Grid

The main blog discussions this week include … CBDCs, the Digital Euro and how it might work I’m very aware that central banks are investigating the use of digital currencies, particularly as they can now see bitcoin gaining more and more traction (Tesla, Square and more committed – next is Apple?), but had not realised…

I made a joke the other day about visiting PC World, and you really have to watch what you say in there. Swimming with dolphins, using the word f**k, taking Rule Britannia out of the Proms, using the phrase nitty gritty, the list goes on. The tippy-toe issues are highlighted brilliantly by this comedy sketch,…

As mentioned the other day, I’m focused upon purpose-driven banking these days. I guess this theme has come to the fore because of digital transformation, as the two seem to go hand-in-hand, and it sits at the heart of leadership. These themes were reinforced for me when Jim Marous sent me a report from MIT…

Britain has left the EU, but now I read headlines everywhere saying cross-border movements are impossible, Ireland is broken, the City was ignored, our fisherman cannot sell shellfish and so on and so forth. A disaster? Possibly but, on the other hand, everything that is wrong with the EU was illustrated by the Covid vaccine….

I haven’t commented much on bitcoin’s (BTC) recent surge, as I’ve been watching and waiting, but it is something. Just in case you didn’t notice, the value has moved from a low of under $5,000 per BTC in March 2020 to around $50,000 per BTC today. But it’s not just BTC: it’s Ether, Bitcoin Cash,…

I’m very aware that central banks are investigating the use of digital currencies, particularly as they can now see bitcoin gaining more and more traction (Tesla, Square and more committed – next is Apple?), but had not realised how extensive are those investigations. According to the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) latest paper, 86% of the…

The main blog discussions this week include … Singapore-on-the-Thames? Welcome to the new London … [Kalifa Review] In the midst of Brexit plans and a Covid pandemic, the UK Government launched a FinTech review chaired by Ron Kalifa. I’ve met Ron at a few conferences, when he was CEO and then Chairman of WorldPay and…

Sitting quietly in my room, I felt someone breathing on my neck. It was him. Y’know. The elephant. The elephant represents the economy and this is the ninth in a series. “Wassup?” I asked. He just looked at me, mournfully. “OK. What is wrong?” I repeated. He had a tear in his eye. “Hey, hey,…

I often feel bad for not having started a FinTech start-up myself. It’s not that I haven’t thought about it or had the ideas, it’s more to do with that I like to talk and write rather than do anything. Those who can’t, teach! Nevertheless, it’s not like I haven’t started businesses – the Financial…

I wrote a blog a few days ago about money not being about jars and pots. The gist of the blog is that it annoys me when banks offer different sections for different objectives: savings, education, wedding, holiday and so on. The blog got some pushback, saying that people on limited budgets find this allocation…