The Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda Mr. Francois Kanimba has presided over the launch of MTN Mobile Money to the media at MTN Centre in Nyarutarama in Rwanda. This new mobile banking product which is compliant with local banking regulations, is a convenient, secure and affordable way of sending and receiving money anywhere from anywhere in Rwanda.
Customers on the MTN network can now sign up for MTN Mobile Money and begin transacting at will through the 120 agents that have been appointed and that located across the country. Those who are not on the MTN network are also able to receive money.
Mr. Khaled Mikkawi, the CEO of MTN Rwanda, described the launch as one of the most innovative initiatives that has been made available to Rwandans in recent times: ‘We have a network reaching over 90% or the population and it is only right that we leverage this coverage for a common good product that will go a long way in the financial deepening of the Rwandan economy.’
MTN pioneered mobile banking in South Africa in 2005 in a partnership with Standard Bank and commercially launched in Uganda in March 2009. MTN Rwanda has partnered with BCR as the key driver financial institution.
Mr. Mikkawi expressed his gratitude to the Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda and the team at the bank for their resolute support with which we would not have been able to launch: ‘I cannot thank the Governor enough for accepting our invitation to preside over this launch to the media. Sir we are humbled by you enthusiastic support and grateful for the opportunity MTN has to play a lead role in the economic and social transformation of Rwanda.’ The National Bank of Rwanda has played a central role in ensuring the product and the project complied with banking regulations.
MTN Rwanda partnered with the largest specialist mobile financial services provider, Fundamo. Fundamo’s leadership team has a strong background in the financial services industry and has applied the stringent design principles required for secure banking systems, whilst also taking full advantage of the unique characteristics of the mobile phone and the mobile user experience. This new style of mobile financial system represents a powerful convergence of the rigor of banking systems and the convenience, simplicity and ubiquity of mobile.
MTN Rwanda also work with Oscillyte Ltd, a consultancy firm that provides specialist strategy, marketing and product development skills and knowledge to organizations’ active in the telecommunications market and mobile in particular. The firm’s lead consultant Mark Guthrie has been Project Manager for MTN Mobile Money.
MTN Rwanda has planned an extensive communication campaign to sensitize the public on the benefits of MTN Mobile Money which include:
* Depositing cash into client’s account at Mobile Money agent outlets
* Sending and receiving money from the convenience of a mobile phone
* Managing ones Mobile Money account
* Withdrawing cash at any MTN Mobile Money agent location.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Remittances - Western Union sees 4% revenue drop in 2009
Money transfer services provider Western Union has seen its Q4 2009 revenue rise 2 percent to USD 1.3 billion compared to the same interval of 2008, with constant currency earnings per share (EPS) of USD 0.32, compared to USD 0.34 in the fourth quarter of 2008.
For the full 2009 year, Western Union has seen its revenue drop by 4 percent compared to 2008 to USD 5.1 billion, with EPS worth USD 1.21, compared to 2008 EPS of USD 1.24. The company also saw its volume of cash provided by operating activities reach USD 1.2 billion for the whole of 2009.
In 2009, Western Union’s cross-border consumer-to-consumer (C2C) money transfer market share rose from 17 percent in 2008 to an estimated 18 percent in 2009, while its number of agent locations has grown to over 410,000.
For 2009, the C2C segment represented 85 percent of Western Union’s revenue at USD 4.3 billion, a decrease of 4 percent from 2008. Operating income was down 4 percent and operating income margin was 27 percent, which compared to an operating income margin of 27 percent in 2008.
The EMEASA (Europe, Middle East Africa and South Asia) region, which represented 45 percent of Western Union revenue, reported a revenue decline of 1 percent and transaction growth of 10 percent compared to 2008. India revenue grew 11 percent and transactions increased 22 percent for the year.
The Americas region, which represented 32 percent of Western Union revenue, reported a revenue decline of 9 percent and a transaction decrease of 3 percent for the entire 2009. In the domestic money transfer business, revenue declined 14 percent and transactions declined 5 percent. Mexico, which was 6 percent of Western Union revenue for the year, had a revenue decline of 15 percent and a transaction decline of 12 percent.
The APAC (Asia-Pacific) region, which represented 8 percent of Western Union revenue, increased revenue by 5 percent on transaction growth of 18 percent during the year. China revenue increased 1 percent and transactions increased 4 percent compared to 2008.
For the full 2009 year, Western Union has seen its revenue drop by 4 percent compared to 2008 to USD 5.1 billion, with EPS worth USD 1.21, compared to 2008 EPS of USD 1.24. The company also saw its volume of cash provided by operating activities reach USD 1.2 billion for the whole of 2009.
In 2009, Western Union’s cross-border consumer-to-consumer (C2C) money transfer market share rose from 17 percent in 2008 to an estimated 18 percent in 2009, while its number of agent locations has grown to over 410,000.
For 2009, the C2C segment represented 85 percent of Western Union’s revenue at USD 4.3 billion, a decrease of 4 percent from 2008. Operating income was down 4 percent and operating income margin was 27 percent, which compared to an operating income margin of 27 percent in 2008.
The EMEASA (Europe, Middle East Africa and South Asia) region, which represented 45 percent of Western Union revenue, reported a revenue decline of 1 percent and transaction growth of 10 percent compared to 2008. India revenue grew 11 percent and transactions increased 22 percent for the year.
The Americas region, which represented 32 percent of Western Union revenue, reported a revenue decline of 9 percent and a transaction decrease of 3 percent for the entire 2009. In the domestic money transfer business, revenue declined 14 percent and transactions declined 5 percent. Mexico, which was 6 percent of Western Union revenue for the year, had a revenue decline of 15 percent and a transaction decline of 12 percent.
The APAC (Asia-Pacific) region, which represented 8 percent of Western Union revenue, increased revenue by 5 percent on transaction growth of 18 percent during the year. China revenue increased 1 percent and transactions increased 4 percent compared to 2008.
Monday, 8 February 2010
Operations Risk - Federal Reserve launches a new website for bank directors
The Federal Reserve has launched a website to help new bank directors learn how they can work to ensure the safety and soundness of their institutions. The website, www.BankDirectorsDesktop.org , also provides a refresher course for experienced board members.
BankDirectorsDesktop.org is tailored to directors of community banks and features online training and other resources to help directors better understand the issues and challenges associated with serving on a bank's board. The website includes links to the "Training for Bank Directors" interactive course and the latest edition of Basics for Bank Directors, a comprehensive guide to directors' roles and responsibilities.
"Many people who are asked to serve on bank boards have little training or experience to prepare them for their new roles," said Patrick M. Parkinson, director of the Federal Reserve Board's Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation. "This website has been developed with new directors in mind, but there is plenty of useful information for those who have already spent time on bank boards."
BankDirectorsDesktop.org is tailored to directors of community banks and features online training and other resources to help directors better understand the issues and challenges associated with serving on a bank's board. The website includes links to the "Training for Bank Directors" interactive course and the latest edition of Basics for Bank Directors, a comprehensive guide to directors' roles and responsibilities.
"Many people who are asked to serve on bank boards have little training or experience to prepare them for their new roles," said Patrick M. Parkinson, director of the Federal Reserve Board's Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation. "This website has been developed with new directors in mind, but there is plenty of useful information for those who have already spent time on bank boards."
Sunday, 7 February 2010
CPSS-IOSCO Review of Standards for Payment, Clearing and Settlement Systems
The Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems (CPSS) and the Technical Committee of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) have launched a comprehensive review of their existing standards for financial market infrastructures such as payment systems, securities settlement systems and central counterparties.
There are currently three sets of standards involved, namely:
• the 2001 Core principles for systemically important payment systems
• the 2001/2 Recommendations for securities settlement systems
• the 2004 Recommendations for central counterparties.
Financial market infrastructures generally performed well during the recent financial crisis, and did much to help prevent the crisis becoming even more serious than it actually was. Nevertheless, the committees believe that there are lessons to be learned from the crisis and, indeed, from the experience of more normal operation in the years that have passed since the standards were originally issued. It thus seems timely to review the standards with a view to strengthening them where appropriate.
Robust financial market infrastructures make an essential contribution to financial stability by reducing what could otherwise be a major source of systemic risk. Moreover, insofar as they enable settlement to take place without significant counterparty risk, they also help markets to remain liquid even during times of financial stress.
The review will be led by representatives of the central banks that are members of the CPSS and those of the securities regulators that are members of the IOSCO Technical Committee. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are also participating in the review. The review is part of the Financial Stability Board's work to reduce the risks that arise from interconnectedness in the financial system.
The committees will coordinate with other relevant authorities and communicate with the industry, as appropriate, as the work progresses. They aim to issue a draft of all the revised standards for public consultation by early 2011.
Separately, as announced in the press release on 20 July 2009, the CPSS and the Technical Committee of IOSCO are already in the process of providing guidance on how the 2004 Recommendations for central counterparties should be applied to CCPs handling OTC derivatives. The guidance will also cover other relevant infrastructures handling OTC derivatives such as trade repositories. This aspect of the work has been put on a fast track because of the new CCPs for OTC derivatives and trade repositories that have recently started, or are about to start, operating.
A consultative document on the guidance will be issued within the next few months. This new guidance will not entail amendments to the existing recommendations for CCPsbut will of course be incorporated into the general review of the standards that has now begun.
The Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems (CPSS) serves as a forum for central banks to monitor and analyse developments in payment and settlement infrastructures and set standards for them. Its members are central banks from 24 countries and regions. The chairman of the CPSS is William C Dudley, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The CPSS secretariat is hosted by the BIS. More information about the CPSS, and all its publications, can be found on the BIS website at www.bis.org/cpss .
The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is a policy forum for securities regulators. The organisation’s membership regulates more than 95% of the world’s securities markets in over 100 jurisdictions. The Technical Committee is a specialised working group established by IOSCO’s Executive Committee and is made up of 18 agencies that regulate some of the world’s larger, more developed and internationalized markets. Its objective is to review major regulatory issues related to international securities and futures transactions and to coordinate practical responses to these issues. Kathleen Casey, a Commissioner of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, is the chair of the committee. More information about the Technical Committee can be found at www.iosco.org/ .
The review will be co-chaired by the chairs of the CPSS and the IOSCO Technical Committee, ie William C Dudley and Kathleen Casey.
There are currently three sets of standards involved, namely:
• the 2001 Core principles for systemically important payment systems
• the 2001/2 Recommendations for securities settlement systems
• the 2004 Recommendations for central counterparties.
Financial market infrastructures generally performed well during the recent financial crisis, and did much to help prevent the crisis becoming even more serious than it actually was. Nevertheless, the committees believe that there are lessons to be learned from the crisis and, indeed, from the experience of more normal operation in the years that have passed since the standards were originally issued. It thus seems timely to review the standards with a view to strengthening them where appropriate.
Robust financial market infrastructures make an essential contribution to financial stability by reducing what could otherwise be a major source of systemic risk. Moreover, insofar as they enable settlement to take place without significant counterparty risk, they also help markets to remain liquid even during times of financial stress.
The review will be led by representatives of the central banks that are members of the CPSS and those of the securities regulators that are members of the IOSCO Technical Committee. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are also participating in the review. The review is part of the Financial Stability Board's work to reduce the risks that arise from interconnectedness in the financial system.
The committees will coordinate with other relevant authorities and communicate with the industry, as appropriate, as the work progresses. They aim to issue a draft of all the revised standards for public consultation by early 2011.
Separately, as announced in the press release on 20 July 2009, the CPSS and the Technical Committee of IOSCO are already in the process of providing guidance on how the 2004 Recommendations for central counterparties should be applied to CCPs handling OTC derivatives. The guidance will also cover other relevant infrastructures handling OTC derivatives such as trade repositories. This aspect of the work has been put on a fast track because of the new CCPs for OTC derivatives and trade repositories that have recently started, or are about to start, operating.
A consultative document on the guidance will be issued within the next few months. This new guidance will not entail amendments to the existing recommendations for CCPsbut will of course be incorporated into the general review of the standards that has now begun.
The Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems (CPSS) serves as a forum for central banks to monitor and analyse developments in payment and settlement infrastructures and set standards for them. Its members are central banks from 24 countries and regions. The chairman of the CPSS is William C Dudley, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The CPSS secretariat is hosted by the BIS. More information about the CPSS, and all its publications, can be found on the BIS website at www.bis.org/cpss .
The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is a policy forum for securities regulators. The organisation’s membership regulates more than 95% of the world’s securities markets in over 100 jurisdictions. The Technical Committee is a specialised working group established by IOSCO’s Executive Committee and is made up of 18 agencies that regulate some of the world’s larger, more developed and internationalized markets. Its objective is to review major regulatory issues related to international securities and futures transactions and to coordinate practical responses to these issues. Kathleen Casey, a Commissioner of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, is the chair of the committee. More information about the Technical Committee can be found at www.iosco.org/ .
The review will be co-chaired by the chairs of the CPSS and the IOSCO Technical Committee, ie William C Dudley and Kathleen Casey.
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Is this the future of Banking?
Australia’s Commonwealth Bank has a vision to be number one in customer satisfaction. This short video shows their idea of what the future of banking looks like with the customer clearly in the centre of their focus.
Is this really what the future of banking will be like?
Is this really what the future of banking will be like?
Friday, 5 February 2010
Bank Trader’s Secret Caught Live on Camera
Just recently Australia's "Seven News" was interviewing Macquarie Bank’s private wealth adviser Martin Lakos on the financial market's reaction to the Australian Reserve Bank keeping interest rates on hold. Bust as as Lakos spoke, viewers saw a man in the background open an e-mail and peruse a series of near-nude pictures of Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr.
Subsequently in a statement the bank said; "Macquarie takes matters such as the unacceptable use of technology extremely seriously. Macquarie has strict policies in place surrounding the use of technology and the issue arising from today's live cross on 7 News is being dealt with internally."
Subsequently in a statement the bank said; "Macquarie takes matters such as the unacceptable use of technology extremely seriously. Macquarie has strict policies in place surrounding the use of technology and the issue arising from today's live cross on 7 News is being dealt with internally."
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Mobile Banking, the Future of Banking
Author: Pankaj Snv
Mobile Banking refers to provision and availability of banking and financial services with the help of mobile telecommunication devices. The scope of offered services may include facilities to conduct bank and stock market transactions, to administer accounts and to access customized information. Mobile banking is known by various other names. Through mobile banking, one can balance checks, complete his account transactions, make payments on time etc. via a mobile device such as a mobile phone. Most customers use mobile banking through SMS or the mobile internet. Some financial institutions take up another method to provide mobile banking to their customers. They make customers download special software on their mobile phones which acts as client for the mobile banking services.
Mobile banking is growing at a very fast pace and will soon become the primary channel for banks to connect with their customers. While the top banks have the financial and technical resources to make moves in the mobile channel, most mid-tier and small banks lack the innovation and funds needed to explore this front. Many of the largest banks have already launched mobile banking services, which are catching on with customers and generating positive business results. The past few months have brought a flurry of mobile banking announcements from mobile banking vendors who are responding to growing demand from their customers and the recognition of their own powerful position in the mobile banking vendor ecosystem.
Mobile banking technology vendors have a big role to play in helping mid-tier and small institutions take advantage of this emerging channel. Due to the increasing interest in mobile banking software, banks should deploy mobile banking software with confidence that their mobile banking vendors will provide the key to start the engine of mobile banking. Recent mobile banking announcements from technology giants represent the beginning of an evolutionary strategy with regard to integrating mobile banking more deeply into the banking infrastructure. As mobile banking software and payments evolve throughout the year, the associated mobile banking vendor ecosystem will change drastically. Mobile banking has reached a level of maturity that warrants action in the eyes of the mobile banking vendors.
Mobile banking is important to mobile banking vendors from the perspectives of both existing customers and new deals. The customers are eager to try out and use mobile banking capabilities, in large part because the top banks have made competitive inroads into the smaller banks' geographic markets. Pure-play mobile banking vendors have a hard time penetrating these smaller institutions because core banking vendors play the role of technology gatekeeper. It is quite possible that the core banking vendors will emerge as key players in the vendor ecosystem for mobile banking. In technology innovation, core banking vendors may not be trendsetters, but they are pacesetters. Because of their familiarity with banks' core operations, these vendors excel at seeing through the hype regarding new mobile banking software for banks and waiting to act until the market has matured to the point when innovation and profitability converge.
About the Author:"Pankaj Modi Says:" mobile banking software is one of the best solutions for time saving. Also the banking becomes easier, quicker and foolproof. For more Interest Visit:
http://www.bank-companion.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Mobile banking, the future of banking
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