Fintech, Finance, Technology, Banking Highlights – 23 May 2018
Starbucks app beating off mobile payments competitors
Starbucks will remain the most popular proximity mobile payment app, staying ahead of Apple Pay and other competitors, according to eMarketer’s latest forecast on US proximity mobile payments.
This year, 23.4 million people ages 14 and over will use the Starbucks app to make a point-of-sale purchase at least once every six months. That puts it slightly ahead of the 22.0 million people who will use Apple Pay. Google Pay (11.1 million users) and Samsung Pay (9.9 million) will round out the top four payment apps. The ranking will remain unchanged through 2022.
“The Starbucks app is one of the bigger success stories in mobile proximity payments,” said eMarketer forecasting analyst Cindy Liu. “It has gained traction thanks to its ability to tie payments to its loyalty rewards program. For users of the app, the value of paying with their smartphone is clear and simple—you can save time and money at the register, all while racking up rewards and special offers.”
EML Payments joins Saxo Payments Banking Circle to access virtual Ibans
EML Payments, provider of innovative payment card technology solutions, has joined Saxo Payments Banking Circle.
Operating in sixteen countries across Europe as well as in Australia, USA and Canada, EML Payments’ platform issues and processes Scheme products on behalf of global corporates. Using Banking Circle Virtual IBAN, EML will be able to issue its clients with a dedicated account in their name, making reconciliation of card scheme flow much easier.
Bruce Stewart, Group CFO for EML comments: “Our clients use our technology to simplify their processes and offer their end consumers a better payments solution. By joining Banking Circle – and accessing Banking Circle Virtual IBAN – we can now provide our clients with the ability to reconcile the flow of funds quickly and simply, without the high fees and slow transfer times they have previously experienced.
“Membership of Banking Circle gives EML a strategic advantage enabling us to offer clients a tailored, transparent solution with negligible fees.”
Mosaic Smart Data adds two industry veterans to leadership team
Mosaic Smart Data (Mosaic), the FICC data analytics company, has added two finance and technology experts to its executive team as it continues to scale to service its growing customer base.
Stephen Caplen joins as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and John Showell becomes the company’s new Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Stephen Caplen is a chartered accountant with over 20 years’ experience in financial services. Most recently, he was Deputy Group CFO at interdealer broker ICAP. Stephen has also held posts as CFO at EBS, the spot FX electronic trading platform, and Deputy Head of Finance at the London Stock Exchange.
John Showell is a Citibank FICC technology veteran, working at the bank for more than a decade managing trading technology. John held a number of Director posts at Citibank including Head of Fixed Income Trade Processing and Head of North American Rates Technology. More recently, John held the role of Client Services Director at ION Trading.
Matthew Hodgson, CEO and founder of Mosaic Smart Data said: “The addition of Stephen and John will enable us take full advantage of the growing demand we are experiencing for real-time FICC data analytics solutions. We will continue to scale the business to deliver our technology quickly and effectively to more of the world’s top trading institutions.
“Our most vital resource is the expertise of our team, and I am pleased that these two highly experienced and talented financial technology professionals have joined us.”
