Editor’s pick
Bloomberg Acquires RegTek.Solutions Amid Growing Demand for Reporting Integration
Last week Bloomberg announced the acquisition of RegTek.Solutions, a 2017 software spin-out from capital markets consulting firm Risk Focus. The move marks a renewed focus from Bloomberg on the regulatory reporting space, amid growing demand from financial institutions for more strategic, harmonised solutions to help meet today’s increasingly rigorous compliance challenges. Financial institutions are facing...
Top Blogs
International Compliance – A New Era for SMCR
By Andrew Shrimpton, Executive Chairman of Compliance Consulting at IQ-EQ With great power comes great responsibility. Yes; but in the era of SMCR, heads of compliance have found out that even a medium amount of power now comes with an almost unpalatable amount of personal accountability – and legal jeopardy. In many cases, this has...
SEC Releases Long-Awaited Guidance for Rule 606 on Broker Disclosures – But is it Enough?
Rule 606, updated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last year to require additional disclosures by broker-dealers to customers regarding the handling of their orders, has caused headaches for the sell-side since it was first proposed – largely due to the complexity of the original 334-page mandate. With the postponed October 1, 2019 deadline...
Would ICE Really Buy Bloomberg?
By Andrew Delaney. The London Stock Exchange’s planned $27 billion acquisition of Refinitiv – the former Reuters – got us thinking: who’s left of the independent market data vendors, and who would buy them? Of the major global vendors that have dominated the space over the past decade or so, only one independent remains. With...
Latest briefs
Sensiple Partners TNS to Bring MiFID II Compliance Solution to Frankfurt
Capital markets specialist Sensiple is bringing its regtech product SETREGA for MiFID II, SFTR and EMIR compliance and reporting to the FR2 data centre in Frankfurt as part of an agreement with Transaction Network Services (TNS). Sensiple will use TNS’s managed hosting, colocation and connectivity service to give market participants fast, secure and efficient access…
US Congress Approves Major Study into MiFID II Research
The US House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan bill requiring the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to study the provision of investment research for small issuers. It will require the SEC to explore a broad range of issues including among others the demand for research by institutional and retail investors; the availability of research;…
Melissa Launches Mobile KYC App
Identity verification specialist Melissa has launched Melissa KYC, a mobile-based unified compliance toolset providing end-to-end identity verification including ID card and document authentication, biometrics, and liveness confirmation. The app claims to capture identity documentation in under three minutes using facial recognition technology, while its verification feature uses real-time, multi-sourced data to authenticate each submission.
Global RegTech Market Growing at 52%
The global RegTech market is expected to reach $55.28 billion by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 52.8% over the period, according to new data from Grand View Research. According to the research, the risk and compliance management segment generated the highest revenue in 2018, anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 49.7% over the…
RegTech Funding in India Quintuples
According to data provided by research and intelligence firm Tracxn, private investments into the Indian RegTech space have increased by over five times so far in 2019 to reach an estimated $43.5 million, compared to $7.26 million in 2018. Notable RegTech start-ups to receive funding include Simility, CrediWatch, Digio, Fintellix, DotAI, NextKYC, Credible Ninja and…
kompany Wins Successful Funding Round
Austrian banking group Raffeisen Bank International (RBI) via its corporate venture capital unit Elevator Ventures has joined UNIQA Ventures to invest in business verification and KYC provider kompany, while previous investors, including the European Super Angels Club (ESAC), have increased their stakes. kompany is an alumnus of the Elevator Lab Program and became a group…
Bloomberg Acquires RegTek.Solutions
Bloomberg has acquired RegTek.Solutions, a specialist in global regulatory reporting software solutions. The firm, which provides modular software solutions built around actionable regulatory intelligence, will be integrated with Bloomberg’s Regulatory Reporting Hub (RHUB), as well as Bloomberg’s enterprise data management and trading systems. The acquisition will combine Bloomberg’s data enrichment and reporting capabilities with RegTek.Solutions’…
ABN Amro Could Face AML Charges
ABN Amro has confirmed that it could face possible money laundering fines, following an order from the Dutch central bank to review all its transactions for possible money laundering or financial crime activities. The news comes after fellow Dutch bank ING was hit with a $900 million fine in September 2018 for similar issues.
SmartStream RDU Readies Services for Brexit
The SmartStream Reference Data Utility (RDU) has implemented changes to its MiFID II Reference Data Service and Systematic Internaliser (SI) Registry to accommodate Brexit. For the MiFID II service, SmartStream RDU will make both ESMA and FCA data available, either as an integrated delivery or separately. It will also support ESMA and FCA pre- and…
Compliance Costs Hit Profits at Commonwealth Bank
Australia’s biggest bank has seen profits slump by 8.1% following regulatory and compliance costs of over $1 billion amid a series of scandals, lawsuits and regulatory investigations. According to CEO Matt Comyn, Commonwealth is currently handling a number of “regulatory and risk projects.” The bank is working with RegTech firm Red Marker to implement a…
Axioma Adds Upgraded UK Equity Risk Model
Axioma has added a new UK equity risk model (AXUK4) to its next-generation Equity Factor Risk Model suite. The release builds on existing risk models, offering enhanced country-specific content to meet the risk-management needs of investors. AXUK4 delivers risk insights on over 6,000 UK Kingdom-listed securities, including REITs and ETFs. The updated model incorporates deep…
Dubai Banks Launch New KYC Data-Sharing Platform
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Mashreq Bank and fintech firm Norbloc have teamed up to launch the Middle East region’s first blockchain-based KYC data-sharing consortium. The joint venture, expected to go live in Q1 2020, is designed to facilitate faster, more secure onboarding and exchange of supporting documentation via advanced distributed technologies, including blockchain. Companies…
Natixis Selects Redland Solutions for Accountability Solution
Natixis Investment Managers UK has chosen Redland’s SM&CR Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution. The solution will assist Natixis to comply with all elements of the Accountability Regime, including SM&CR, Management Responsibility Maps, Statements of Responsibility, Fitness & Propriety, Certification, Conduct Attestation and Conduct Rule Breaches. Birmingham, UK-based Redland Solutions was acquired by Ideagen in June 2019.
Swift to Connect KYC Registry with Regional Utilities
Swift, a global provider of secure financial messaging services, is reportedly in talks with regional KYC utilities regarding the potential connection of their solutions with its KYC Registry, an online portal set up in 2014 to manager and share KYC due diligence and information. Although the registry has until now been used only by financial…
Volkswagen Bank Chooses BearingPoint for Regulatory Reporting
Germany’s Volkswagen Bank has confirmed a switch from an in-house regulatory reporting solution to the standard Abacus360 Banking Regulatory software package from BearingPoint. BearingPoint will provide the software and also take over the tasks and processes of the technical operation, in addition to providing infrastructure and support services within the scope of managed services. Volkswagen…
Latest people
Samantha Miller Joins Visible Alpha as CPO
MiFID II investment research specialist Visible Alpha has appointed Samantha Miller to the newly created post of Chief Product Officer. Miller joins from Dun & Bradstreet where she was Vice President of Global Product Portfolio Strategy and Management. Prior to Dun & Bradstreet, she led a division at LexisNexis as a General Manager and VP…
Garry McClure Joins Delta Capital as Head of KYC
Garry McClure has joined the London office of financial services professional services firm Delta Capital to head up the firm’s KYC business, starting from September 2019. McClure was a previously a managing director at HSBC responsible for global KYC operations across investment, commercial and retail banking. Prior to that he headed up client onboarding at…
First Derivatives Founder Brian Conlon Dies
Brian Conlon, the Northern Irish founder and CEO of the £1 billion+ FinTech firm First Derivatives, lost his battle with cancer on July 28, 2019 at the age of 53. Conlon started at KPMG and worked briefly at Morgan Stanley and software firm Sunguard before starting First Derivatives. He listed the company in 2002 but…
NeoXam Hires New Data Expert
Buy-side software provider NeoXam has appointed Philipp Sfeir to head up its DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) business. Sfeir was most recently Head of Data Management at Zürcher Kantonalbank, one of the top four banks in Switzerland, and since 2016 has been President of the Swiss Information Providers User Group (SIPUG). Florent Fabre, COO of…
Fenergo Raises €66 Million
Irish regulatory compliance firm Fenergo has raised €66 million in investment, according to documents filed with the Companies and Registration Office. The firm is believed to have raised the financing by selling shares to CSC Computer Science Holdings, an affiliate of US-based DXC Technology. DXC General Manager Edward Ho has joined Fenergo as a Director,…
Claudia Rodriguez Joins Pega
Digital transformation specialist Pega Systems has appointed Claudia Rodriguez as inclusion and diversity (I&D) leader, based out of the company’s Cambridge, Mass. headquarters. Her role will focus on creating I&D talent management initiatives with a focus on talent attraction, development, engagement, and retention. She was most recently senior manager of inclusion and diversity in Accenture’s…
Financial Machineries Makes Three Strategic Appointments
Financial Machineries, a provider of data lineage, sourcing, digital rights management and commercialisation of contributed market data, has appointed Keiren Harris, Frank Verstraeten and Daniel Muri to its team. They bring industry experience, regional insight, and networks of professional contacts from across APAC and continental Europe to the company, which is accelerating its ambition to…
Refinitiv names William Leahey as Head of Regulatory Compliance for Wealth Management
Refinitiv has appointed William Leahey as head of regulatory compliance for wealth management. In this role, Leahey will lead all regulatory activities for the wealth management business, identifying key regulatory developments, risks and initiatives for customers. Before joining Refinitiv, Leahey was vice president and assistant general counsel of the operations and technology group at the…
Ascent RegTech Hires New CEO
Ascent RegTech on April 15 announced the hiring of Arbela Takhsh as Chief Operating Officer. Arbela has held various engineering and operational leadership roles at Motorola, Google, Comcast, and most recently as Senior Vice President of Operations Excellence, Quality, and Data Analytics & Business Intelligence at Gogo. The Ascent team has grown rapidly since the…
DTCC Adds Three New Members to Board of Directors
The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), a provider of post-trade infrastructure for the global financial services industry, on April 9, 2019 announced the election of three new members to DTCC’s Board of Directors during the firm’s Annual Shareholders Meeting. The new directors are Kieran Hanrahan from JP Morgan Chase’s Corporate and Investment Bank, Graeme…
Alex Ceponkus Joins Exiger
Global regulatory and financial crime, risk and compliance company Exiger has named Alex Ceponkus as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Software Engineering of Exiger Tech, based in Toronto. Ceponkus’ new role will be to drive innovation, scale and delivery of Exiger’s technology solutions and increase the reach of its product suite (including its…
SmartStream Technologies Forms New Team
Transaction Lifecycle Management solutions provider SmartStream this week announced a new strategic focus in line with the new FSA (now PRA) rules governing liquidity management for UK and foreign branches. In response to the new regulations, SmartStream has appointed Nadeem Shamim to lead cash and liquidity management solutions globally. Prior to SmartStream, Shamim was Managing…
RIMES Appoints Andrew Barnett as New Global Head of Product Strategy
RIMES Technologies, a provider of managed data and RegTech services for the financial sector, has appointed Andrew Barnett as its Global Head of Product Strategy. Barnett will bring to bear his extensive experience in both the end-user and vendor sides of the market to help RIMES continue its growth trajectory. Barnett has previously held a…
Dash Names Venu Palaparthi as Chief Compliance Officer
US-based Dash Financial Technologies, which provides multi-asset trading technology and execution services platforms, has appointed Venu Palaparthi as its new Chief Compliance officer. Palaparthi has held senior roles at several major firms including Tagomi, Virtu, Nasdaq and Instinet. He is the latest senior hire for Dash over the last 12 months, including last June’s hiring…
Fenergo Hires James Follette as Global Head of Commercial and Retail Banking
Following its recent expansion into the commercial and retail baning space, client lifecycle management solutions provider has appointed James Follette as its new Global Head of Commercial and Retail Banking. Follette was formerly responsible for client onboarding and know your customer (KYC) transformation at Citi.
Featured
FEATURED WEBINAR
Upcoming Webinar: Client Experience and Onboarding For Transfer Agents: How to ensure you deliver a seamless client experience and differentiate your services
Date: 26 September 2019 Time: 10:00am ET / 3:00pm London / 4:00pm CET. Clients expect you to seamlessly deliver a range of transfer services. They expect you to delight their investors and ensure you have a robust onboarding and compliance process in place. They also want you to help them ensure they comply with shareholding…
FEATURED EVENT
RegTech Summit London
Now in its 3rd year, the RegTech Summit in London explores how the European financial services industry can leverage technology to drive innovation, cut costs and support regulatory change.
FEATURED GUIDE
Entity Data Management Handbook – Fifth Edition
Welcome to the fifth edition of A-Team Group’s Entity Data Management Handbook, sponsored for the fourth year running by entity data specialist Bureau van Dijk, a Moody’s Analytics Company. The past year has seen a crackdown on corporate responsibility for financial crime – with financial firms facing draconian fines for non-compliance and the very real…
Top White Papers
Trade Surveillance and Mobile Recording in the Era of Data Privacy
The EU’s MiFID II and other regulations globally have placed greater emphasis than ever on market surveillance, recording of trading communications and records-retention processes in an attempt to stamp out market abuse and boost investor confidence and protections. At the same time, the public’s attitude toward data privacy has hardened, most visibly through new regulations...
Solving the KYC & AML Challenge for Cryptocurrencies, Tokens & ICOs
The cryptocurrency market is at an inflection point. It has gained substantial momentum from early investors (private & retail), day traders and prop shops but it has so far failed to get substantive engagement from wider institutional players. The crypto marketplace today is a mix of exchange and OTC-traded activity with little of the market...
Getting eComms Surveillance Right
Demand for electronic communications (eComms) surveillance has risen in response to regulatory requirements and compliance needs to pinpoint problems such as market abuse without wasting time and resources reviewing false positives. Innovative technologies such as machine learning, natural language understanding (NLU) and other strands of artificial intelligence (AI) are improving financial services firms’ ability to...
Events and webinars
Breakfast Briefing: Meeting the Data Requirements of FRTB London
The Fundamental Review of the Trading Book (FRTB) Breakfast Briefing, will examine how the capital markets industry is approaching FRTB data management and will look at the implications for the ways that firms source, manage and store data for FRTB compliance.
Find out moreRegTech Summit New York City
Now in its 3rd year, the RegTech Summit in NYC explores how the North American financial services industry can leverage technology to drive innovation, cut costs and support regulatory change.
Find out moreRegTech Summit London
Now in its 3rd year, the RegTech Summit in London explores how the European financial services industry can leverage technology to drive innovation, cut costs and support regulatory change.
Find out moreTop Knowledge Hub picks
MiFID II
Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II) builds on the original MiFID of 2007 to improve the competitiveness of European markets by creating a single market for investment services and activities, and ensuring protection for investors in financial instruments. Read everything you need to know and get access to all related content.
Regulatory Reporting
Regulatory reporting comprises the submission of raw or formatted data as required by regulators to evaluate and track the financial and operational status of financial institutions and their compliance with required regulatory provisions. Find out all about it in our Knowledge Hub.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR)
The Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) provides an EU-wide regulatory framework on market abuse, including measures to enhance the attractiveness of securities markets for capital-raising through the prohibition of practices such as insider dealing, unlawful disclosure of inside information and market manipulation. Find out more and access all our key resources here.
Awards
RegTech Insight Awards
The RegTech Insight Awards recognise the best of the best in the RegTech industry. Find out how to vote, enter or see the past winners.
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