The era of influencers is potentially coming to an end, accelerated by recent scandals and a shift towards content creators who are valued for their ability to produce original, high-quality content. Content creators are emerging as experts in specific fields such as fashion, technology, and finance, offering more targeted content to a specific audience, which is also appealing to brands. The phenomenon of Financial Influencers (Finfluencers) is well-established in the United States and growing in Italy. InTarget's research 'Follow the Money' highlights a strong demand for financial content among Italians, with a significant portion seeking information on trading and finance. Traditional financial institutions are leaving space for content creators by not engaging sufficiently in educational content, presenting an opportunity for collaboration. Discussions on social media have been identified as accelerating deposit outflows and contributing to recent bank failures, such as that of Silicon Valley Bank, by spreading panic among the public.

The article discusses the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which vanished on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Despite extensive search efforts, the aircraft has not been found, leading to numerous conspiracy theories. The article examines the known facts, the various theories that have emerged over the years, and the impact on the families of those who were on the flight. It also touches on the technological and investigative challenges faced in the search for the missing plane.

The article explores the potential impact of Apple Vision Pro on the banking and insurance sectors, emphasizing augmented reality over virtual reality. It discusses how future financial services could leverage immersive and personalized experiences through Apple’s device, contrasting it with previous virtual branch experiments in the metaverse. The article highlights the need for a new approach to integrating banking services into the user's real environment, considering privacy and security concerns, and mentions UXDA's concept of 'spatial banking' as a future vision.

Qualco, a Greek multinational with a revenue of 100 million, is entering the Italian market with a new generation platform for credit management, focusing on NPE, UtP, and Factoring. Country Manager Marco Cozzi sees high potential in Italy due to the costly proprietary IT solutions used by many operators. Qualco, with a workforce of around 1,000 and over a hundred clients, offers a modular platform that supports digitalization, automation, and compliance with European regulations. The platform, Qualco 360, includes a data-driven engine and customizable fields to create a unified data lake. Qualco's solutions, which promise up to 20% increase in credit recovery and up to 50% reduction in operational costs, are available both in the cloud and on-premises.

Fintech, short for financial technology, refers to innovative technologies that enhance banking and insurance services. In Italy, there are 513 fintech startups, with a significant focus on Generative AI. Collaboration is key, with 82% of Italian fintech companies partnering strategically. Notable Italian fintech companies include Tinaba, Hype, and Flowe, among others. Foreign digital banks like Revolut and N26 also operate in Italy. Crowdfunding platforms and companies in various fintech sectors, such as credit, invoice trading, and digital assets, are highlighted. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the Italian fintech landscape.

CaixaBank is automatically installing an 'accessible mode' on its latest smart POS systems in Spain to assist visually impaired and blind customers in making purchases independently. This feature, developed in collaboration with Comercia Global Payments and ONCE, uses voice prompts to guide users through the payment process. The initiative is part of CaixaBank's broader efforts to enhance accessibility, including the 'Braille Package' and the CaixaBankNow mobile app, which offer various features to support visually impaired users.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is set to implement 'just resilience' policies from early 2024, focusing on the needs of the most vulnerable in adapting to climate change. This initiative, announced at COP28, extends the EIB's 'just transition' program to include resilience measures. The approach aims to ensure that climate adaptation policies consider the needs of all, particularly those most affected by climate change, such as developing countries, conflict-affected regions, island nations, indigenous peoples, and marginalized groups. EIB Global will pilot this approach in nine countries and territories, working with public and private partners to support sustainable investment projects. Additionally, at COP28, several multilateral development banks, including the EIB, established common principles for 'nature-positive' finance to promote biodiversity and environmental sustainability.

The COP28 agreement, reached at the last moment, represents a significant diplomatic milestone but has faced criticism from environmental groups. The negotiations highlighted a compromise between two groups: one led by the European Union advocating for a 'phaseout' of fossil fuels, and another including OPEC members like Russia and Saudi Arabia, pushing for a 'phasedown'. The agreement reflects geopolitical tensions, with countries like China maintaining a neutral stance. The article underscores the need for concrete actions and financial commitments to support climate initiatives, noting past failures to deliver promised funds. The COP28's location in the UAE, a major oil producer, has also sparked debate about the feasibility of transitioning to renewable energy without the support of fossil fuel-dependent nations.

Hifive, an Italian company selling refurbished smartphones, collaborates with Vittoria hub to develop an innovative parametric insurance policy for both new and used phones. Co-founder Guido Cognoli highlights the environmental benefits of extending the life of electronic devices and the economic advantages of the secondary smartphone market. Despite challenges in sourcing phones for refurbishment, Hifive has successfully sold over 10,000 units, primarily Apple and Huawei. The partnership with Vittoria hub has been crucial in navigating the insurance sector, ensuring data privacy, and promoting circular economy practices.

Sekurest, a new Italian fintech company, offers custom-built payment solutions for the tourism sector, focusing on travel agencies and tour operators. The company, founded by experts in tourism and fintech, provides three main services: Sekurest Pay, which offers various payment options; Sekurest Chain, which facilitates split payments to multiple suppliers; and Sekurest Lock, which ensures secure transactions and protects consumers' payments. Sekurest partners with Findomestic Banca for financing and Floa for Buy Now Pay Later services. The company aims to expand internationally and apply its model to other industries.

Íkualo, a neobank founded by immigrants for immigrants, plans to launch in Spain by the end of the year and aims to expand to several European countries, including Italy, by mid-2024. Despite the challenging environment for neobanks, Íkualo aims to open 50,000 payment accounts in Spain and expand to France, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK. The CEO, Harold Correa Cardona, who has firsthand experience with the banking challenges faced by immigrants, leads the initiative.

UniCredit has launched Buddy, a new phygital service model evolving from the former Buddybank. This service integrates with UniCredit's technological and commercial offerings, providing a comprehensive range of banking services through an app. Buddy aims to attract a diverse clientele, including families and professionals, and will be fully operational by the first quarter of 2024. Future plans include expanding Buddy's platform to integrate third-party services and potentially launching in Germany and Austria.

Open banking can enhance financial inclusion and credit access by allowing banks to better assess a customer's ability to repay loans through transaction data. Gerald Chapell, CEO and co-founder of the British fintech Abound, argues that traditional credit scoring is outdated and often inaccurate on an individual level. Abound uses transaction data to offer fairer credit decisions and better interest rates, having already issued £200 million in loans with a significantly lower default rate. The company aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of this model to banks and believes regulatory pressure will drive broader adoption of open banking for credit decisions.

Investors are expressing significant concern online about delays in real estate crowdfunding projects, with many projects experiencing months or even years of delay in repayments. The primary issue is not the market risk, which investors understand, but the lack of timely and empathetic communication from crowdfunding platforms. The slowdown in the real estate market, rising interest rates, and the impact of government policy changes have exacerbated the situation. Crowdfunding platforms face a reputational risk as negative reviews and comments proliferate, highlighting the need for better communication and support for investors.

Discusses strategies for uninsured small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to protect themselves from cyber attacks, emphasizing the importance of cybersecurity measures.

The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) has rejected Bancomat S.p.A.'s new model for circular cash withdrawals using Bancomat network cards, which would have allowed ATM withdrawals from banks other than the card issuer. The AGCM criticized the model for potentially restricting competition and harming consumers by increasing average withdrawal fees. Bancomat defended its proposal, claiming it would make ATM network maintenance more sustainable by allowing cardholders to pay fees directly to the ATM-managing bank. Bancomat plans to challenge the AGCM's decision legally.

The European eIDAS regulation revision could enhance customer experience in banking and insurance by optimizing onboarding and identification processes. Digital identity and process automation are key drivers of business model transformation, particularly in banking and insurance. The 2023 legislative revision will introduce a digital wallet (EuDI) containing various personal identities, enabling citizens to prove their identity across the EU. The article highlights the need for uniform digital identity frameworks, the potential for private sector adoption, and the importance of security and data control. It also emphasizes the necessity of strategic planning, standardization, partnerships, and continued investment in innovation despite economic crises.

At the Web Summit 2022, N26 and Revolut discussed their paths to profitability amidst a shifting fintech landscape. N26's co-founder Maximilian Tayenthal emphasized the company's focus on achieving profitability without new funding rounds, despite current non-profitability and regulatory challenges. Revolut's CEO Nikolay Storonsky highlighted the company's profitability, optimistic outlook on obtaining a UK banking license, and future product expansions. Both leaders dismissed the idea of an IPO in the near future.

Kevin., a tech company specializing in payments, has recently entered the Italian market, leveraging the PSD2 directive to offer innovative open banking solutions. Filippo Bergamin, Country Manager Italy, discusses the inefficiencies of traditional card payments and how Kevin.'s technology enables direct bank transfers, significantly reducing costs for merchants. The company aims to expand its POS coverage across Europe and emphasizes the importance of collaboration within the ecosystem and educating customers on security benefits. The article highlights the positive impact of PSD2 and the ongoing evolution towards PSD3.

Fido has secured a new funding round to drive international growth and expand its solutions. CEO Marko Maras discusses the company's advancements, including new platform functionalities and anti-fraud tools like Fido Phone, Fido Email, and Fido Browser. The company has processed over 3 million queries in 2021, driven by fintech operators investing in online customer acquisition. United Ventures' investment will accelerate Fido's organizational growth and international expansion. Fido's technology helps enhance credit scoring systems and prevent fraud, particularly synthetic identities, by analyzing user data. Future plans include developing new scoring models and adhering to EBA guidelines for real-time transaction monitoring.

Zurich Bank, operational since October 17, 2022, begins with over 120,000 clients and aims to grow in private and wealth management, leveraging a digital, advisory model. The bank, led by General Manager Silvio Ruggiu and President Alessandro Castellano, follows a successful model in Italy, combining financial consulting with digital innovation and sustainability. With the acquisition of Deutsche Bank Financial Advisors' network, Zurich Bank manages over 16 billion euros in assets. Giovanni Giuliani, Zurich's Country CEO in Italy, emphasizes the bank's unique model promoting wealth and insurance protection. Zurich Bank's growth strategy includes integrating financial and insurance planning, digital innovation, data-driven business models, expanding offerings, and recruiting new consultants.

PropTech, a sector combining property and technology, is transforming the real estate market in Italy. Key areas of innovation include services for buyers and sellers, traditional market support, real estate project financing through crowdfunding, and new living arrangements like shared apartments. Notable Italian PropTech companies include HomestoPeople, Casafari, Casavo, Rexer, Reviva, Freedhome, and Zappyrent.

Wealthtech, a subset of FinTech, focuses on technological innovation in wealth management and investments. It includes innovations for both end clients and financial advisors, such as robo-advisory, digital consulting platforms, and AI-driven investment tools. Key trends include automatic savings, AI applications, and social trading. Prominent companies in Italy's Wealthtech sector include eToro, Bitpanda, Scalable Capital, Trade Republic, Beewise, Axyon.AI, Wavenure, MDOTM, Wealthype, Ucapital 24, and Moneyfarm.

The AFC Digital Hub, based in Turin and led by Intesa Sanpaolo, aims to innovate the fight against financial crime using artificial intelligence. The consortium includes academic and research institutions like Università di Torino and Politecnico di Torino. The initiative focuses on leveraging AI to detect anomalies in banking transactions, enhancing both efficiency and effectiveness. Human oversight remains crucial to ensure the AI's decisions are explainable and non-discriminatory. The project also aims to extend its scope to market abuse and fraud, potentially strengthening Italy's bid for the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority.

The Italian crowdfunding sector faces challenges due to delays in appointing a national authority and the first signs of market decline. The European Commission's extension of the compliance period to November 2023 provides a temporary relief, but the sector must quickly adapt to new regulations. The market saw a 27% growth in the past year, but the first half of 2022 showed a decline in capital raised. Key players like Mamacrowd, Crowdfundme, and Walliance lead the market, while new entrants like Talents Venture are emerging. The sector anticipates consolidation and increased collaboration, particularly with the European Investment Bank, to remain competitive in the evolving European market.

eWibe, launched in April 2022, is a platform that democratizes investment in fine wines, offering services such as storage to ensure the preservation and appreciation of wine over time. The platform operates a free market for real-time buying and selling of wine bottles, with options for expert consultation. Users can register for free, create a profile, and fund a virtual wallet. eWibe provides various user profiles with different fee structures and uses proprietary algorithms and blockchain technology to determine and track wine prices. The platform also offers educational services on wine investment and market analysis.

Banks face challenges in personalizing their offerings to meet customer needs, often falling short despite significant investments in data analysis and machine learning. McKinsey's report highlights the importance of creating an integrated ecosystem for efficient data collection and the need for scalable, unified solutions across the organization. Successful banks have achieved revenue growth by focusing on customer value and implementing agile, cross-functional teams. Key strategies include developing high-value use cases, enabling rapid activation, establishing performance metrics, investing in marketing technology, and ensuring true operational agility.