Chris Skinner's blog

Shaping the future of finance

Who are you? The issue of identity …

We had a really interesting meeting about digital identity, blockchain and the Calais Jungle at The Financial Services Club recently from Jaz and Nils O’Hara of the Worldwide Tribe. One member of  the Club, Nick Swanson of ObjectTech, was so taken with it that he blogged about it.  Thanks Nick and he’s kindly allowed me…

Core systems should have built-in obsolescence

Talking about moving from proprietary to open, from controlled to marketplace and from internal to external focus, another key change is the very nature of technology itself.  It’s quite clear that a start-up today could launch with just a few thousand dollars, Amazon Web Services and a bright idea.  There is no need to build…

The Finanser’s Week: 26th September – 2nd October 2016

Here are our key posts for the past week … Do we really need to rip up the roads? In a discussion yesterday, I made a comment which resonated.  It was in comparing FinTech with transportation, and the idea that just because FinTech comes up with the idea of a self-driving car does not mean…

Of course we need to rip up the roads

I often write some things that I don’t believe, such as yesterday’s blog about the fact that we don’t need to rip up the roads.  Of course we need to rip up the roads, because our mode of transport has changed dramatically.  A great example of this change is just the very nature of the underlying…

Do we really need to rip up the roads?

In a discussion yesterday, I made a comment which resonated.  It was in comparing FinTech with transportation, and the idea that just because FinTech comes up with the idea of a self-driving car does not mean that we have to rip up the roads, does it?  No.  The transportation system has a huge amount of…

As traders leave, the developers arrive

I find it a little amusing to see the noise being made by banks about FinTech.  Lots of noise, not so much action.  And where there is action, it’s not necessarily real.  There are a few exceptions, but the majority seem to be tackling FinTech as more of a marketing requirement than an active cultural…

China’s P2P are taking the P

According to latest stats, China’s FinTech markets are booming in 2016. Over $10 billion went into FinTech firms in China in the first half of 2016, although half of that was Ant Financial followed closely by Lu and JD Finance. China’s Fintech 50 by KPMG (download the full report here) What intrigues is that this…

Forget GAFA, the real threat is FATBAG

I’ve blogged a few times about GAFA – Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon – as the worrisome Gang of Four.  Sure, we can worry about them, but the thing is to stop worrying and do something.  Australian banks decide to stop Apple by taking them to court; British banks would rather partner with all of them;…

The Finanser’s Week: 19th September – 25th September 2016

The main blog posts this week were … Next generation insurance and the future of humanity Building on yesterday’s InsurTech theme, I remember being taught the principles of insurance some years ago.  A key difference between insurance and any other business is that it is seller beware rather than buyer beware.  This is why the…

Next generation insurance and the future of humanity

Building on yesterday’s InsurTech theme, I remember being taught the principles of insurance some years ago.  A key difference between insurance and any other business is that it is seller beware rather than buyer beware.  This is why the industry is built with a principle called uberrima fides rather than caveat emptor.   Uberrima fides is…