Weekly Roundup
Gamification and Retail Investor
The SEC held an Investor Advisory Committee meeting discussing, among other topics, the behavioral psychology of investing and user interfaces on online trading platforms.
Payment for Order Flow
Former Chair of the FDIC wrote an op-ed on the need for transparency and further review of payment for order flow.
Cryptocurrency Crackdown
Lend, Coinbase’s venture to allow customers to earn interest on cryptocurrency deposits, is reportedly facing regulatory scrutiny at the SEC.
SEC Scutiny of “ESG” labels
Regulatory scrutiny continued to focus on “ESG” labels, and transparency of how these designations are arrived at in the $35 trillion “sustainable” assets industry.
AI as Tool For Humans
It was reported that artificial intelligence systems can write their own code, which can be used as a tool – rather than a replacement – for human coders to “help a whole new generation of people learn the art of computers, by showing them how to write simple pieces a code, almost like a personal tutor.”
In the Mix: This Week’s Top FinTech Thought Leader
- Brian Quintenz, former CFTC Commissioner, has joined as advisor to fintech venture capital firm a16z, which focuses on crypto.
- Colin Walsh, CEO of fintech firm Varo, a digital bank, has reportedly raised $510 million to reach a valuation of $2.5 billion, tripling its previous $700 million after its last fundraising round.
- Nikk Bobb, Senior Project Manager at HSBC, spoke about diversity and inclusion in fintech.