Bitbond

Finovate Alums and the History of Bitcoin Innovation

Finovate Alums and the History of Bitcoin Innovation
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: AlphaPoint, Alumni profile, Amber Labs, ArcBit, Bitbond, BlockCypher, Blockstack.io, Coinalytics, Coinbase, CoinJar, Gem, itBit, KlickEx, Ledger, OpenCoin, Plutus Software, Ripple, Stratumn

With bitcoin and cryptocurrencies enjoying renewed interest, it’s worth noting that many fintech fans encountered their first bitcoin-related businesses through Finovate conferences.

Here’s a look at some of the companies that have brought their bitcoin and crypto-powered innovations to the Finovate stage.

OpenCoin – FinovateSpring 2013 – The company now well-known as Ripple was introduced to Finovate audiences back in 2013. At FinovateSpring that year, Chris Larsen – CEO of a startup called OpenCoin – introduced its virtual currency and distributed open source payment network. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Ripple currently has more than 300 financial institutions who leverage its RippleNet blockchain network to power real-time payments.

KlickEx – FinovateAsia 2013 – New Zealand-based KlickEx unveiled its asset-backed and algorithmic cryptocurrency for institutional and retail users at FinovateAsia in 2013. The company, founded in 2009, recently announced a partnership with the National Reserve Bank of Tonga to launch a new national payment system.

Coinbase – FinovateSpring 2014 – Among the bigger names in bitcoin and cryptocurrency to have demonstrated their technology at Finovate conferences is San Francisco, California-based Coinbase. Debuting at Finovate with its Instant Exchange in 2014, Coinbase has grown into one of the biggest players in the cryptocurrency market with more than 35 million verified users and more than $320 billion in total volume traded on its platform.

AlphaPoint – FinovateEurope 2015 – With more than $350 million in monthly trading volume and 20 digital currency exchanges operating in 15 countries, AlphaPoint is a leading fintech exchange platform provider for digital currencies. The company demoed version two of its digital currency exchange platform at FinovateEurope in 2015.

CoinJar – FinovateEurope 2015 – Australia’s largest and longest-operating bitcoin company, CoinJar demonstrated its platform at FinovateEurope 2015. The Best of Show-winning firm was the first in its market to offer a bitcoin debit card that enabled cardholders to use the cryptocurrency for everyday purchases.

Bitbond – FinovateEurope 2015 – Berlin, Germany’s Bitbond offers a global P2P bitcoin lending platform that enables anyone with an Internet connection to both get loans as well as invest their savings for interest. The company demonstrated its AutoInvest functionality, which facilitates and automates fund allocation in a portfolio, at FinovateEurope 2015.

itBit – FinovateSpring 2015 – New York-based itBit demonstrated its bitcoin trading platform at FinovateSpring in 2015. The company’s technology enables both institutional and retail investors to buy and sell bitcoin. Rebranded as Paxos in the fall of 2016, the company has since highlighted its work in private blockchains and distributed ledger technology.

Blockstack.io – FinovateFall 2015 – Best of Show winning Blockstack.io offers a hosted and licensed enterprise blockchain platform that enables financial services companies and others to build applications on their own private blockchain. The San Francisco, California-based company, founded in 2015, was acquired by Digital Asset Holdings for an undisclosed sum before the end of the year.

ArcBit – FinovateFall 2015 – With a pledge to leverage bitcoin and blockchain technology to bring banking to the underbanked, ArcBit, which made its Finovate debut at FinovateFall in 2015, offers a mobile wallet specifically designed to give bitcoin owners full control over their cryptoholdings.

Coinalytics – FinDEVr San Francisco 2015 – Our developers conference, FinDEVr is one way that many bitcoin and crytocurrency innovators were able to bring their innovations to the public. Coinanalytics, which offers an end-to-end intelligence platform for the bitcoin industry, is an example of the kind of company developing solutions to make bitcoin a better opportunity for payments, financial services, and IoT.

BlockCypher – FinDEVr Silicon Valley 2015 – Another alum of our developer’s conference, BlockCypher offers companies a cloud-optimized, enterprise-grade blockchain platform that enables them to build reliable blockchain apps. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, the company was founded in 2014.

Gem – FinDEVr Silicon Valley 2015 – Founded in 2014 and based in Venice, California, Gem demonstrated its API which provides a comprehensive security solution for bitcoin apps – without taking control over funds. With a few lines of code, Gem enables developers to provide an interface to their bitcoin apps that gives users better funding options.

Ledger – FinovateEurope 2016 – Headquartered in Paris, France and founded in 2015, Ledger designs trusted hardware solutions for bitcoin and blockchain apps. The company’s solutions, including the Nano X and Nano S, provide cryptocurrency owners with a secure, portable way to take and manage their digital assets wherever they are.

Stratumn – FinDEVr New York 2016 – Enterprise blockchain technology company Stratumn provides firms with the infrastructure and tools they need to to build, deploy, and run blockchain. The company presented the high performance, proof-of-existence engine of its development platform at our developer’s conference in 2016. Jerome Lefebvre took over as CEO of the company from co-founder Richard Caetano in the fall of 2019.

Plutus.it – FinovateEurope 2018 – London-based Plutus demonstrated its Tap & Pay and Debit Card solutions that enable consumers to pay with bitcoin or Ethereum at any contactless point of sale. Founded in 2016, the company currently supports more than 26,000 Plutus accounts and credits its users for acquiring more than $100,000 in rewards via its Pluton Rewards program.

Amber Labs – Finovate MiddleEast 2019 – Best of Show winner Amber Labs is a bitcoin exchange, wallet, and micro-investment app in one. Headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and founded in 2017, Amber Labs offers a mobile first, automated investment platform for retail customers looking to buy and sell bitcoin.

Photo by Thought Catalog from Pexels

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Bitbond, CustomerXPs, Ixaris, Ocrolus, Passport, PayPal

On Finovate.com

  • Passport Raises $65 Million for Mobile Payment for Parking.

Around the web

  • CustomerXPs honored on the RegTech 100 list for second consecutive year.
  • Ixaris forms agreement with Sabre to tap into new European markets.
  • Ocrolus introduces Ocrolus+, a turnkey solution for ingesting documents and digital data streams through a single API.
  • Bitbond partners with KlickOwn to expand into real estate.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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Bitbond Celebrates Successful STO; Raising More than $2.3 Million in New Capital

Bitbond Celebrates Successful STO; Raising More than $2.3 Million in New Capital
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Bitbond, Funding

In a post titled “What is the Bitbond STO and Why Should I Care?” published this spring, Bitbond Marketing Manager Mollie Thick criticized the cryptocurrency industry for “too much hyperbole, failed projects, and disappointed investors.” By contrast, Thick said that Bitbond – via its then just-announced security token offering (STO) – offered “a new breed of stable crypto investment with fixed income returns that other asset classes don’t deliver today.”

This week, the Berlin, Germany-based company announced that it had successfully completed its spring STO, raising more than $2.3 million (€2.1 million) in the process. The token offering makes Bitbond the first issuer to have its prospectus approved by BaFin, Germany’s security regulator. Bitbond noted that investors from 87 countries were involved (investors from the U.S. and Canada were not allowed to participate). The company also pointed out that more than $36,000 (€32,000) was earned by affiliates who helped promote the offering.

The new, tradable security BB1 offers a 4% annual rate, but has a targeted return of double that insofar as the security will pay out 60% of Bitbond’s profits to tokenholders for the duration of the term (10 years). The first payments are expected on October 1. Investors were able to participate in the offering via Euros as well as other crypto currencies such as bitcoin, Ethereum, and Stellar – which is the network upon which BB1 was issued.

The STO brings Bitbond’s total funding to $13.1 million. The company includes Hevella Capital and angel investor Sekip Can Gokalp, co-founder of mobile advertisement network, Mobilike, among its financial backers.

Founded in 2013, Bitbond offers a combined technology and data platform designed to provide financing to SMEs around the world. With customers in more than 120 countries, Bitbond helps small business owners access the working capital they need to grow their businesses by connecting them with both individual and institutional investors. With loan amounts up to €25,000 and terms up to 12 months, Bitbond leverages automation to accelerate the decisioning process and relies on the bitcoin blockchain to ensure efficient payments across borders.

As a platform for investors, Bitbond has enabled more than 1,800 individual and institutional investors to fund more than 1,300 loans. Investors can expect returns of approximately 13% per year via Bitbond’s fixed income investments in SME loans, and can invest for terms ranging from six months to five years.

Bitbond returned to the Finovate stage in 2016 to demonstrate its global automated SME scoring solution. Automated scoring enables loan applicants to instantly request a loan upon completion of the borrower application rather than wait up to 24 hours with traditional scoring methods. The solution is universal across countries, and leverages verifiable data from online revenues, payment processors, business software and accounts, as well as other sources.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Baker Hill, Bill.com, Bitbond, Daon, Digital Onboarding, Hyperwallet, NEO, PayPal, Revolut, Xignite

On Finovate.com

  • Spain Approves Neo as a B2B Challenger Bank.
  • Bill.com Boosts Support for International Payments Offering.
  • Xignite Forges Strategic Partnership with XPansion.
  • Bitbond Celebrates Successful STO; Raises More than $2.3 Million in New Capital.
  • PayPal’s Hyperwallet to make sure Limebike’s gig workers get paid for charging scooters.

Around the web

  • Baker Hill’s NextGen to power growth in commercial lending for Hawaii State FCU.
  • Digital Onboarding to grow engagement and provide the digital banking experience for Manatee Community FCU.
  • Daon to fuel security component of CTMS’ KYC and onboarding solutions aimed at banks in France.
  • Revolut unveils new tech hub in Berlin.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Bitbond, Fortress Identity, Infosys, NestReady, Persistent Systems, Temenos

On Finovate.com

  • Infosys to Power GTB’s Digital Strategy in Myanmar.
  • UBX and Temenos to Deliver Inclusive Digital Banking to Philippines.
  • Fortress Identity Teams with Visa.

Around the web

  • Chain.de interviews Bitbond CEO Radoslav Albrecht.
  • Persistent Systems recognized as an Innovator in Avasant’s Internet of Things Services RadarView Report.
  • Daily Entrepreneur interviews NestReady’s CRO Marcos Carvalho.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Asseco, Bitbond, Equifax, Finastra, Finn.ai, InComm, NF Innova, NYMBUS, Ripple, Salt Edge, Token

On Finovate.com

  • Finn AI Brings Conversational Banking to South Africa’s TymeBank.

Around the web

  • Salt Edge unveils new version of API with a consent management system and UX enhancements.
  • MOXY bank selects NYMBUS‘ SmartCore platform.
  • InComm and WH Smith launch in-store and online hubs for game cards in the U.K.
  • STOblock interviews Bitbond Founder and CEO Radoslav Albrecht.
  • India’s Federal Bank turns to Ripple to power cross-border remittances.
  • Khaleeji Commercial Bank of Bahrain partners with Token.io.
  • Finastra hires Sharon Doherty as its new Chief People Officer.
  • Equifax collaborates with Wolters Kluwer to offer Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL) solution.
  • Raiffeisen Bank Serbia picks Asseco SEE as its strategic vendor.
  • NF Innova to power “Customer-First” experience for APS Bank.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Bill.com, Bitbond, Gro Solutions, InComm, Insuritas, iQuantifi, Kony, Lighter Capital, Modo Payments, MX, Roostify, Sezzle, Signicat, Trustly

On Finovate.com

  • Roostify Powers TD Bank’s Digital Mortgage Experience.

Around the web

  • iQuantifi launches RoboPlanner roboadvisory tool for millennials.
  • Nummo selects MX to power user account aggregation.
  • Signicat digitizes in-store signing of credit agreements for Resurs Bank retail partners.
  • Kony helps PSECU deliver an updated digital banking application to enhance the digital user experience.
  • InComm partners with Japanese pharmacy chain Welcia to launch four mobile barcode payment solutions in its stores.
  • Sezzle adds ShipStation as client.
  • Ocurrency interviews Radoslav Albrecht, Founder & CEO of Bitbond.
  • Insuritas partners with Sound Community Bank to launch bank-owned digital insurance agency platform.
  • Bill.com partners with First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) to offer enhanced digital business payments solutions.
  • Lighter Capital’s investment in Springboard Retail reaches $1.1 million.
  • Provident Bank chooses Gro Solutions to boost mobile-first user-experience and drive account growth.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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Bitbond Launches Alternative Investment Fund in Partnership with 1741 Fund Management

Bitbond Launches Alternative Investment Fund in Partnership with 1741 Fund Management
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Bitbond

Peer-to-peer small business financing platform Bitbond has entered into a partnership with 1741 Fund Management to launch an alternative investment fund.

The new investment opportunity is made possible through an open-ended investment fund from 1741 Fund Management. Through the partnership, any institutional investor will have access to a diversified portfolio of small business loans that are originated through Bitbond’s small business lending platform. The new product is set up as an Alternative Investment Fund under the E.U.’s Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive.

Germany-based Bitbond offers small businesses across the globe fast access to working capital. Its platform connects small business owners with individual and institutional investors and leverages the blockchain to send cross-border payments quickly and inexpensively. Because Bitbond requires less manual involvement than traditional underwriting methods, it also has the advantage of scalability.

Since it was launched in 2013, the Bitbond platform has facilitated more than 2,300 loans worth $7.4 million (€6 million), most of which is used as short-term working capital for online retailers. Bitbond, which holds its own BaFin regulatory license, boasts more than 130,000 users from 120 countries.

At FinovateFall 2016, Bitbond launched an automated SME scoring engine. The tool offers a universal, automated scoring method that provides borrowers instant funding after their application is accepted. Last spring, the company brought in $5.4 million in debt financing and an undisclosed amount of equity funding, taking Bitbond’s total equity funds to more than $2.4 million. Radko Albrecht is founder and CEO.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Bitbond, Ephesoft, EZBOB, Klarna, Moven, MX, nCino, PayNearMe, Revolut, Ripple, TIBCO Software

On Finovate.com

  • Moven Enterprise Launches in Japan, Lands $23 Million from SBI Holdings.
  • nCino Reels in Investment from SalesForce Ventures.
  • London-based lender EZBOB Raises $21 Million in New Funding.
  • Bitbond Launches Alternative Investment Fund in Partnership with 1741 Fund Management.

Around the web

  • TIBCO appoints Matt Quinn as COO, Nelson Petracek as CTO.
  • Revolut launches ability to buy, hold, & sell Bitcoin, Litecoin, & Ethereum in just 30 seconds directly from the app.
  • KIVA Group team with MX to offer AFCU members mobile banking app.
  • UK technology retailer Maplin integrates Klarna’s pay later option.
  • Ephesoft appoints Russ Hubbard as Chief Revenue Officer.
  • PayNearMe partners with Ria to make paying for international money transfers easier.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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Bitbond Gains $5.4 Million Debt Commitment and Undisclosed Equity Investment

Bitbond Gains $5.4 Million Debt Commitment and Undisclosed Equity Investment
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Bitbond, Funding

Peer-to-peer small business financing platform Bitbond announced today it has received a debt commitment from Obotritia Capital, which has agreed to fund $5.4 million worth of loans on its platform. Obotritia has also invested an undisclosed amount of equity in Bitbond, whose current funding now totals more than $2.14 million.

Headquartered in Germany, Bitbond offers small businesses across the globe fast access to working capital. It does so by connecting small business owners with individual and institutional investors. Because it leverages the blockchain, Bitbond sends cross-border payments to merchants quickly and inexpensively. Since it was founded in 2013, Bitbond has originated 1,700 loans to small businesses in 120 countries.

Above: Bitbond’s Radko Albrecht (CEO & Founder) and Jarek Nowotka (CTO) debut the company’s automated SME scoring engine at FinovateFall 2016

At FinovateFall 2016, the company launched an automated SME scoring engine. “The main challenge about creating an international lending platform is credit scoring because data is different from one country to another,” said Bitbond CEO and founder Radko Albrecht in his recent FinovateFall demo. He added, “At Bitbond we have solved this and created the most international and most scalable SME scoring mechanism.” The tool offers a universal, automated scoring method that offers borrowers instant funding after their application is accepted. Because Bitbond requires less manual involvement than traditional underwriting methods, it also has the advantage of scalability.

Earlier this year, Bitbond partnered with blockchain remittance service Bitpesa to improve access to working capital for small businesses in Africa. Last fall, the company received its BaFin license, a certification that allows it to conduct asset brokerage on its platform independent of banks.

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Finovate Alumni News

By David Penn Posted on
Categories: ACI Worldwide, Bitbond, CSI globalVCard, Daon, Experian, iSignthis, Jack Henry, Kontomatik, Kreditech, Symbiont

On Finovate.com

  • Bitbond Gains $5.4 Million Debt Commitment and Undisclosed Equity Investment.
  • PayU Investment in Kreditech Marks Largest Funding for a German Fintech.

On FinDEVr.com

  • FinDEVr Alum Symbiont Scores Funding from China’s Hundsun Technologies.
  • Check out our latest FinDEVr APIntelligence.

Around the web

  • CSI globalVCard to integrate Visa Payables Automation into its paysystem Payables platform.
  • Kontomatik earns top 50 spot in the 2017 Dutch FinTech Awards. Join Kontomatik for FinDEVr London in June.
  • Australia-based forex broker Pepperstone to deploy Paydentity verification services from iSignthis.
  • Daon to integrate IdentityX platform with Experian’s fraud and identity platform, CrossCore.
  • ACI Worldwide’s point-to-point encryption solution earns PCI P2PE compliance validation.
  • Delaware’s Dover FCU to deploy core in-house processing technology from Jack Henry’s Symitar division.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

 

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Finovate Alumni News

By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Bitbond, DAVO Technologies, Fiserv, HelloWallet, inSpirAVE, LendingTree, Malauzai Software, Spiff, VISA, Wealth Wizards, Zenmonics

On Finovate.com

  • A Look at the Savings Tech Horizon: Crowdfunded Savings with Spiff and InSpirAVE.
  • LendingTree Launches Student Loan Comparison Tool.
  • Check out this week’s FinDEVr APIntelligence.
  • A Look at the Savings Tech Horizon: Advice-Only with Hellowallet and  Wealth Wizards.

Around the web

  • Malauzai Software launches Fingerprint Authentication and Touch ID technology for Android 7.0 this year.
  • VISA to enable electronic business payments for SME clients of B2B electronic invoicing network, Viewpost.
  • Fiserv reports nearly 30 banks and CUs deployed its digital banking technology in 2016, taking the total number of FIs using its online banking solutions to 3,500.
  • PurePoint launch leverages Zenmonics’ channelUNITED.
  • Bitpesa partners with Bitbond to financially assist SMEs.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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