Note: Since this was published, the repo markets have not improved; the Fed supplied another $205 billion to the market on October 18. See James Bianco's LinkedIn post for more at: http://bit.ly/35MM8QJ The Federal Reserve has extended its recent interventions into the securities repurchase, or “repo” market, into November. It’s the first time that the Fed’s intervened in … [Read more...] about Could the Crypto Market Protect Against a New Global Recession?
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FinTech Advertising On the Go in Chicago
Transit advertising for FinTech solutions has been a Chicago trend for awhile now. German Direct Bank N26 has joined in, making the rounds on Chicago transit to promote its high-speed banking service. The recently-launched Gemini Crypto Exchange is taking the train. … [Read more...] about FinTech Advertising On the Go in Chicago
New Bitcoin Offerings and Volatility Reflect Challenges and Promise For Cryptocurrency
The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) launched its physically-settled bitcoin futures trading platform, Bakkt, on September 23. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has been doing futures trading in bitcoin for even longer -- since 2017 -- and is now making plans to expand that platform by early next year with a bitcoin options contract. It's a market with promise, but one … [Read more...] about New Bitcoin Offerings and Volatility Reflect Challenges and Promise For Cryptocurrency
Payments Marketing: Transit Temptations
Mastercard is using transit payments in Chicago and New York as a way to get consumers used to contactless payments. With volumes estimated at less than .25%, contactless payments need all the push they can get. Transit advertising in Chicago goes beyond contactless payments, however, with campaigns for Venmo's debit cards, Zelle's person-to-person payments, Marcus's banking … [Read more...] about Payments Marketing: Transit Temptations
Facebook’s Libra Cryptocurrency Equation
News of Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency was big enough that the Financial Times gave it special play, concluding that the "B2C fintechs are dead" in an article that examines how deeply "Facebook’s first big foray into the financial world" and new digital currency will affect traditional financial services. "Banks were notably absent from the initial backers," the Financial … [Read more...] about Facebook’s Libra Cryptocurrency Equation
Financial Stability and Investment in the Age of Bitcoin and Blockchain Technologies
An international body that monitors the global financial system suggests that decentralized financial technologies may not be all bad. The Financial Stability Board (FSB) published a report on the regulatory and governance implications of decentralized financial technologies, suggesting that "the application of decentralised financial technologies may reduce some of the … [Read more...] about Financial Stability and Investment in the Age of Bitcoin and Blockchain Technologies