Payments
UK prepares for mobile payment apps
The Payments Council is launching a new mobile payments platform in the UK in 2014, and seminar participants discussed the challenges it will face
ECB 'streamlines’ assessment of settlement systems
Eurosystem central banks will use a new framework with ‘considerable procedural simplifications’ to judge whether settlement systems are safe enough to be used in their credit operations
Eurosystem repatriation rule-change creates 'level playing field' for CSDs
Senior executives at Clearstream and Euroclear tell CentralBanking.com their companies are ready for the new landscape - and for the launch of T2S
Pianalto confident in case for faster retail payments
Cleveland Fed president Sandra Pianalto says the lack of 'concrete' evidence in favour of a near-real-time payment system should not stand in the way of its creation
Bank of Finland deputy urges banks to meet mobile and internet payments demand
Pentti Hakkarainen says banking sector has not met Finnish population’s demand for mobile, internet or real-time payments; says banks risks losing their data advantage over other institutions
ECB to relax CCBM collateral deposit rules from May 2014
Benoît Cœuré says the rule change will pave the way for support of cross-border, tri-party collateral management services from September next year; warns Sepa deadline looks tight for many
Central banks behind curve on innovation, says World Payments Report
Central banks are struggling to keep up with rapid growth of innovative new payment systems, report warns; risk to European firms that regulation will cause mobile payments to fall behind
Sanusi unveils revised Nigerian payments strategy
Central Bank of Nigeria governor underscores progress made already with modernising payment systems in Nigeria, and reveals details of revised payments strategy for 2020
Digital payments key to financial inclusion, says Gates report
New report into financial inclusion says digital payments are the way forward – but financial service providers will need to charge fees in order to cover the cost of serving the poor
Downsides of technology-driven financial system highlighted at AFI conference
Bank Negara Malaysia governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz says in opening remarks that financially marginalised groups could suffer as everyday financial activities become increasingly sophisticated
Danish central bank calls for better liquidity management in payments markets
National Bank of Denmark urges market participants to reserve ‘adequate liquidity’ for payments settlement; breaks down ongoing modernisation of financial market infrastructure
Mauritius introduces polymer banknotes
The Bank of Mauritius joins an exclusive but growing group of central banks that is looking to plastic money to curtail counterfeiting
People: StanChart's new global RMB team; RBC hires Asian equities head from JPM
Carmen Ling quits Citi to head Standard Chartered's new global renminbi-focused team; RBC hires new head of Asian equities from JP Morgan in Hong Kong; and more
US households stick with favourite payment methods
According to a recent study, households use ‘one or at most two' of cash, cheque and card when paying the bills
Adopting electronic retail payments boosts real economy, says ECB paper
Working paper says efficient electronic retail payment infrastructure boosts GDP, trade and consumption; integrating and harmonising different markets amplifies these effects
Central Bank of Sri Lanka launches national electronic payments system
The scheme, which will allow customers to withdraw cash from any ATMs of participating banks, is similar to one announced by the Palestinian Monetary Authority earlier this month
Palestine to get new retail payments system
Palestine Monetary Authority announces deal for new electronic payments system; ATM machines and points of sale will become accessible to all debit cards without additional charges
Thailand and Hong Kong launch cross-border settlement scheme
Bank of Thailand and Hong Kong Monetary Authority look to eliminate cross-border settlement risk through establishment of Asia's third PvP link between different currencies
Polish banks set up joint standard for mobile payments
Participants expect the joint venture to provide a boost to non-cash trading and, by extension, business effectiveness
Survey finds Lithuanians lack opportunities to use payment cards
Survey respondents would like to pay by card at places that currently do not accept them - but paying through mobile phones is still beyond the pale
UK Payments Council prepares 'roadmap' for reform
'Payments Roadmap' seeks to boost competition and innovation in UK payments, even as a government consultation leaves the future of the Payments Council in doubt
People: Poloz names special advisor; BoE appoints insurance specialist to PRA
Bank of Canada appoints senior advisor to the governor; UK's Prudential Regulation Authority names final independent director; payments systems Bacs and Chaps appoint new chairmen
Ukraine caps cash use in bid to boost e-payments
National Bank of Ukraine hopes to deliver a wide range of benefits by imposing limits on the size of cash payments
ECB issues draft regulation on systemically important payment systems
Central bank seeks comment on draft regulations implementing CPSS-Iosco Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures, for systemically important payments systems in the eurozone