“TOP READS OF THE WEEK” (for week ending 11 June)

The latest top reads in banking, fintech, payments, cybersecurity, AI, IoT, risk management and much more

In this weeks selection;

Top Reads

• Consumer spending changes likely to stick, Visa says
• SCOTUS limits scope of computer fraud law. Here's the business impact
• 4 questions to ask after discovering a cyberattack
• Second Circuit overturns challenge to OCC fintech charter
• Tech experts discuss the three-year anniversary of GDPR
• Banks Don’t Have To Innovate
• What to consider before paying a ransom
• Clear Junction: The Payments Revolution Starts with 5G
• Fujifilm refuses to pay ransomware demand, relies on backups
• Bad actors hide in everyday IT tools, complicating detection
• 'Super-apps' are the next evolutionary step for financial services
• Billions of passwords leaked online from past data breaches
• 'Super-apps' are the next evolutionary step for financial services
• JBS paid hackers $11M ransom to avoid further disruption
• Basel suggests strictest risk weighting for crypto

From our Blog

• Greensill, Gupta and Cameron: what went wrong - FT Film
• The Month Coronavirus Unraveled American Business - A WSJ Documentary
• "Banks Don’t Have To Innovate" - Why not?
• Risk and compliance knowledge in Fintech is a superpower
• How to deal with big tech - The Economist
• How the Facebook digital currency dream has changed - CNBC Reports

“TOP READS OF THE WEEK” (for week ending 4 June)

The latest top reads in banking, fintech, payments, cybersecurity, AI, IoT, risk management and much more

In this weeks selection;

Top Reads

• The Pandemic's not over yet. Here's what will dominate compliance & risk for the remainder of 2021.
• Biden budget proposes $58B to take on legacy tech, cybersecurity
• Behind the Firewall: 4 cyber executives on security disasters they avoided
• AI is learning how to create itself
• PayPal invests $50M more in Black, Latinx funds
• Cash wallets are the future of fintech
• Moving from value to values: an ESG assessment
• Inside Wells Fargo's struggle with worker safety during the pandemic
• Opinion: The Fintech Express Is Leaving Women Behind
• Bank of America's mortgage bankers are quitting in frustration over call quotas, cross-selling mandates, and a new compensation scheme that shortchanges top producers
• Should Central Banks Worry About Facebook's Diem and Alibaba's Alipay?
• Rethink risk management programs post-SolarWinds, experts say
• Hackers Exploit Post-COVID Return to Offices
• White House steps in as JBS ransomware interrupts consumer supply chain 
• Forget the piggy bank, Till Financial’s kids’ spend management app gets Gates’ backing
  

From our Blog

• Could digital currencies put banks out of business?
• Kaspersky finds that cryptomining malware was up, financial malware down in Q1 2021
• Cybersecurity: Are false positives real?
• We know what you did during lockdown
  

“TOP READS OF THE WEEK” (for week ending 28 May)

The latest top reads in CBDC, banking, fintech, payments, cybersecurity, AI, IoT, risk management and much more

In this weeks selection;

Top Reads

• Fed Guidelines Look to Curb Fintechs Before They Run Wild
• Major payments trade group weighs in on CBDC development
• SWIFT Assesses What Roles It Could Play in Future CBDC Ecosystem
• CBDC – 3 reasons to just say no
• CNA Financial's reported $40M ransom payment likely a record
• Fed paper this summer aims to spur 'broad conversation' on CBDC
• HSBC CEO says Bitcoin not for us
• Ransomware seen as top cyberthreat as extortion demands, payouts soar
• AI Is Everywhere — Should We Be Excited or Concerned?
• Cyber premiums rise as insurers struggle to assess risk, GAO says
• CFOs can be on the hook for investigations — even after they leave
• Square may soon offer small-business checking and savings accounts, app code shows
• Fintechs attack cross-border business payments as banks and legacy players rush to innovate
• Twitter looks to add e-commerce features, CFO says
• Pinning ransomware gangs is a game of 'whack-a-mole'
• Expert: Biden's executive order on cybersecurity is a good start toward protecting organizations
• AI will yield biggest return in CFO spending during coming decade: Gartner

From our Blog

• Why central banks want to launch digital currencies
• Is Google Pay Safe? What to Need to Know About This Payment App
• Follow the money - Smart money is going into cash
• Fintechs focus on cross-border business payments
• Is AI a race to be won?
• Phone Call Scams—And How to Protect Yourself

Why Central Bank Digital Currencies need a solid legal foundation

Why do Central Bank Digital Currencies need a solid legal foundations? As any form of money, digital currency requires a sound legal basis. The legal treatment of Central Bank Digital Currencies depends on its design features. The distinction between account-based and token-based has significant implications.

 Catalina Margulis, a lawyer from the Legal Department of the IMF explains.

Could digital currencies put banks out of business?

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have been billed as a major disruptor to finance. But digital currencies issued by governments might be even more radical—they may even threaten the future of traditional banking.

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Why central banks want to launch digital currencies

Interest in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies may be surging, but central banks don’t want to be left behind by financial innovation. In fact, more than 80% are examining how to launch digital versions of their own currencies. CNBC’s Joumanna Bercetche takes a look at why these cautious institutions may soon be launching a revolution in how we think about money.

Why CBDC's may not be such a good idea

Samson Williams sets out 3 reasons why CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) may not be such a good idea.

• 96% of current currency is already digital.
• Digital Currencies, as conceptualized under CBDC would be programmable and “programmable” money is a problem.
• Cash is King.   

Read the full article HERE. 

The likely impact of central bank digital currencies on quantitative easing

Many central banks are considering launching digital currencies. Far from a simple technological innovation, central bank digital currencies (CBDC) might persistently alter the size and composition of central bank balance sheets. Martina Fraschini, Luciano Somoza and Tammaro Terracciano analyse the equilibrium effects of the introduction of a CBDC and its interaction with current monetary policies. They show how and when issuing a CBDC might render expansionary policies quasi-permanent.

Read their insightful article HERE.