The securities industry is at an interesting crossroads. It is facing some of the most exciting trends in IT in many years: artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, robotic process automation (RPA), the realities of Big Data and cloud computing, and the much hyped emergence of blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT). Even the mysteries and controversies… Read More >>
Helpful Resources for Your MiFID II Journey
The new era of MiFID II/MiFIR has officially begun and it’s not entirely clear if all the financial services firms across the globe that are impacted by the European regulatory reforms actually are in compliance. It looks as if it’s a mixed bag of some firms that are highly compliant while others are getting there…. Read More >>
LEIs Get a MiFID II Reprieve & Other Happy News!
In comparison to the gut-wrenching twists and turns of 2016, this year provided us with moments of healing, reflection and hope even though many events rocked the landscape for the securities industry. But, at certain points in 2017, rationality prevailed such as when on Dec. 20, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued a… Read More >>
PIMCO and Bill Gross Sign Peace Accord
While I was hoping for more fireworks, the mutual fund giant Pacific Investment Management Company, a.k.a. PIMCO, quietly closed the William H. (Bill) Gross Departure chapter, which was the cause for a great deal of publicity and turmoil for Gross and the firm. To say the least, Gross and the firm he helped found have… Read More >>
What If Blockchain/DLT Lives Up to the Hype?
As this year gathers steam, the many blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT) projects out there are beginning to yield results. We have just reported on Northern Trust and its efforts with IBM http://bit.ly/2lSPlrw and I’m sure there are many more to come. One of the more intriguing DLT projects is the joint effort between the old… Read More >>
Revisit 2016 via the Top Stories of FTF News
Across the globe, the year 2016 ran the gamut from exhilarating to downright heartbreaking for many people on many, many fronts. For the executives, managers and great foot-soldiers of securities operations, it was a surprisingly eventful year that again underscored the importance of middle- and back-office people, systems and strategies. The year was full of… Read More >>
New OCC Group to Push FinTech Innovation
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) quietly let it be known that it is creating an office “dedicated to responsible innovation” that will build a formal framework to help the agency “identify, understand, and respond” to the growing number of FinTech changes impacting the federal banking system. Citing the exponential growth of… Read More >>
Why the Wells Fargo Mess Makes Wall Street Nervous
My guess is that the dizzying fall from grace for Wells Fargo Chairman and CEO John Stumpf is making some Wall Street executives a little nervous, especially if they have something to hide. To recap, after a scandal broke about the bank setting up fraudulent consumer accounts, the Wells Fargo board of directors decided this… Read More >>
A Break in a Major Hacking & Fraud Scheme
Earlier this month there was a development in one of the most ingenious hacking and securities fraud efforts in a long time — one that in theory would make for a great crime/thriller movie. To refresh your memory, we reported [ http://bit.ly/2bLHdUQ ] that in a major anti-fraud action, the SEC issued charges against 32… Read More >>
FTF Awards Nominations Close on February 5
Forget the glib Golden Globes, the scandal-ridden Oscars and the snooty awards by vicious film critics and please focus your attention on the FTF News Technology Innovation Awards 2016, presented by Financial Technologies Forum and its news arm. We were the first to put such a great spotlight on securities operations — others have tried… Read More >>
