What is ethical risk? Ethical risk consists of the risks that could impede an organisation’s ability to live up to its ethical values and standards which impact consumer trust, reputation, and financial performance.
For the companies populating the FinTech IPO Index, earnings have been part of the continuing avalanche of headlines this past week. Earnings Begin to Trickle In Oportun shares soared 32.5%. The company this week announced preliminary results that showed expected revenue ranges of $248 million to $250 million in the first quarter, down from $295.5 million last year and an annualized charge-off rate of about 12%, up from 5.5% last year. The company’s projected 30-day delinquency rate in the first quarter stands at 5.2%, compared to 5.5% a year ago. “We expect to deliver a resilient top-line performance with Total Revenue exceeding the top end of our guidance range by $10 to $12 million,” Raul Vazquez, CEO of Oportun, said in a statement. “Our tightened credit posture contributed to delivering annualized net charge-offs in the bottom half of our guidance range and below the net charge-off rate from last year.” Lufax shares were 6.9% higher. The company’s latest results showed a 45% decrease in the outstanding balance of loans enabled, to 270.2 billion RMB ($37.3 billion) as of March 31 of this year. The cumulative number of borrowers increased by 12.4% to approximately 21.7 million as of March. New loans enabled were 48.1 billion RMB ($6.6 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, down 15.6% year over year. The 30+ delinquency rate for the total loans the company had enabled, excluding the consumer finance subsidiary, was 6.6% compared to 6.9% at the end of last year. Kaspi detailed in its first-quarter report that it had seen a “strong start to 2024” with first-quarter revenue and net income up 40% and 28% year-over-year. Total revenues in the most recent quarter were 395 million KZT ($888,017). Payments and Marketplace Platforms together accounted for 68% of consolidated net income, up from 60% in Q1 2023. The company said in its release: “Marketplace was our fastest growing platform with gross merchandise value (GMV) and revenue up 62% and 108% YoY respectively.” eCommerce GMV was up 114% YoY. eCars accounted for 26% of eCommerce GMV. Within the eGrocery segment, GMV was up 125% year over year and the company’s active consumer base here was up 84% YoY to 566,000. The average number of monthly transactions per active consumer, in 1Q 2024, stood at 71. Kaspi shares tacked on 3.6%. Some Partnerships, Too nCino’s stock was up 0.1%. In a press release, nCino said that Together, a U.K. property lender, has selected nCino’s Cloud Banking Platform to use across all its core services, including regulated residential and buy-to-let mortgages, as well as commercial loans, bridging facilities and development finance. Together, according to the release has a loan book that tops 6.8 billion pounds ($8.5 billion). Elsewhere, PYMNTS reported that Marqeta has launched a partnership with U.K.-based, entrepreneur-focused digital bank OakNorth. The collaboration will see Marqeta offer a commercial card for OakNorth’s business banking clients, with the Marqeta platform giving these customers a better view of the finances, the companies said. The companies noted that small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the U.K. are struggling, with costs considerably higher than last year. The release also pointed to estimates from the Bank of England showing a 22 billion pound ($27.4 billion) SMB funding gap in Great Britain. Marqeta’s partnership with OakNorth comes days after the company announced it was expanding its earned wage access program with help from financial wellness provider Rain. Marqeta shares gave up 2%. The post FinTech IPO Index Adds 3% as Oportun Soars on Preliminary Quarterly Results appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
The post Bitcoin Price Will Soon Hit $86K If This Happens appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News The cryptocurrency market has remained relatively calm in the past 24 hours despite fluctuating Bitcoin’s (BTC) price on the lower border of a weekly bullish flag. On the hourly chart, Bitcoin price against the US dollar has been grinding lower after experiencing a significant resistance level of around $67,200. Bitcoin Bleed to Altcoins Short-term Bitcoin investors have been distributing their profits to the altcoin market to maximize gains. Furthermore, Bitcoin dominance has retraced more than 2 percent since the halving event to about 55 percent on Friday. The ETH/BTC pair on the weekly and hourly time frames has formed a reversal pattern that favors an altseason ahead. Some altcoins to pay attention to include Binance Coin (BNN), NEAR Protocol (NEAR), and meme coins. High-Impact Events Ahead The global cryptocurrency community will be graced with the trading of spot BTC ETFs in Hong Kong. The approval of spot BTC ETFs in Hong Kong will add to the bullish sentiment triggered by the U.S.-based similar approval. Meanwhile, the third Federal Funds Rate will be released on the first day of next month. Market experts believe the Fed will hold its benchmark interest rate, with anticipated interest rate cuts later this year. Key BTC Levels to Watch Ahead A Successful Bullish Flag Breakout will Send $BTC #Bitcoin to 86k..Trust the Process. pic.twitter.com/CN1NPD1pF5— Captain Faibik (@CryptoFaibik) April 26, 2024 A popular and reputable crypto analyst alias, Captain Faibik, has closely followed Bitcoin prices and is armed with technical expertise. According to the crypto analyst, Bitcoin price has been forming a bullish flag in preparation for the next uptrend. Furthermore, the flagship coin is already in the price discovery phase after reaching an ATH of around $74k last month. The Analyst expects the Bitcoin price to retest the support level of around $61k several times before rebounding to a new ATH above $86k soon.
According to research from IFS, the global cloud enterprise software company, 84 per cent of executives anticipate massive organisational benefits to stem from artificial intelligence (AI). However, despite optimism, the research revealed nearly half (48 per cent) of respondents aren’t ready to integrate the technology and are still reviewing proposals. The research titled Industrial AI: the new frontier for productivity, innovation and competition shows that many organisations are buying into the AI hype. In fact, it revealed that 82 per cent of senior decision-makers acknowledge that there is significant pressure to adopt AI quickly as it can impact product and service innovation; improved internal and external data availability; and cost reductions and margin gains. Due to these growing pressures though, the same decision-makers are concerned that AI integration plans will stall at the pilot stage if the correct amount of research and preparation isn’t done. New tech needs new infrastructure For the latest technologies to be most effective, it is often recommended that organisations ensure they are using the latest core infrastructure to allow the tech to run smoothly. However, the research found that 34 per cent of businesses have not moved to the cloud. While cloud infrastructure isn’t essential for AI to run, it is indicative of a firm’s attitude towards change as without the cloud, it will struggle to scale effectively and efficiently. According to IFS, a robust industrial AI strategy requires a potent combination of cloud, data, processes, and skills. Eighty per cent of respondents agree that the lack of a strategic approach means they have insufficient skills in-house to successfully adopt AI. This sentiment is seen elsewhere in the research with 43 per cent of respondents rating the quality of AI resources in their business, in terms of human skills, as passable and not where it needs to be. The unfortunate reality of the skills gap means that in terms of AI readiness, many businesses are falling behind. IFS found that nearly half of respondents (48 per cent) were most likely to say that they are gathering proposals and were much less likely to have a clear strategy and perceivable results (27 per cent). A fifth of respondents are in the research phase, with uncontrolled tests taking place and a further five per cent are lacking a coordinated approach and do not have anything in motion yet. Attaining the benefits of AI Christian Pedersen, chief product officer, IFS Christian Pedersen, chief product officer, IFS, commented on the research saying: “AI is poised to become the most transformational enterprise tool ever seen, but our research reveals that there are still fundamental misunderstandings about how to harness its power within an industrial setting. “It is telling that AI is expected to significantly reduce costs and raise margins, but a lack of robust strategy means most businesses are under-skilled and under-prepared to achieve these ambitions. We built IFS.ai specifically with these challenges in mind. AI value simply will not be found in a single AI capability but instead by delivering AI across all products and business processes. This supports customers’ decision cycles and provides the data and AI services required to realise value faster.” Pedersen continued: “Achieving this at scale needs a clear-eyed strategic focus, including the high-impact use cases specific to their industry, having a cloud-based infrastructure in place which has industrial AI embedded, and investing early in developing the skills needed. Adopting this approach will turn the tide of disillusionment, and deliver the benefits that boards and the C suite are demanding.” Despite initial challenges, there is still optimism with respondents most likely to feel AI could make a significant difference to their business in 1-2 years (47 per cent), and a further quarter (24 per cent) believe it could be within a year. In particular, respondents are most optimistic about the impact of the tech in: smart production and/or service delivery on effectiveness and business and operational management (22 per cent) in the future innovation with new products and services (20 per cent) growth and business model decision-making (20 per cent) empowering people and increasing talent retention (19 per cent) customer experience and customer service (19 per cent) Action needed on data readiness To reap these benefits, enterprises need to leverage the most strategic asset they have – their data. The right data volume and quality is critical for the success of AI applications. Respondents recognise how important real-time data is to successful AI projects, with over four in five (86 per cent) stating this. Yet despite this recognition, less than a quarter (23 per cent) of respondents have completed their data foundation with it supporting both data-driven business decision-making and real-time response to changes, suggesting that more work needs to be done to get data AI ready. Moreover, under half (43 per cent) of respondents have majority structured data, with some unstructured. Pedersen added: “The lack of maturity at the data foundation layer needs to be addressed as part of an overall AI strategy, otherwise the tech simply will never be the magic bullet that can turbocharge the enterprise. Clearly enterprises need support on data management and migration. While AI is seen as a shiny new tool that will revolutionise business, like all technology, it is never that simple. “The power of industrial AI is that it can touch all facets of a business from product innovation and customer experience to productivity and ESG. Its potential is massive if executives and organisations can combine vision, strategy, technology and skills. Now is the time to step back, take stock, and build a true Industrial AI plan and turn the hype into reality.” The post Desire for AI is Apparent: Lack of Preparation is Holding Firms Back IFS Report Reveals appeared first on The Fintech Times.
The post Shiba Inu Primed for Explosive May: Analyst Predicts SHIB Price Surge to $0.001 appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News Amid a market correction, Shiba Inu (SHIB) is facing challenges, losing recent gains like many other cryptocurrencies. Despite this, SHIB is holding strong at $0.000025. However, market analysts anticipate that SHIB may relinquish this support by the end of April. Meanwhile, prominent Bitcoin investor Armando Pantoja has argued that Shiba Inu could be at $0.001 this year or 2025. Shiba Inu Aim For $0.001 In a recent tweet post Armando Pantoja made a bold prediction for Shiba Inu (SHIB) suggesting that it could surge above $0.001 by 2024 to 2025. My #crypto price targets for 2024-2025$BTC: $100k-$250k$ETH: $10k-$15k$XRP: $3-$6$SHIB: $0.001+$DOGE: $1$SOL: $500-$1000$AVAX: $100+$ICP: $100+$INJ: $100-$200$PRO: $10-$20$HBAR: $5-$10— Armando Pantoja (@_TallGuyTycoon) April 24, 2024 Pantoja’s forecast indicates that SHIB could potentially shed two zeros from its current price within the next few years, highlighting his optimistic outlook on Shiba Inu’s future trajectory. Echoing this positive sentiment, Changelly, a well-known crypto exchange, shared optimistic projections for SHIB’s performance in the coming months. According to Changelly’s analysis, SHIB could reach a maximum price of $0.00008740 in May 2024, representing a substantial 248% increase from its current valuation. Additionally, Changelly predicts that SHIB’s average price throughout May could hover around $0.00006120, with a projected minimum of $0.00003490. Bullish Momentum for Shiba Inu CoinCodex, another crypto analytics resource, aligns with this bullish sentiment by forecasting a rise in SHIB’s price to $0.00003278 within the next five days, with a more substantial target of $0.00008284 by the end of May. This aligns with Changelly’s optimistic outlook on SHIB’s potential growth trajectory. Historical Trends & AI Predictions Analyzing historical data, Cryptorank forecasts an average 99% increase for Shiba Inu in May, driven by previous surges observed during this period. If SHIB follows this historical pattern, it could reach a price of $0.00004991 by the end of May 2024, surpassing previous yearly peaks. Meanwhile, AI Tools Such as Google Bard, offer a wider range of potential outcomes for SHIB’s price in May, estimating a range between $0.00004 and $0.00007. As of now, Shiba Inu is trading at $0.00002549, showing a slight increase of 1.97% over the past 24 hours. While the cryptocurrency commands a market cap of $15.3 billion.
The relationship between bitcoin's price and ETF outflows is weakening
The post How Yellen’s Treasury Strategies Could Boost the Crypto Markets in Q2 2024 appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News Secretary Janet Yellen and the upcoming Treasury General Account (TGA) strategies following a significant $200 billion boost in tax receipts. The financial community is buzzing with speculation about Yellen’s potential moves during the 2Q24 refunding announcement next week, especially considering the impact these decisions could have on liquidity, federal funding, and broader market dynamics. As expected tax receipts added roughly $200bn to TGA. Forget about the May Fed meeting the 2Q24 refunding annc comes out next week. What games will Yellen play, here are some options:1. Stop issuing treasuries by running down the TGA to zero, that is a $1tn injection of… pic.twitter.com/F6AsShYhr4— Arthur Hayes (@CryptoHayes) April 26, 2024 Understanding the Options on the Table Zeroing Out the TGA – One of the more drastic options would be for the Treasury to cease issuing new treasuries and deplete the TGA entirely, injecting approximately $1 trillion of liquidity into the market. This would be a bold move, signaling a massive shift in treasury management, and could provide substantial stimulus to the financial markets by increasing the amount of cash circulating in the economy. Shifting to Shorter-Term Borrowing – Another strategy could involve moving a significant portion of government borrowing from longer-term securities to T-bills. By doing so, an estimated $400 billion could be shifted away from the Reverse Repo Program (RRP), increasing available market liquidity. This approach would likely adjust interest rates in the short term and could influence investor behavior towards more immediate, less risky investments. Combining Strategies for Maximum Impact – The most aggressive strategy would involve stopping long-term treasury issuance and shifting all borrowing to T-bills while simultaneously running down both the TGA and RRP. This combined move would unleash around $1.4 trillion into the market. Such an unprecedented injection could dramatically alter market liquidity and potentially lead to significant shifts in asset prices, including equities and cryptocurrencies. Potential Market Reactions If Yellen decides to implement any of these strategies, the stock market would likely be the immediate beneficiary, as increased liquidity typically fuels asset price increases. Foreseeing lower interest rates and more cash flowing into the market, investors might drive a significant rally in equities, often called “stonks.” Moreover, the cryptocurrency market, which tends to benefit from increased liquidity and risk appetite, could see a re-acceleration in its bull market. Crypto investors, sensitive to shifts in macroeconomic indicators and liquidity injections, would likely view these treasury strategies as bullish signals. Market participants are advised to watch Yellen’s moves closely as the decision looms. Her actions could define her legacy as a decisive economic steward and potentially set the stage for the next big rally in both traditional and digital asset markets. Whatever the decision, one thing is clear: Yellen’s influence on the market is profound, and her strategic choices could have long-lasting impacts on the economic landscape.
The post Top 19 Altcoins to Stack Now For 15x Return in Next 97 Days appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News In the latest insightful video, Aaron from Altcoin Daily delves into the current crypto scenario, highlighting key market developments and sharing his top picks for quality altcoins poised for growth. Let’s unpack his analysis and explore the altcoins he’s bullish on. Aaron kicks off by emphasizing the exciting time for investors to consider quality altcoins, especially amidst Bitcoin’s consolidation and upcoming events like the launch of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in Hong Kong. Here are the Top 19 Picks Ready to Hit 15X! Ethereum (ETH) Starting with ETH. Analyst says despite regulatory challenges, investors remain bullish on Ethereum, citing its decreasing supply and widespread adoption by major institutions like Coinbase and BlackRock. Shiba Inu (SHIB) Ecosystem – Treat Token Aaron highlights Treat as an upcoming coin within the Shiba Inu ecosystem, backed by significant funding and support from major investors. Foxy (FOXY) With support from ConsenSys, Foxy stands out as a meme coin worth considering, leveraging its association with a prominent Ethereum consensus company. Solana (SOL) Aaron emphasizes Solana’s bullish prospects, fueled by Stripe’s decision to reintroduce crypto payments on its platform using USDC on the Solana blockchain. Star Atlas (ATLAS) Positioned as one of the biggest games on Solana, Star Atlas receives recognition for its contribution to the ecosystem and growing transaction volume. Rainmaker (RMK) Aaron highlights Rainmaker’s strategic partnership with Animoca Brands, signaling significant advancements in AI development within the crypto space. AIT Protocol Aaron discusses AIT Protocol’s partnership with Animoca Brands as a significant milestone for AI development, paving the way for global growth and native application expansion. Bonsai (BONS) Positioned as infrastructure for Web3 ecosystems, Bonsai offers tailored token creation solutions for blockchain projects, facilitating product launches and adoption. Injective (INJ) With the upcoming 3.0 upgrade, Injective promises enhanced tokenomics, positioning itself as one of the most deflationary assets in the market. Polkadot (DOT) Despite recent fluctuations, Polkadot unveils Jam, a major upgrade focused on scalability and distributed computing, reinforcing its position as a leading blockchain solution. Mina Protocol (MINA) Aaron highlights Mina Protocol’s Berkeley upgrade, introducing enhanced ZK programmability and enabling off-chain computation for smart contracts and dApps. SuperVerse (SUPER) Positioned as a coin ecosystem integrating with major crypto games, SuperVerse continues to forge partnerships and expand its reach within the gaming space. Karate (KARATE) Karate Combat’s integration of a Sports League DAO enables fans to influence the league’s decisions via on-chain voting, fostering transparency and community engagement. Easy (EASY) Next up is Easy, Easy’s seamless integration with By Economy, signaling significant developments in the crypto payments space and expanding Easy’s utility. BONY (BONY) BONY’s integration with Easy highlights its growing presence in the crypto payments ecosystem, offering users seamless payment solutions. Chainlink (LINK) Chainlink debuts a new protocol aimed at boosting cross-chain interoperability, positioning itself as a key player in facilitating data exchange between blockchain networks. Star Atlas (ATLAS) Aaron highlights Star Atlas’s significance within the Solana ecosystem, emphasizing its contribution to transaction volume and decentralized gaming adoption. Rainmaker (RMK) Through its partnership with Animoca Brands, Rainmaker accelerates AI development, expanding its applications and driving global growth. AIT Protocol AIT Protocol’s strategic investment from Animoca Brands marks a significant milestone, propelling AI development and native application expansion.