BACKCHAT/DIARY Backchat H


ere at IBS we remember fondly the days when only one half of our social media timelines were obsessing over cryptocurrency. Since Bitcoin’s price explosion to $14,000 per coin in mid-December, now all anyone can talk about is Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin. Cryptocurrency apps have taken over the “most popular” section on the App Store as analysis and “what is” articles start to flood the tabloids. Veteran investors rub their hands with glee, understanding how this increased demand can only help them make a faster buck. For our senior reporter, who so confidently claimed in January of 2017 that the Bitcoin price wouldn’t rise above $550, re-enty into the murky waters of investment has been a hazardous one. Playing it small, he caught IOTA before it boomed into fourth-largest cryptocurrency by capitalisation and then invested in Ripple prior to the price tripling overnight. So far, though, he has refused to trade the rest of the staff’s money, even with a hefty commission. Perhaps there are careers outside of journalism for us hacks, after all? (Ed: Not unless you bought Bitcoin a while ago.)


A little tale from Not Always Right. A man is attempting to top-up his “pay as you go” mobile at a bank’s ATM, but the message on the screen says that the transaction failed. He tries once more and gets the same result, so he decides to try at a different bank.


Then he checks his phone and sees that, according to it, his credit had been topped up successfully, both times. So he goes back to the bank and prints a statement, which shows that both transactions failed and his account hasn’t been charged. Effectively, he has gained money out of nowhere.


He explains the situation to a teller, who tells him that there is nothing the bank can do, and it is the phone company’s problem. He calls the phone company’s service number and tells them, but they insist it is the bank’s problem. Since both sides don’t want to do anything, he doesn’t mention it again.


He figured that eventually the issue would be discovered and the money taken from his account, but that never happens. He got a lot of credit for free.


In Japan even the ATMs have workers’ rights. Question: “What surprised you most when you came to Japan?” Me: “Oh, that’s easy: ATMs close.”


I proceeded to explain that ATMs in the States operate 24 hours a day, which they found strange. When I first got here, most ATMs closed at six pm; three pm on Sundays. Now they mostly stay open to nine pm except at the post office where they close at seven pm or so. On New Year’s the ATMs and banks are closed for about three days so you have be ready for it. Still confuses me as to why.


IN THE NEXT ISSUE


Digital Banking Solutions: Digital transformation initiatives; Digital- only challenger banks; Mobile banking revolution; Omnichannel


Diary JANUARY


19th – 26th: London Blockchain Week 2018, London https://aiworld.com/


24th – 25th: Fintech Dubai Conference & Exhibition 2018, Dubai https://www.worldfinancecouncil.org/FinTech- Dubai-Conference-&-Exhibition-2018


30th – 31st: Paris Fintech Forum, Paris http://www.parisfintechforum.com/


30th: LATAM Mobile Summit, San Francisco https://www.f6s.com/latammobilesummit2018


IBS Journal January 2018


43


FEBRUARY


6th – 7th: Digital Integration in Wealth Management, London http://www.arena-international.com/ wealthmanagement


Download the IBS Intelligence mobile app


Catch up on the latest fintech news on the go. Search IBS Intelligence to download the app on your iPhone/iPad or any Android phone or tablet.


2018 banking tech/fintech events


For a comprehensive listing of industry events, visit our website: www.ibsintelligence.com


IBS Intelligence is a prominent media partner of many fintech industry events worldwide. If you are interested in a media partnership with us and marketing opportunities, please contact


Abhijit Chakravarty, Marketing Manager Email: abhijitc@ibsintelligence.com


Shadab Khan , Digital Marketing Manager Email: ShadabK@ibsintelligence.com


www.ibsintelligence.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44