Enterprise software vendor R3 (formerly known as “blockchain consortium”) and four of its member banks — ABN Amro, Commerzbank, ING, and KBC — have developed a prototype solution for the issuance of euro commercial paper (ECP) on the group’s Corda distributed ledger technology (DLT) platform. Participants in the project say that it will prove to… Read More >>
BNP Subsidiary, SmartAngels Create Preliminary DLT Platform
BNP Paribas Securities Services is moving ahead with a key element of its embrace of blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT) via the completion of an initial phase of its partnership with SmartAngels, the Paris-based maker of a crowdfunding platform for equities. For their first deliverable, BNP Paribas Securities Services and SmartAngels are launching a share register… Read More >>
IBM, Synechron Look to Accelerate Blockchain Acceptance
The blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT) revolution is gaining more ground as established IT providers such as IBM and newer players such as Synechron, a financial services consulting and technology services provider, are deepening their commitment to the cutting-edge development environment. For instance, Synechron officials say that they are going to launch blockchain accelerator applications on… Read More >>
Could Blockchain/DLT Shift the Proxy Paradigm?
(Editor’s note: Service provider American Stock Transfer and Trust Company (AST) recently announced that it will launch a solution that uses cutting-edge blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT) for proxy vote tabulation. This new service is slated for the start of the 2018 proxy season. AST worked with NuArca, a blockchain/DLT solution provider, on the new offering,… Read More >>
ECB Expresses Worries over Blockchain/DLT
Although there have been several initiatives, the European Central Bank (ECB) still does not believe that blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT) is mature enough to be used for its Eurosystem market infrastructure for the near future. The Eurosystem is the monetary authority of the eurozone, consisting of the ECB and the national central banks of the… Read More >>
Broadridge Applies Blockchain/DLT to Proxy Process
JPMorgan, Northern Trust & Banco Santander Aid Broadridge Pilot This is the season for blockchain/distributed ledger technology pilots as Broadridge Financial Solutions, JPMorgan, Northern Trust and Banco Santander have announced that they been working on a pilot test project that uses blockchain technology to improve “global proxy vote transparency and analytics,” officials say. The… Read More >>
Hearsay Systems Takes On Text Messaging Compliance
New Console Captures Texts Advisors and office staff can now efficiently exchange and track client texts from new web-based Texting Console Hearsay Systems, an electronic communication compliance provider for financial services and insurance firms, recently unveiled a “Texting Console for Hearsay Messages” that is intended to help advisors send compliant texts to clients. Text messaging… Read More >>
Will Blockchain Systems Overwhelm Network Infrastructures?
(Editor’s note: The proliferation of blockchain/distributed ledger technology (DLT) proof-of-concept projects are beginning to show results and point to the next chapter of this possible revolution in financial technology. One of the interesting ramifications of DLT is that it will need a much stronger and flexible networking infrastructure. Ralph Achkar, director of strategic alliances, capital… 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 >>
Time to Hit the Brakes on the Blockchain Hype?
Although there has been a lot of hype surrounding blockchain, market participants may have to wait another three to five years before the fruits of their labor are crystallised in the post-trade space, according to a study by the Post Trade Distributed Ledger (PTDL) Group. The PTDL Group, which is global organization, surveyed 45 of… Read More >>
