FN100: Which fintech stars made the grade?
Welcome to this week's Fintech Files. We hope you've recovered from the weekend's rugby. But what's more important than the home side going out of a World Cup? That's right, the FN100 Most Influential Women in European Finance, of course.
While you were all sat on sofas enjoying your well-earned weekend, team Financial News was busy putting the finishing touches to our annual group of leading women across banking, asset management, trading and more.
That 'more' certainly includes fintech this year, with a couple of standout names making the cut.
First, there is Lisa Jacobs, chief executive of Funding Circle. At just 38, she is one of the FTSE's youngest bosses, and is now in charge of the UK's largest dedicated SME loan platform.
Then there's Teana Baker-Taylor, vice-president of policy and regulatory strategy for the UK and EU at Circle. Aside from her role at the USDC stablecoin issuer, she is also a director at trade body CryptoUK, making her one of the most important figures in the digital assets sector as its future regulation hangs in the balance.
When it comes to those tasked with deciding that regulatory future, we've recognised others playing a key role too, from the European Commission's financial services lead Mairead McGuinness and the Financial Conduct Authority's chief data officer Jessica Rusu, to the European Securities and Markets Authority's chair Verena Ross and Standard Chartered's compliance head Tracey McDermott.
A huge congratulations to all of them.
How to get access to the FN100 list
Want to see the list but not signed up to FN? Email licensing@fnlondon.com to find out more.
The Ripple effect
Should the Bank of England introduce a central bank digital currency? Would Britcoin even be technically possible? Would the traditional banking sector survive if it were? Would it not just allow money laundering? Would we not lose control of monetary policy?
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These are just some of the questions vexing industry and policymakers looking towards a future that includes not just private crypto wallets, but a government-backed digital coin too.
Interest in the idea refuses to die, despite the challenges. Ripple’s Europe head Sendi Young told Financial News the exchange "is in talks with more than a dozen governments around the world" about how they could use its platform to develop a CBDC.
Talk is great. But there's still a way to go to convince the sceptics — including those in Threadneedle Street.
Still, Young is optimistic. “A lot of discussions with central bank regulators continue. We hope to announce more partnerships soon,” she told FN.
In other news
Speaking of CBDCs, civil advocacy group Big Brother Watch has decided which side of the debate it's on. Amid government consultations on a digital pound, it still worries that a Britcoin would allow authorities to monitor citizens' personal and financial habits too closely. Less Britcoin, more Spycoin, apparently.
Recommended reading
Binance stops accepting new UK customers after regulatory crackdown (Financial Times)
UK workers turn to AI seeking better work-life balance (Bloomberg)
AI could spur an economic boom. Humans are in the way (The Wall Street Journal)
To contact the author of this story with feedback or news, email Justin Cash
