Fintech Focus For April 13, 2021

Quote To Start The Day: Only make decisions that support your self-image, self-esteem, and self-worth.

Source: Oprah Winfrey

One Big Thing In Fintech: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has kicked off its review of WisdomTree’s bitcoin ETF application, starting the countdown clock to a final decision.

Source: Coindesk

Other Key Fintech Developments:

• Zego, LevelCredit have teamed up.
• Coinbase listing to drive innovation.
• Binance intros token stock trading.
• GS’ Marcus is losing workers fast.
• Nvidia estimates $150M from mining.
• Nexoos reaches new lending mark.
• Iress, Cosaic team on market data.
• Flutterwave is sprouting innovation.
• MarketAxess acquires MuniBrokers.
• Appzone taps $10M for technology.
• Hill Harper launches trade platform.
• Citi, BoA team over trading platform.
• BrokerTec benefitting from migration.
• Futures algo trading surges at JPM.
• Mastercard adds carbon calculator.
• HSBC bans trade of MicroStrategy.
• TP ICAP launches Parameta brand.
• NYSE is releasing set of IPO NFTs.
• Square rolling out its Irish services.
• Circle is welcoming new leadership.
• Bamboo has teamed with Socotra.
• Crypto future arbitrage opportunity.
• Telegram reportedly eyeing an IPO.
• First DeFi mutual fund raised $9M.
• Citi, and others, deal over platform.

Watch Out For This: Rules written in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis to limit the potential for a blow-up like Archegos Capital have still not been fully implemented, throwing a spotlight on regulators in a fiasco that has shocked Wall Street and raised questions on Capitol Hill.

Source: Financial Times

Interesting Reads:

• Microsoft to buy Nuance for $19.7B.
• CDC chief said MI should shut down.
• Cohen sells a NY house for 74% off.
• Intel to produce chips for carmakers.
• China getting serious about antitrust.
• DARPA awards spacecraft contracts.
• Dominant virus variant not that bad.
• One dead in a high school shooting.
• Domino’s, Nuro begin pizza delivery.
• 6 tips for success in early-stage ops.

Market Moving Headline: Due to the way the government’s inflation metrics are calculated, what will appear to be significant price increases are all but guaranteed. The phenomenon is known as the base effect, a term worth keeping in mind when new figures make the argument even wilder.

Year-over-year comparisons will appear large for a host of economic indicators in coming months -- in the U.S. and, for that matter, elsewhere in the world -- after the pandemic and related business shutdowns curbed activity during the same periods in 2020. But arguably no data point is more in the spotlight on this front right now than inflation.

Source: Bloomberg