Finance Trends

Cryptocurrency created as a hard fork of Bitcoin in October 2017. It aims to decentralize mining by using the Equihash proof-of-work algorithm, which is ASIC-resistant, allowing mining with standard GPUs. Bitcoin Gold is targeted at individual miners and those who support decentralized and democratic digital currencies.

The term refers to the use of technology innovations designed to improve efficiency and reduce costs in the insurance industry. Insurtech encompasses a wide range of technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and IoT, to enhance underwriting, claims processing, and customer experience. It primarily targets insurance companies and consumers seeking more personalized, efficient, and user-friendly insurance solutions.

Financial service that allows employees to access a portion of their earned wages before their regular payday. It helps employees manage cash flow and avoid high-interest debt options, typically without charging interest but may include a small transaction fee. EWA services are often integrated with payroll systems and may include additional financial wellness tools, primarily benefiting employees who need immediate access to their earnings for financial stability.

The field of cybersecurity in banking involves protecting financial institutions from digital threats and ensuring the security of sensitive financial data. In 2023, this sector faces significant challenges such as ransomware attacks, the rise of generative AI, bank failures, increased cybersecurity insurance costs, evolving regulatory requirements, and supply chain risks. Banking cybersecurity is crucial for financial institutions, their customers, and regulatory bodies to maintain trust and stability in the financial system.

Fintern, founded in 2020, operates two businesses: Abound and Render. Abound is a UK consumer lender that leverages Render's credit decisioning platform, which has been tested on over 5 million credit decisions, providing a data-driven approach to lending. The primary target demographic for Fintern's services includes UK consumers seeking accessible and reliable credit solutions.

Automated crypto trading involves the use of algorithms and software to execute trades in the cryptocurrency market without human intervention. It provides advantages such as continuous 24/7 trading, emotion-free decision-making, and the ability to backtest trading strategies for optimization. This technology is primarily beneficial for traders and investors looking to enhance their trading efficiency and reduce the emotional biases associated with manual trading.

The Nexo Card is a versatile financial tool that allows users to spend their cryptocurrency directly in both credit and debit modes. It provides liquidity by connecting to the user's available balance, enabling seamless everyday transactions without the need to convert crypto to fiat currency first. The Nexo Card is particularly beneficial for cryptocurrency holders who wish to utilize their digital assets for regular purchases and financial activities.

Digital banking infrastructure provider that focuses on enhancing the speed, accuracy, and experience of customer and business onboarding for financial institutions. Signzy differentiates itself by offering AI-driven solutions that streamline compliance, reduce fraud, and improve operational efficiency through digital mediums. The primary target demographic includes banks, financial institutions, and fintech companies seeking to modernize their onboarding processes and enhance customer experience.

Financial platform designed for pet parents, offering a range of services related to pet insurance, savings, and wellness. Fursure differentiates itself by providing a comprehensive suite of financial solutions tailored specifically for pet care, helping pet owners manage expenses and ensure the well-being of their pets. The platform primarily targets pet owners who are looking for reliable and holistic financial management tools to support their pets' health and wellness needs.

Financial technology company that operates a digital platform offering secured consumer loans. It differentiates itself by using credit scoring systems and borrowers' assets, such as homes and automobiles, as collateral to provide loans, aiming to offer lower interest rates compared to traditional lenders. Creditas primarily targets individuals seeking secured loans with favorable terms, leveraging their assets to access credit.

Framework that allows users to create their own analytics experiences by leveraging existing assets. Utilizing a microservices-based architecture, it is built from individual components, providing flexibility and modularity for customized data and analytics solutions. This approach is particularly beneficial for organizations seeking tailored analytics capabilities to meet specific business needs.

Revenue-based financing (RBF) is a method of raising capital where a business pledges a percentage of its future revenues in exchange for immediate funding. Investors receive a portion of the company's revenues at a pre-established percentage until a certain multiple of the original investment has been repaid. This type of financing is often used by companies that have predictable revenue streams and prefer not to give up equity or take on traditional debt.

The process of integrating new users, customers, or employees into a system, service, or organization through digital means. This typically involves the use of online tools and platforms to facilitate the collection of necessary information, verification of identity, and provision of access to services or systems, enhancing efficiency and user experience. Digital onboarding is commonly utilized in industries such as banking, human resources, and customer service to streamline and improve the onboarding process.

A decentralized identifier (DID) is a new type of identifier that enables verifiable, self-sovereign digital identities. DIDs are designed to be decentralized, meaning they do not require a centralized registry or intermediary, and they enhance privacy by minimizing the amount of personal data that needs to be shared. This technology is particularly beneficial for individuals and organizations seeking more control over their own identities and personal data.

Digital investment platform regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) that offers personalized and custom investment portfolios. It is known for its ease of use, allowing users to start investing with any amount and maintaining low annual fees starting at 0.35% per annum of the total amount invested. Syfe primarily targets individuals looking to achieve their long-term financial goals through accessible and affordable investment solutions.

Software designed to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, encompassing a wide range of applications and technologies. Key areas include machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, generative AI, and reinforcement learning, each providing unique capabilities such as data-driven decision-making, language interaction, visual data interpretation, content generation, and environment-based learning. AI software is beneficial for industries like healthcare, finance, and technology, as well as for businesses and researchers seeking to leverage advanced computational techniques for various applications.

Financial services company based in Austin, Texas, specializing in Bitcoin-related services. Unchained Capital offers collaborative custody multisignature vaults and loans, providing expert guidance and integrated Bitcoin wallet management and wealth services. The company's services are primarily targeted at Bitcoin investors and holders seeking secure storage and financial solutions for their digital assets.

Global payment acceptance platform that enables businesses to offer a variety of locally-preferred payment methods, including eWallets, local and international cards, bank transfers, and cash. Rapyd differentiates itself by supporting payment acceptance in over 100 countries and providing services to collect cash at 500,000 locations worldwide, making it highly versatile and accessible. The platform primarily targets businesses seeking to expand their payment options and reach a global customer base with diverse payment preferences.

Integration of banking and other financial services into nonfinancial apps and services. This approach allows companies to offer banking, lending, insurance, and investment services directly within their platforms, enhancing user experience and creating new revenue streams. Embedded finance primarily benefits businesses looking to provide seamless financial services to their customers without requiring them to leave their ecosystem.

Mobile payment service developed by Square, Inc. that allows users to transfer money using a mobile phone app. It offers features such as a customizable debit card, direct deposit, Bitcoin transactions, and commission-free stock and ETF investments, differentiating itself with its diverse financial services. The app primarily targets individuals seeking a convenient and versatile platform for managing personal finances and making transactions.

Fast, memory-efficient Canvas 2D-based charting library designed for plotting time series, lines, areas, OHLC, and bars. It features a concise and consistent API, supports interactive charts, and is highly customizable, making it suitable for performance-critical applications. The library is ideal for developers and data analysts who require efficient and customizable charting solutions.

Service model that integrates product functionality, process automation, and expertise within technology to help organizations achieve regulatory compliance and reduce risk. Compliance as a Service typically involves the use of cloud-based solutions to manage and ensure compliance with various regulatory requirements, thereby helping organizations to streamline their compliance processes and mitigate associated risks. This service is particularly beneficial for businesses in highly regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, where maintaining compliance is critical.

MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) Authenticators are tools or applications that provide an additional layer of security by requiring more than one method of authentication to verify a user's identity. These applications typically generate time-sensitive codes or use methods like push notifications and biometric verification, enhancing the security of user accounts. MFA Authenticators are particularly beneficial for individuals and organizations seeking to protect sensitive information and prevent unauthorized access.

Online bank that also operates four branch locations in the Kansas City metropolitan area, serving both small businesses and individuals. It partners with the MoneyPass network, providing customers access to over 37,000 ATMs, and offers various checking and savings accounts. The bank is particularly appealing to customers seeking a combination of online banking convenience and local branch access, and has been recognized with awards such as the 2022 KC Strongest Bank Award.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) banking is a financial ecosystem built on blockchain technology that aims to provide traditional financial services like lending, borrowing, trading, and earning interest without intermediaries such as banks. It leverages smart contracts to automate transactions and ensure transparency, making financial services more accessible and inclusive. DeFi banking primarily benefits individuals seeking decentralized, transparent, and inclusive financial solutions, often appealing to tech-savvy users and cryptocurrency enthusiasts.

Cloud-based Verified Financial Intelligence (VFI) platform that assists teams in tracing the flow of funds quickly and accurately. It offers comprehensive tools for financial verification and analysis, going beyond traditional forensic accounting capabilities to provide detailed insights and data integrity. Valid8 is primarily targeted at financial professionals, auditors, and compliance teams seeking robust solutions for financial tracing and verification.

Funding mechanism designed to supplement informal or volunteer resources to enhance the ability of families and communities to meet the service needs of children and young adults up to age 21. Flex funding aims to provide financial support for services that are not covered by traditional funding sources, thereby improving the overall well-being and stability of the recipients. This funding is particularly beneficial for families and communities seeking to address the unique and diverse needs of young individuals in a more flexible and responsive manner.

Global cryptocurrency trading platform founded in 2018, offering services to buy, sell, and trade digital assets. MEXC distinguishes itself with a wide range of supported cryptocurrencies and advanced trading features, catering to both novice and experienced traders. The platform primarily targets cryptocurrency enthusiasts and investors looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly trading experience.

Employment opportunities within the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry, which have seen substantial growth in recent years. These jobs often involve roles such as blockchain developers and security experts, driven by the increasing adoption of blockchain technology across various sectors. Crypto jobs are primarily targeted at tech professionals with expertise in blockchain, cryptography, and related fields, as well as those interested in the evolving landscape of digital currencies.

Exchange-traded fund that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Growth Index, focusing on growth stocks within the S&P 500. SPYG aims to provide investment results that, before fees and expenses, correspond generally to the total return performance of the S&P 500 Growth Index, offering exposure to companies with strong growth potential. This ETF is primarily targeted at investors seeking to invest in large-cap U.S. growth stocks as part of a diversified portfolio.