Latest long reads: Finextra Research

What does NZBA’s decline in big bank members mean for sustainability in banking?

Scott Hamilton Contributing Editor at Finextra Research

What does NZBA’s decline in big bank members mean for sustainability in banking?

The fact the Net-Zero Banking Alliance is smaller now than it was last year could be deemed a failure for the organisation, and by many advocates of action to mitigate climate change, as a shameful reversal of commitment not just by the top institutions in the banking industry, but of society itself. But what if the exit from the volunteer body – ...

05 September 2025 /sustainable

From biology to business: Neuromorphic computing pathways to intelligent innovation

Dimitrios Salampasis Assoc. Professor, Emerging Technologies & FinTech at Swinburne University of Technology

From biology to business: Neuromorphic computing pathways to intelligent innovation

From algorithms to AI: Promise, power, and the pressing challenges ahead Large scale datasets and information processing requirements, within complex environments, are continuously reaching unprecedented levels of sophistication, especially in the advent of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, pushing the boundaries of fierce c...

04 September 2025 /ai

Hamish Monk Senior Reporter at Finextra

What is blockchain?

Since its ideation over 30 years ago, blockchain’s use by the private and public sector has grown exponentially. In August 2025, Bloomberg reported that the United States had put its gross domestic product (GDP) data on blockchain, marking yet another foray by President Trump into the world of crypto. Google Cloud, meanwhile, is said to be develo...

02 September 2025 /crypto

Top payments stories you missed in August 2025

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

Bridging the divide: The hybrid future of stablecoins and traditional finance

The financial landscape is undergoing a profound transformation driven by the imperatives of the digital economy and the internet which have reshaped modern businesses. The speed and global reach of the digital economy are amplifying the perceived shortcomings of traditional finance: cost, speed, and accessibility. While the push for real-time pay...

29 August 2025 /crypto

Are you a HENRY (High Earner, Not Rich Yet)?

Madhvi Sonia Head of Content at Finextra

Are you a HENRY (High Earner, Not Rich Yet)?

As reported in Moneywise, HENRYs are a “surprisingly large class of Americans who pull in big bucks but still feel financially strapped.” Despite earning over $100,000 annually, because these individuals do not have substantial wealth, assets or the investment knowledge to make a change in this era of inflation and high cost of living, they remai...

28 August 2025 /wealth

Tokenised deposits are Britain’s best bet for smarter payments

Jana Mackintosh Managing Director at UK Finance

Tokenised deposits are Britain’s best bet for smarter payments

Confused by the stablecoin versus CBDC debate? There’s a third way - and the Bank of England is right to call it out. There’s a saying in finance: a payment is a payment is a payment. It reflects how, for most people, the mechanics of money movement are invisible - we just expect it to work. But beneath the simplicity of a tap on a card reader or a...

27 August 2025 /crypto

Why are orchestration tools essential within today’s payments arena?

Madhvi Sonia Head of Content at Finextra

Why are orchestration tools essential within today’s payments arena?

Be it small e-commerce firms, sprawling corporations, or financial institutions within open finance contexts, organisations of all stripes must at some point face the challenge of uniting innumerable payment service providers (PSPs) within a secure and seamless payments ecosystem. The most effective way to do this is by deploying orchestration too...

26 August 2025 /payments

Britain must get serious about stablecoins – or risk falling behind

Simon Jennings Executive Director at UK Cryptoasset Business Council

Britain must get serious about stablecoins – or risk falling behind

The UK Government wants Britain to be a global hub for digital assets. A goal the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, placed firmly at the centre of her recent Mansion House speech. But when it comes to stablecoins – one of the most practical and fast-growing components of the digital asset economy - the UK is moving too slowly and potentially in the wrong...

21 August 2025 /crypto

How will UK BNPL regulation impact merchants?

Stephanie Storry Consultant at PSE Consulting

How will UK BNPL regulation impact merchants?

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) has quickly become a retail staple in the UK. With consumers increasingly seeking flexible payment options, BNPL services have surged in popularity, promising an easy way to split payments into bite-sized chunks. But with this growth comes a growing wave of regulatory attention around rising default levels and consumer pr...

20 August 2025 /retail

Hamish Monk Senior Reporter at Finextra

What is boss-tech?

Accountancy firm PwC has launched a biometric-based “traffic light system” in its offices, enabling managers to digitally track employees’ attendance. Such measures – known as ‘boss-tech’ – are part of a rising tide of in-house biometric deployment by institutions within the UK financial services industry. But here’s the contention: Is boss-tech ...

19 August 2025 /identity

Africa’s cross-border payments boom: Why stablecoins and AI are key to the next financial leap

Amish Patel Coverage Banker at Absa

Africa’s cross-border payments boom: Why stablecoins and AI are key to the next financial leap

Remittances to Africa have hit record highs, but sky-high fees and inefficiencies in Africa’s payments landscape still hold back economic potential. This article explains why stablecoins and AI could reshape cross-border payments and inclusion across the continent. Africa is experiencing a cross-border payments boom, with data from the World Bank ...

14 August 2025 /inclusion

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