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SAMA Announces Issuance of Second Release of Open Banking Framework
Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has announced the issuance of the second release under the Open Banking Framework, focused on the Payment Initiation Service (PIS).
The new release has been issued as part of SAMA’s efforts to further strengthen the Saudi Arabian Fintech ecosystem and it is anticipated that the change will enhance overall consumer experience and transaction efficiency as well as opening new opportunities for the Kingdom’s fintech sector to offer expanded products and solutions to customers.
SAMA’s Open Banking Framework consists of a set of guidelines and technical standards based on international best practices to facilitate the provision of open banking services in the Kingdom. This second release of the framework standardizes how participants can offer PIS reliably and securely. The framework also clarifies the responsibilities of all stakeholders involved in the provision of PIS.
SAMA’s Open Banking Program is an initiative under the National Fintech Strategy, one of the pillars of the Financial Sector Development Program (FSDP) under Saudi Vision 2030. The Strategy was approved by the Council of Ministers in 2022 and aims to make the Kingdom a global fintech hub to enhance the economic empowerment of individuals and society.
The PIS, as part of the Open Banking Framework, helps deliver the Strategy by enhancing the efficiency and security of payment services in the Kingdom. Under PIS guidelines, consumers can initiate payment transactions from within third-party applications in a secure manner and the new release builds on previous guidance which covered Account Information Service (AIS).
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"We've spent years building institutional-quality infrastructure to serve the world's most sophisticated investors. Now, we're extending that edge to individuals," said Mike Novogratz, Founder and CEO of Galaxy. "Importantly, GalaxyOne advances our mission of becoming a full-spectrum financial services provider that builds trusted, regulated, and accessible products for all market segments."
GalaxyOne, which is available on mobile (iOS and Android) and online in the U.S., launches with four core products:
- Galaxy Premium Yield 2: Earn 8.00% APY through an investment note issued by Galaxy Digital LP, a subsidiary of Galaxy Digital Inc. and available exclusively to U.S. accredited investors on GalaxyOne. Yield is generated by Galaxy's institutional lending business, active since 2018. Each investment requires a $25,000 minimum and is capped at $1 million per investor with an initial $250 million total investment cap. Interest accrues daily and is paid monthly into the GalaxyOne Cash account.
- GalaxyOne Cash 3: Earn 4.00% APY in a high-yield cash deposit account FDIC insured up to $250,000. Banking services are provided by Cross River Bank, member FDIC.
- GalaxyOne Crypto: Buy, trade, hold and transfer major blue-chip digital assets, including bitcoin (BTC), ethereum (ETH), and solana (SOL). Transparent pricing, recurring purchases and real-time execution are available on the platform.
- GalaxyOne Brokerage: Access commission-free trading of more than 2,000 U.S stocks and ETFs in individual brokerage accounts. Retirement accounts (traditional and Roth IRAs) are also available. Fractional share trading is available with a $10 minimum per trade. Clients have the option to earn passive income by lending their eligible stocks through the GalaxyOne Stock Lending program4.
GalaxyOne was originally developed under the name Fierce, which Galaxy acquired in 2024. The platform is led by Zac Prince, Managing Director at Galaxy, alongside the original development team. Fierce's former CEO, Rob Cornish, will continue to support the platform's operations as Chief Technology Officer of Galaxy. GalaxyOne sits alongside GalaxyOne Institutional as part of a unified suite of products, each tailored to client needs, but both built to Galaxy's institutional standards of security, scale, and risk management.
"As technology reshapes how people invest, expectations are clear: more yield, easier access from a single platform, and opportunities that extend beyond traditional boundaries," said Mr. Prince. "GalaxyOne delivers exactly that: a unified opportunity to earn yield on cash, trade crypto, and access U.S. equities, all supported by Galaxy's financial discipline, institutional oversight, and professional team trusted by some of the world's most sophisticated institutions. We have an exciting roadmap ahead and are excited to deliver a differentiated financial experience to our clients. This is just the beginning."
To sign up and learn more about GalaxyOne, please visit: https://one.galaxy.app/sign-up
EXCLUSIVE: “Taking the Pain Out of Compliance” – Camillo Werdich, Sinpex in ‘The Fintech Magazine’
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U.S. Bank Leverages Gen AI for Banking Services
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Big Issue Partners With fumopay To Roll Out New Way for Vendors To Take Cashless Payments via Open Banking
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Together with Scan to Pay’s 650,000 merchants and Luno Pay’s existing network of over 30,000 merchants, this expansion unlocks access to major household retailers, including Checkers, Makro, Vodacom, and Shoprite, bringing crypto payments into the mainstream and marking a major step for cryptocurrency adoption.
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PayPal has announced that U.S. customers will earn 5% cash back on PayPal Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) purchases between now and the end of the year1. As 60%2 of shoppers feel more financial stress heading into this holiday season, PayPal, one of the leading BNPL providers worldwide, is helping to make it easier to manage spending this holiday season.
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