Shareholders have made it overwhelmingly clear that a company’s approach to sustainability can make or break its investment prospects. But it’s not enough for enterprises to say they’re sustainable — they have to prove it.
As Ethereum gas prices rise, the chain that inspired Web3 is becoming gentrified, with high transaction costs pushing less wealthy users onto competing blockchains or scaling solutions.
Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Category Archives: Uncategorized
What Is Fintech and Why Is It So Popular?
Aubrey Moore | Aug 10, 2022
Pixabay/Markus Winkler
Introduction
The term “fintech” is a relatively new one, coined in the early 21st century. It’s a blend of the words “financial” and “technology,” and it refers to the use of technology to deliver financial services.
Fintech has become increasingly popular in recent years for several reasons. First, the internet and mobile devices have made it easier than ever for people to access financial services from anywhere.
Second, fintech startups have been able to take advantage of advances in technology to offer innovative new products and services that traditional financial institutions have been slow to adopt.
Finally, as the world becomes more globalized, fintech is seen as a way to level the playing field in terms of access to financial services.
There are several different types of fintech, but some of the most popular include mobile payments, crowdfunding, and peer-to-peer lending.
Mobile Payments
One of the most popular types of fintech is mobile payments. Mobile payments allow users to make transactions using their smartphones or other mobile devices.
There are many different ways to make mobile payments, but the most common is through a “digital wallet” that stores your payment information (such as your credit card number) in a secure place. When you want to make a purchase, you can simply swipe your phone at the point of sale and the transaction will be processed automatically.
Mobile payments are convenient because they allow you to make purchases without having to carry cash or a credit card. They’re also secure because your payment information is stored in a digital wallet that can only be accessed with your fingerprint or a PIN code.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is another popular type of fintech. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo allow people to donate money to support projects or causes they believe in.
People use crowdfunding for all sorts of different things, from funding new businesses to raising money for charitable causes. In return for their donation, backers often receive rewards like early access to the product or service being funded.
Crowdfunding is a great way to raise money for projects or causes you believe in. It’s also a great way to connect with people who share your interests.
Peer-to-Peer Lending
Peer-to-peer lending is another type of fintech that has become popular in recent years. Peer-to-peer lending platforms like LendingClub and Prosper allow people to borrow and lend money to each other without going through a traditional bank.
Borrowers can use peer-to-peer lending platforms to get loans for things like starting a business or consolidating debt. Lenders can earn interest on the money they lend while helping others achieve their financial goals.
Peer-to-peer lending is a great way to get personal payday loans without going through a bank. It’s also a great way to earn interest in your money.
Why Fintech is Crucial for Businesses
Fintech is not only revolutionizing the way we bank and make payments, but it’s also changing the way businesses operate.
There are several reasons why fintech is so important for businesses. First, fintech allows businesses to automate their finances, which can save time and money.
Second, fintech provides businesses with new ways to raise capital, such as through crowdfunding or peer-to-peer lending. Finally, fintech gives businesses access to new markets that were previously inaccessible.
Fintech is crucial for businesses because it provides them with new ways to operate more efficiently and effectively. Also, it gives them access to new markets and new sources of capital.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is fintech?
Fintech is short for financial technology. Fintech refers to any type of technology that is used to provide financial services.
What are some examples of fintech?
Some examples of fintech include mobile payments, crowdfunding, and peer-to-peer lending.
Why is fintech so important for businesses?
Fintech is important for businesses because it provides them with new ways to operate more efficiently and effectively. Also, it provides them with access to new markets and new sources of capital.
What are the benefits of using fintech?
There are many benefits of using fintech. Some of the benefits include convenience, security, and accessibility.
What are the risks of using fintech?
There are certain risks connected with adopting fintech. Someone may exploit your digital wallet and charge purchases to it if you lose your phone or it is stolen. There is also a risk that new types of financial fraud could emerge as fintech becomes more popular.
However, these risks can be mitigated by taking proper precautions, such as using a strong password and storing your digital wallet in a secure place.
What is the future of fintech?
The future of fintech is very exciting. As fintech continues to evolve, we will likely see even more new and innovative ways to make payments, save money, and invest. We will also likely see fintech become more mainstream, as more businesses and individuals adopt these new technologies.
The Bottom Line
Fintech is a rapidly growing industry that is changing the way we bank, make payments, and invest. It is also changing the way businesses operate, providing them with new ways to save time and money. Fintech startups are developing cutting-edge new technology and services that are transforming the way we handle our money.
See: Why is FinTech so hard to regulate? 5 Challenges for Regulators
As the world becomes more globalized, fintech is seen as a way to level the playing field in terms of access to financial services. Also, as mobile devices become more ubiquitous, fintech is only going to become more popular. If you’re not familiar with fintech, now is the time to learn about it. It’s an industry that is only going to become more important in the years to come.
AUTHOR’S BIO
Aubrey Moore is a freelance writer and home renovation enthusiast living in New York City. She keeps up to date with the newest trends and then passes this knowledge on to her audience. When Aubrey isn't researching and writing, she is out playing volleyball with her friends.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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6 Tips That’ll Help You Make More Money When Selling Your House
Jul 22, 2022
Are you looking to sell your house? If so, you're likely interested in maximizing your profits. There are several things that you can do to make sure that you get the most money for your home. This blog post will discuss six tips that will help you make more money when selling your house.
Work with the right agents
One of the things that you can do to make more money when selling your house is to work with the right agents. You want to find agents who have a lot of experience in the industry and who know how to get the most money for their clients. The right agent will be able to help you negotiate a higher price for your home and will also be able to market your home to the right buyers. For instance, if you are selling a property in Singapore, you will want to find an agent who specializes in selling properties in the area. You may find real estate agents who are focused on Singapore properties on various online directories. You can also ask for recommendations from your friends or relatives who have sold their homes in Singapore before.
Get your house in order
Another thing that you can do to make more money when selling your house is to get your house in order. This means making sure that your house is clean, organized, and presentable. Buyers will be more likely to pay a higher price for a house that looks well-kept and cared for. You may want to hire a professional cleaning service to help you get your house in tip-top shape. You should also make sure that any repairs or renovations are completed before putting your house on the market.
Price your home correctly
Another important tip is to price your home correctly. You don't want to overprice your home, as this will discourage buyers from even looking at it. At the same time, you don't want to underprice your home, as this will leave money on the table. The best way to determine the right price for your home is to work with a real estate agent who has experience pricing homes in your area. You can also research the market to see what similar homes have sold for in the past.
Make sure your home is in good condition
Another important tip is to make sure that your home is in good condition. Buyers are looking for homes that are move-in ready and don't require a lot of work. If your home needs repairs or updates, you should consider making these changes before putting your home on the market. This will help you get a higher price for your home and will also make it more attractive to buyers. For example, if your home needs a new roof, you should replace the roof before listing your home for sale.
Think about the timing of your sale
The timing of your sale can also have an impact on how much money you make. In general, you will get more money for your home if you sell during the summer months. This is because more buyers are looking for homes during this time of year. If you are flexible with the timing of your sale, you may want to wait until the summer to list your home. This way, you can maximize your profits. In addition to this, staging your home is another great way to make it more appealing to buyers and to get a higher price for your home. When you stage your home, you make it look its best so that buyers can see its potential. This can be a great way to make your home more appealing and get people interested in buying it.
Market your property effectively
Last but not the least, marketing your property effectively is another important tip. You want to make sure that your home is being seen by as many potential buyers as possible. There are several ways to market your home, including online and offline.
See: How Proptech is changing the real estate industry
The best way to market your home will depend on the area you live in and the type of buyers you're targeting. For instance, if you're selling a luxury home in Singapore, you will want to market your home online to reach the right buyers. You can also use print media or hold open houses to market your property. Whatever marketing strategy you choose, make sure that you are reaching the right buyers.
Image source: Pixabay
These are just a few of the things that you can do to make more money when selling your house. If you follow these tips, you'll be in a good position to get the most money for your home. Rest assured that with a little bit of effort, you can make a lot of money from selling your house.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Fintech Week London Launches Independent Review to Address the Fintech Industry’s Sustainability
LSE | Amelia Isaacs | Jul 13, 2022
Image source: Raf De Kimpe/Fintech Week London
The London Stock Exchange is backing a new review into the rise and fall in funding and valuations in the fintech industry over the past few years.
The review, launched by Fintech Week London (FTWL), will bring together key industry partners, regulators, investors and fintech companies to ensure the industry “continues to thrive”.
Following record investment leves in 2021, there has been a sharp decline in fintech backing in 2022, with firms struggling to raise funds.
There has been an unfortunate growing trend of falling valuations, staff layouts and recruitment freezes across the industry as a whole.
The “ground-breaking” industry review hopes to address this explosive growth and rapid decline in funding and valuations within the fintech industry.
Fintechs at all stages of growth and development will feel the impact of changing valuations, slower funding rounds and hesitancy from investors.
See: UK Embedded Finance (Fintech Infrastructure) Fidel API Bags $65 million Series B
He explained this will have a knock-on effect on tech development, talent acquisition and retention, and the flow of innovative financial solutions to the end user.
He called on the community to share its thoughts on how best to protect the fintech industry in this independent review.
If anything, it ensures the sector can collectively take a step back and properly evaluate its long-term direction. After all, with Web3 technologies like blockchain on the horizon, we are very much likely to see a new wave of fintech innovation in the coming years.
Continue to the full article --> here
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Podcast: Bitcoin Privacy Interview with Matt Odell
Spotify Podcast | Matt Odell | Jun 24, 2022
Our privacy is continuously being eroded. Current best estimates are that 2.5 million terabytes of data are produced every day. A material amount of that information has extremely lax privacy protection: 98% of Internet of Things data is unencrypted; 83% of companies encrypt less than half the data they store on the cloud; 25% of websites are visited without encryption.
See: Will The ECASH Act be the Answer to Privacy and Virtual Currency in the U.S.?
Vast amounts of the data we freely shed are stored, analysed and triangulated for commercial reasons. These tactics are so sophisticated that it’s not uncommon for people to think companies are listening to their conversations.
We are being squeezed for our data in almost all aspects of our lives while cash, traditionally the only semi-private way of transacting, is being removed from society, and CBDCs inch closer to reality. Imagine if companies or governments could access and track your income, store of wealth and all those with whom you transacted. What is currently unnerving behaviour by those who track our data could rapidly become something much more maligned and coercive.
Perfect privacy, whether with bitcoin or not, is a pipedream. The goal is to continually improve in protecting a fundamental human right, privacy.
See: How Unadjusted Currency Transaction Reporting Leads to Invasion of Privacy and More Compliance costs
Matt Odell is host of the Citadel Dispatch and venture partner at Ten31. In this interview, we discuss why each additional positive act of privacy protection improves Bitcoin's resilience and value. Perfecting privacy is not the goal; making a start is, as we don’t know what the future holds.
Continue to the full article --> here
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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While Sustainability Software Booms, Investors Demand Climate Data Proof
Protocol | Aisha Counts | Feb 1, 2022
Shareholders have made it overwhelmingly clear that a company’s approach to sustainability can make or break its investment prospects. But it’s not enough for enterprises to say they’re sustainable — they have to prove it.
Just like the earth, the market for climate reporting software is heating up.
Driven by pressure from investors, regulators and consumers, demand is rising for software that can track and report environmental data. When it comes to betting on the messy business of wrangling environmental data from disparate sources, investors spent more than $570 million backing startups in the first six months of 2021 alone, according to a report by PwC.
Shareholders have made it overwhelmingly clear that a company’s approach to sustainability can make or break its investment prospects. But it’s not enough for enterprises to say they’re sustainable — they have to prove it. That’s why the Big Four accounting firms are already being asked to audit carbon progress in the same way they would financial results, explained Ron Beck, director of Marketing for industrial software company AspenTech. “It's not just can the government audit it — that's actually even less of the concern — it’s, can the investment community audit it?” he said.
See: Alternative forms of capital will be key to develop sustainable economic systems
That question has sent companies scrambling for ways to collect, aggregate and report environmental data in a way that resonates with their investors.
At SAP, head of Sustainability Product Management James Sullivan said only 5% of the company’s institutional investors used to be socially responsible investors. But now, “as we looked at the latest data, we're well over 35% and that's long-term, more stable money,” he said.
The cloud giants — which fall all over themselves to demonstrate how environmentally friendly they are, despite their enormous data-center footprint — aren’t strangers to sustainability reporting. ServiceNow, Salesforce and Microsoft all have burgeoning sustainability offerings. ServiceNow added an ESG reporting function in October of last year, Salesforce offers carbon emission tracking via its net zero-as-a-service and Microsoft enables environmental reporting via its Cloud for Sustainability.
As companies look to quickly bolster their ESG reporting capabilities, dealmaking is on the rise. In June 2021, JPMorgan bought ESG startup OpenInvest, followed by Blackstone’s acquisition of sustainability software Sphera for $1.4 billion a few months later. To start off the new year, IBM acquired environmental data startup Envizi and SAP launched several new products to enhance its sustainability outcomes measurements.
The market driver for all this activity is not as much about goodwill as it is about money.
See: Capitalism must be saved by capitalists, argue these pioneering ESG investors
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink wrote in a recent letter to CEOs that sustainable investments had already reached a whopping $4 trillion, indicating the magnitude of investor appetite for ESG-conscious assets:
“We focus on sustainability not because we're environmentalists, but because we are capitalists.”
It’s a data problem
But among the companies that want to invest in sustainability reporting, most “customers have a data problem,” said Kareem Yusuf, whose AI applications team at IBM led the acquisition of Envizi.
“How are they going to pull together this data? And I think this is the most important: in a verifiable, and automated way.”
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The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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L2s are the path to mass adoption says QuickSwap founder Sameep Singhania
Cointelegraph Magazine | Elias Ahonen | Jan 12, 202
As Ethereum gas prices rise, the chain that inspired Web3 is becoming gentrified, with high transaction costs pushing less wealthy users onto competing blockchains or scaling solutions.
This means that many use cases are becoming unfeasible in the proverbial layer-one downtown, and suburban neighborhoods are being developed to allow for a cost-effective layer-two blockchain experience.
Since getting acquainted with Polygon around the time of its launch in late 2019, Sameep Singhania has been an avid supporter of projects built on the protocol. In 2021, he created QuickSwap, a decentralized exchange (DEX) serving the needs of the budding Polygon ecosystem.
A DEX for Polygon
After working on perhaps dozens of projects on Polygon from 2019 onward, Singhania “realized that to grow the Polygon ecosystem, we need a DEX.”
See: Single largest Ethereum contract worth $33.5 billion ‘trapped’
This was because while “99% of blockchain projects have a token,” listings on popular exchanges are not easy to arrange, and many users are not willing to create an account at an obscure exchange just to trade a particular token that is not listed elsewhere. A DEX can function as the central market square of a blockchain network, giving its users access to everything they need without having to venture to another chain.
Polygon — previously called Matic Network, with MATIC remaining its ticker — is a layer-two blockchain. That means it’s a blockchain built on top of an existing chain. Whereas Lighting is an example of a layer-two, or L2, built on Bitcoin, Polygon is built upon Ethereum.
QuickSwap is Polygon’s primary DEX and functions as a heart of the network.
“Polygon is there to scale Ethereum,” Singhania says, which has its pros and cons. He further explains that while “Ethereum is the most secure solution out there,” it comes at the cost of high gas fees and relatively slow transaction times.
See: tbDEX: Square Releases White Paper Detailing Protocol for a Decentralized Bitcoin Exchange
Onboarding the next generation
Now that Polygon is a low-cost option to L1 and has a reliable DEX, Singhania believes that the next step in scaling the layer is to improve the user experience in order to make it user-friendly for millions of people who are new to cryptocurrency. As QuickSwap is a central point of the Polygon ecosystem, much of the responsibility falls to his shoulders.
Continue to the full article --> here
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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How Employers and Leaders Can Help With Our Mental Health Crisis
Forbes |
For two years we've been subjected to fear, anxiety, isolation, powerlessness which all contributed to a crisis of “collective trauma,” and being on “edge.’ It took a deadly virus outbreak to wake up employers to look after the mental health and emotional well-being of their people.
See: How Covid has kickstarted Canadian fintech
LifeWorks’ mental health index tracks how people are faring across the world. Here are some of the highlights:
- Nearly one-fifth of working Americans report that their working life has worsened since the start of the pandemic.
- Seventeen percent of Americans indicate that their working life has worsened compared to before the pandemic; the mental health of this group is nearly 11 points below the national average.
- Sixteen percent of Americans report that their personal life has worsened compared to before the pandemic; the mental health of this group is nearly 15 points below the national average.
- Differences in mental health scores between those with and without emergency savings have been reported since the launch of the Index in April 2020. Nearly two years later, individuals without emergency savings have a mental health score (-21.8) more than 18 points below the overall group (-3.7) and more than 20 points below those with emergency savings (0.9).
- For the 20th consecutive month, full-time post-secondary students have the lowest mental health score (-18.8) by a significant margin
What Leadership Needs To Do Now
Change comes from the top. Fortunately, we’ve started to see C-suite executives taking action and communicating the importance of mental health and well-being, and demonstrating empathy. That helps people feel valued, understood and less isolated in their struggles.
See: The Psychological Price of Entrepreneurship
Managers need to acknowledge that people have different situations to deal with, as everyone is on their own personal journey. Some staff members may need a lot of help—others, not so much. Everyone can benefit from some form of guidance or support.
It's not reasonable to presume managers intuitively know how to deal with these serious matters. Therefore, it's incumbent upon leadership to train the managers and teach them how to express empathy. It may make sense to bring in outside experts, especially if there is a sense that morale is dropping and the rate of employee attrition is increasing at an alarming rate.
Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers didn’t talk about mental health issues, career burnout, feeling of depression or existential crises. In the past, there was a stigma attached to these feelings. With this in mind, it takes time for people to feel comfortable admitting that they need help.
What You Can Do Right Now
We always talk about the importance of our physical health. We all agree that it's important to eat healthily, exercise and avoid excesses, such as drinking too much, smoking or indulging in illicit drugs. You need to adopt this mindset for your mental health.
See: COVID-19: Making the case for robust digital financial infrastructure
By showing gratitude and recognizing others can help both you and the other person, it actually rewires your brain in a way that helps your own resilience. It's hard to manage the unrelenting stress and avoid burnout all by yourself. It is restorative to have relationships. It’s also important to keep things in perspective.
Our challenge is that the virus outbreak cut us off from society. The amount of outside activities have been diminished.
To make up for this, start building a mental health program that supports your staff. To simplify this process, you can use software, such as a mental health program EHR (electronic health record). You can use these tools to manage treatment plans and coordinate counseling appointments if you’re a part of the healthcare industry.
Continue to the full article --> here
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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