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British Business Bank responds to National Audit Office Investigation into the Bounce Back Loan Scheme
The National Audit Office (NAO) has today published its investigation into the government’s Covid-19 emergency Bounce Back Loan Scheme, which is delivered by the British Business Bank.
The report highlights that the Bounce Back Loan scheme succeeded in quickly supporting smaller businesses across the UK to access emergency finance, with more than 1.2 million businesses accessing loans so far, worth £38 billion. The Bank welcomes the conclusion that the distribution of loans across the UK is line with the overall distribution of businesses, and that around 90% of the loans have gone to micro businesses (with turnover below £632,000), fulfilling one the scheme’s core aims. The report also highlights several areas to consider regarding the future operation of the Scheme, and any future such schemes.
Since launch the fraud risks within the Scheme have been mitigated by accredited lenders undertaking standard fraud checks as part of the Scheme’s application process and for new business customers the Scheme insists lenders apply their standard Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) checks.
In addition, the Bank, the government, fraud prevention services, fraud bureaux and the banking and alternative finance sectors have acted swiftly post-Scheme launch to put in place additional measures, beyond the standard checks, to further mitigate fraud risks. The Bank has also worked with lenders and HMG colleagues to implement BBLS successfully, including accrediting a range of lenders forming a diverse set of providers under the Scheme.
The British Business Bank acknowledges, as the report does, that ‘much hard work remains over the coming months and years to ensure that the risks to value for money are minimised’. We have been, and will remain committed to this work, liaising closely with government, lenders and other stakeholders.
Delivering the Bounce Back Loan Scheme continues to be a priority for the Bank in providing emergency finance for smaller businesses during the current pandemic and benefiting the economy more widely. The scheme will close for applications on 30 November 2020.
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Worldline and ABN AMRO Extend Partnership to Support Payment Services in the Dutch Market
ABN AMRO and Worldline share a distinguished partnership built over decades. In recognition of this strong foundation and proven track record, Worldline will continue to enhance ABN AMRO’s customer payment solutions. This collaboration underscores the value both parties place in their long-term commitment to innovation and operational excellence.
RateGain and Juspay Partner to Power ‘RG Pay,’ a High-Performance Financial Technology Platform for the Global Travel and Hospitality Industry
RateGain Travel Technologies Limited (NSE: RATEGAIN), a global leader of AI-powered SaaS solutions for the travel and hospitality industry, and Juspay, a leading global payments technology company, today announced a strategic partnership to power RG Pay, RateGain’s embedded financial technology platform for the travel and hospitality ecosystem.
Travel Providers to Accept UnionPay Cards for Both Direct e-Commerce Bookings and Indirect Sales via Amadeus Travel Platform
According to ResearchAndMarkets’ recent forecasts, Chinese outbound travel is predicted to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.5%, increasing from $140B today to reach $386B by 2033. UnionPay International helps cardholders to easily make cross-border payments in 183 markets and its payment methods are particularly popular with travelers across Asia Pacific.
Creditinfo Brings Global Fraud and Identity Solution to Uganda to Strengthen AML and Financial Crime Defences
Creditinfo, a global service provider for credit information and risk management solutions, has announced the rollout of its identity, know your customer (KYC) and fraud and ID solution in Uganda. The move supports organisations in the country as they work to strengthen financial crime prevention at a time of rapid digital growth and evolving fraud risk.
BVI Financial Services Conference Examines Global Financial Crime Risks and Reaffirms BVI’s Commitment to Integrity
Government officials, regulators, law enforcement authorities and financial services professionals gathered at the BVI International Arbitration Centre on 5 March for the BVI Financial Services Conference 2026, an event examining the evolving global landscape of financial crime and the responsibilities of international financial centres in safeguarding the integrity of the global financial system.
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Money20/20 Asia Report: APAC Fintech Ecosystem Shifts from Experimentation to Scale as AI and Digital Assets Drive Leadership
Money20/20, the world’s leading fintech show and the place where money does business, today unveiled its annual Future of Fintech in APAC report ahead of Money20/20 Asia happening in Bangkok on April 21-23 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC). The whitepaper is revealing that APAC’s fintech ecosystem has reached a pivotal inflection point. The region is shifting from experimentation to scaled deployment across AI, digital payments, and digital assets, marking a decisive move toward production‑grade innovation.
Worldline and ABN AMRO Extend Partnership to Support Payment Services in the Dutch Market
ABN AMRO and Worldline share a distinguished partnership built over decades. In recognition of this strong foundation and proven track record, Worldline will continue to enhance ABN AMRO’s customer payment solutions. This collaboration underscores the value both parties place in their long-term commitment to innovation and operational excellence.
RateGain and Juspay Partner to Power ‘RG Pay,’ a High-Performance Financial Technology Platform for the Global Travel and Hospitality Industry
RateGain Travel Technologies Limited (NSE: RATEGAIN), a global leader of AI-powered SaaS solutions for the travel and hospitality industry, and Juspay, a leading global payments technology company, today announced a strategic partnership to power RG Pay, RateGain’s embedded financial technology platform for the travel and hospitality ecosystem.
Travel Providers to Accept UnionPay Cards for Both Direct e-Commerce Bookings and Indirect Sales via Amadeus Travel Platform
According to ResearchAndMarkets’ recent forecasts, Chinese outbound travel is predicted to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.5%, increasing from $140B today to reach $386B by 2033. UnionPay International helps cardholders to easily make cross-border payments in 183 markets and its payment methods are particularly popular with travelers across Asia Pacific.
Creditinfo Brings Global Fraud and Identity Solution to Uganda to Strengthen AML and Financial Crime Defences
Creditinfo, a global service provider for credit information and risk management solutions, has announced the rollout of its identity, know your customer (KYC) and fraud and ID solution in Uganda. The move supports organisations in the country as they work to strengthen financial crime prevention at a time of rapid digital growth and evolving fraud risk.
BVI Financial Services Conference Examines Global Financial Crime Risks and Reaffirms BVI’s Commitment to Integrity
Government officials, regulators, law enforcement authorities and financial services professionals gathered at the BVI International Arbitration Centre on 5 March for the BVI Financial Services Conference 2026, an event examining the evolving global landscape of financial crime and the responsibilities of international financial centres in safeguarding the integrity of the global financial system.
Glia Launches Industry-First Contractual Guarantee Against AI Hallucinations and Prompt Injections
Glia, the leading platform for intelligent banking interactions, today announced it will offer its more than 700 bank and credit union clients a contractual guarantee against AI hallucinations being presented to customers or members on its Banking AI platform. Glia also now guarantees zero impact from prompt injection attacks on its platform — malicious attempts to trick customer or member care AI into providing information or performing tasks it shouldn’t.
Money20/20 Asia Report: APAC Fintech Ecosystem Shifts from Experimentation to Scale as AI and Digital Assets Drive Leadership
Money20/20, the world’s leading fintech show and the place where money does business, today unveiled its annual Future of Fintech in APAC report ahead of Money20/20 Asia happening in Bangkok on April 21-23 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC). The whitepaper is revealing that APAC’s fintech ecosystem has reached a pivotal inflection point. The region is shifting from experimentation to scaled deployment across AI, digital payments, and digital assets, marking a decisive move toward production‑grade innovation.