president accused in money laundering trial Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News Ant International and Citi Reshape SME Payments with PayTo Cryptocurrency: Risks to Democracy Why Businesses…
Read MoreThings we’re reading today include … Sir David Attenborough preferred over Churchill on new banknotes, Bank of England consultation finds NatWest faces AGM showdown over ‘climate backtracking’ Make Way for the Investment Bank Influencers Global stock markets are too high and set to fall, says Bank of England deputy Deep Dive: The Emergence of the…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … Will global fintech banks destroy traditional banking? I was recently interviewed by the International Finance Magazine about Revolut getting their UK banking licence and what this means to banks in general. Here’s the discussion: With Revolut securing a UK banking licence after years of scrutiny, do you see this as part…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … Did the regulator just admit that banking is a mess? I’ve just read the regulatory roadmap that the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority released this week and realised that it is less a neat plan and more a recognition that the current system is broken and we’ve run out of…
Read MoreThings we’re reading today include … OpenAI buys personal finance fintech Hiro Bank of England and FCA commit to action on AI following warnings from MPs – Committees – UK Parliament Latest AI models could threaten world banking system, financial officials warn Our latest views on the major central banks | ING Bank robbers hold…
Read MoreThings we’re reading today include … Industry Tender Explained: The Real Fintech Scandals Crypto Market Update: Goldman Sachs Files for Bitcoin ETF Big energy shock will push up prices, Bank of England boss tells BBC Big US banks rake in near $50bn profit as Iran war shakes markets Largest US banks spend record $33bn on…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … Will global fintech banks destroy traditional banking? I was recently interviewed by the International Finance Magazine about Revolut getting their UK banking licence and what this means to banks in general. Here’s the discussion: With Revolut securing a UK banking licence after years of scrutiny, do you see this as part…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … Did the regulator just admit that banking is a mess? I’ve just read the regulatory roadmap that the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority released this week and realised that it is less a neat plan and more a recognition that the current system is broken and we’ve run out of…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … Almost half of the world’s banks aren’t ready for ISO20022 Just got some interesting research from RedCompass Labs that states 44% of banks aren’t on track to meet ISO 20022’s structured address migration deadline in November 2026. It’s an important deadline as it marks a hard stop to the old SWIFT…
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This week’s main discussions include … Money only works in a trusted, shared system … which is why blockchains don’t work There’s a fundamental truth about money that we often forget: money only works because we all agree to use the same system. Whether it’s Visa, SWIFT or central bank money, the power of finance…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … Programmable liquidity: five foundations reshaping modern treasury I had a great chat the other day – the first in a series of three – with Quant’s Chief Product Officer Martin Hargreaves about programmable liquidity. What’s that? Read on … Programmable liquidity: five foundations reshaping modern treasury How is programmable…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … Is the future digital identity your heartbeat? I use a variety of sites like Coinbase and IG for investing but find them very cumbersome. Trying to find how to sell and get rid of assets is not easy, unless you do it often. Here’s my vision of the near-term…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … What is x402 and why will it transform payments? The next era of payments: when money moves at internet speed I just found an interesting report by KPMG about a new payment standard called x402. Have you heard of it? If you haven’t, it’s built to ensure open, free, frictionless…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … The Intelligence Revolution I just did a webinar sponsored by Xpand IT. Here is a summary: From Physical to Digital to Intelligent: The Third Revolution of Finance Let me start with a simple question. How many of you think we’re living through a period of unprecedented change in finance?…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … Stripe buying PayPal? Wow! Two headlines really struck me this morning. The first is that Stripe is now valued at over $150 billion – I’ve been following Stripe’s valuations for over a decade (it was just over $9 billion in 2016) … … and the second is that they…
Read MoreThis week’s main discussions include … The future is right here, right now In the last day, I’ve been blown away by two developments coming out of China. One is an AI movie sequence that’s only 15 seconds long; the second was the Spring Festival celebration to welcome the New Year of the Fire Horse….
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