Interviews

PSD2: HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE BANKING LANDSCAPE?

Published

4 years ago

February 26, 2019

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Just over a year ago, the second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) passed into law. Together with the more far-reaching General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), PSD2 has been described as a huge leap forward for consumers in Europe, heralding a new age for banks and their customers. Banks’ willingness to embrace, and their capacity to effectively assimilate, the changes these regulations set in motion is expected to make or break many.

So, how will the banking industry change? Has it already changed? I sat down with Frans Labuschagne, country manager for UK and Ireland at Entersekt, to discuss PSD2 and how, and to what extent, it will alter the banking sector and the way you and I access our financial and payment services.

Q: What is PSD2?

A: PSD2 is an EU directive to regulate payment services and payment service providers. In other words, it is a compliance requirement that seeks to give greater autonomy to the consumer in accessing and controlling their financial data and increasing the liability of banks to protect it.

Q: How does it work?

A: Firstly, banks and independent payment providers are obligated to ‘open up’ their data and payment initiation capabilities to third-party providers as and when an account holder consents to their doing so. Fundamentally, this has made, and will continue to make, banking more competitive. Consumers have increased privileges in sharing and accessing their data and greater control over how and with whom they do financial business.

Secondly, to protect consumers and their financial assets in this more connected ecosystem where sensitive data is shared with many more entities than before, banks are obligated to improve their security measures. A key component of this is strong customer authentication (SCA), which requires that payment services providers use two independent authentication methods to verify that transactions are legitimate.

Q: What is the deadline for PSD2 compliance and who is affected?

A: The deadline for all companies to meet the requirements of PSD2 is 14 September this year.

There are three key groups that will impacted: all banks within the EU, their customers and third-party payment service providers that are involved in online transactions.

Q: How could a failure to embrace PSD2 effect banks?

A: It is not simply about banks complying with a new set of standards. Compliance is important, of course, but the regulations actually represent a huge opportunity for established players. By truly embracing PSD2, so-called ‘legacy’ banks, often accused of lagging behind in digital transformation, can keep pace with the new innovators and disruptors and the growing expectations of their customers. If they fail to invest and adapt properly over the short to medium term, they are in serious danger of being left behind.

For instance, the failure to provide additional digital services and a seamless transactional experience to a market that is increasingly tech savvy and accustomed to convenience, makes it probable that we will see young consumers switch to those payment service providers that meet their needs, such as PayPal or the ever increasing number of mobile first challenger banks.

Moreover, when PSD2 comes into effect, banks will be more liable for fraud if they’re seen not to be taking reasonable precautions to keep their customers’ assets safe and secure. The secondary, and arguably greater consequence of this, will be the reputational damage caused to those banks not seen to be protecting customers and their data.

Q: Who will benefit from PSD2?

A: Ultimately, those banks that treat PSD2 as an opportunity to evolve and modernise, rather than a mere legal obligation or regulatory hindrance, will be the most likely to benefit.

Third-party payment providers like Apple, Amazon and PayPal are already benefiting from the more ‘open’ banking ecosystem. With access to customers’ financial data, an appreciation for innovative user engagement and transactional infrastructures that suit the needs of the modern consumer, they are growing increasingly popular. Through increased interaction with these providers, consumers are also trusting them more and more.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, consumers will benefit from PSD2. The requirement that financial service providers and banks open their data to third parties will enable users to access all their financial information across accounts at multiple providers on a single interface. Arguably more important is that this openness will increase competition, forcing banks to improve their service offerings, making the customer experience more personal, interactive and seamless. The implementation of SCA will also see banks improve customers’ digital security.

Q: Any final thoughts?

A: PSD2 is a significant change for banks in the EU. Many of them need to modernise and streamline services to keep pace in this era of rapid innovation and change. This new regulation will either provide them with the impetus to do so or present a whole new set of serious challenges in a very competitive environment.

Interviews

Finance Derivative Talks to Tianjin Port Development Holdings Limited

Published

5 months ago

January 3, 2023

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1. How do you look back on 2022, being one of the 10 best largest container ports in the world?
In 2021, the container throughput of Tianjin Port exceeded 20 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and ranked eighth on the list of world largest ports in terms of total container handling capacity, and growing the fastest among the world’s top 10 ports. Tianjin Port will strive to achieve 25 million TEUs by 2025 and continue to open a new chapter in the story of prosperity of Tianjin Port’s world-class port.
The market environment in 2022 was more difficult than that in 2021. Other than the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and financial policies tightening in Europe and the United States, China’s economic growth was slower-than-expected due to the resurgence of the COVID 19 pandemic and related strict control measures. In this challenging market environment as at Q3 2022, Tianjin Port as a whole handled accumulatively cargo throughput of 363 million tonnes, 3.3% more year-on-year, and container throughput of 16.54 million TEUs, 4.7% more year-on-year, via enhancing efficiency and various flexible measures. Tianjin Port Co., Ltd., the major controlling subsidiary of Tianjin Port Development Holdings Limited (“Tianjin Port Development” or the “Company”) still managed to achieve profit growth of 11.9% in the first three quarters of 2022.
In mid-October 2021, Tianjin Port Group (the controlling shareholder of Tianjin Port Development, which holds 53.5% stake in the company) unveiled what it says is the world’s first zero carbon emissions smart terminal in Beigang area of Tianjin Port. This smart and ‘zero-carbon’ smart terminal can serve as an example of intelligent upgrading and low-carbon development of ports all over the world. As at Oct 13 2022, this zero-carbon smart terminal in Beijiang port area had handled 1 million TEUs since it started operation in October last year.

2. How are you able to manage and improve the sustainability strategies with the stakeholders? Tell us about your visions and key factors to success.
Tianjin Port Development has been investing resources in promoting its sustainable development and its sustainability strategies emphasize five principles, namely “Environmental Commitment”, “People Focus”, “Quality First”, “Customer Oriented” and “Community Care”, which are incorporated into its daily management and operations. The Company has kept strengthening communication and cooperation with various stakeholders so as to continuously improve sustainability management.
Building a smart port is a major undertaking of the Company. We aim high and strive to build a world-class smart port and a green port, to better serve the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and construct the “Belt and Road” initiative.
We continue to propel port automation with advanced smart, automatic and communication technologies, aiming to improve service efficiency while reducing service costs and offering customers with better experience. The Company continues to make use of artificial intelligence algorithms and big data to develop new smart projects, implement innovative business operation and analytics systems to enhance operating intelligence and customer service efficiency. In addition, we keep hastening automatic transformation of traditional terminals, and designing our own fully-automated facilities and equipment.
The Company has dedicated much effort to implementing sustainable development concepts and paying more attention to topics such as green development, smart and safe production. All these efforts have laid a solid foundation for the Company’s success.

3. How did the market change post covid-19 and where do you see it going?
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, ports around the world, those in overseas countries in particular, have seen containers stacked up and even halt service. The pandemic has brought to the foreground the need to develop smart ports. In recent years, Tianjin Port Development has actively used innovative technologies to build smart ports. It currently owns more than a dozen world-first technologies that have helped it improve operational efficiency. For example, a single driver can take remote control of six automated facilities simultaneously. In the future, Tianjin Port Development will continue to pursue automation and intelligent reforms plus upgrade its facilities.
Furthermore, during the pandemic, sea freight was adversely affected by land transportation restrictions in mainland China. In light of that, Tianjin Port Development enhanced the function of its feeder network and optimized the linkage between main services and feeder services within the port in Tianjin-Hebei area, built a collaborative operation platform for feeder services covering the Bohai Rim, and promoted vigorous development of “daily shift” services. An alliance was forged and the “Maritime Expressway – FAST” service brand was created, enabling coordination and link up of all processes, from delivery from factories, loading and unloading at the ports and piers, sea transportation and on-shore storage and logistics to receipt of goods by end customers, thus forming a “door-to-door” standardized transportation system. We have been able to make better use of our marine channel advantage to improve overall freight efficiency and bring more business opportunities to Tianjin Port Development. At the same time, Tianjin Port Development is also starting to actively take part in multi-operational partnership covering road, rail and sea transportation, which will become a new business model serving the “Belt and Road Market”.

4. Do you see your company expanding its offerings in future? FY2023
In the future, Tianjin Port Development will hasten transforming its transportation mode. For inbound operations, under the “Maritime Expressway Express—FAST” service brand, it will speed up expanding coverage of its ports and land logistics network in the Tianjin-Hebei region. And, for supporting outbound logistics, it will extend the sea-rail shipping channel. Moreover, it will continue to upgrade automation of its piers, so as to achieve complete digital transformation. Furthermore, it will press on with using green energy, step up “zero-carbon port” construction, implement its “dual-carbon” goals, and take to greater depth the work of building an international shipping hub in northern China.

Interviews

Exclusive Interview With AsiaPay CEO -Joseph Chan

Published

5 months ago

January 3, 2023

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It’s a pleasure to have you. Tell me a bit about your journey and about heading AsiaPay.

As the founder and CEO of AsiaPay Group, Joseph started up the first high-quality third-party digital payment service and technology firm in 2000 in Hong Kong, spearheaded the company’s business strategies and product development together with his management team, and leads AsiaPay becoming one of the most successful world-class digital payment companies in Asia.
In regard to business growth and market recognition, Joseph presents his long-term vision which is to operate a successful and socially responsible company that continually provides individuals and corporate entities with the newest digital payment values, readily enhances one’s quality of life, and maximizes business opportunities, efficiency and productivity.

On that note of innovation, what are your views, on things like blockchain, Artificial intelligence, and robotics?

AsiaPay works closely with our partners in the AI, metaverse, crypto, and NFT-related businesses. With the capabilities of the web3 payment, we aim to strengthen the sales scene, use virtual social space as attraction, product display, and sales as a reality, and enhance the interest and purchase intention of potential buyers, coupled with cryptocurrency-led payment.

Decentralizing blockchain can guarantee the fidelity and security of transactions and digital payments. While combining digital record authenticity in blockchain technologies and the automation of artificial intelligence can enhance data security to prevent fraud in the fintech and digital commerce industries.

Along digital transformation, there has been successful applications of robotics in F&B n hotel industries in Asia and more digital payment solution adoption follows to provide more seamless and valued payment experience to customers.

AsiaPay continues to work closely with partners and startups in these technology areas and also web3 area like metaverse, crypto to well capitalise on these technologies to provide more advanced payment solution to address coming business and market needs

How do you manage the making in the area of diversity and inclusion in terms of gender and cultural background?

Joseph Chan

AsiaPay always aims to remain a balanced and fair working environment with diversity and inclusion over its 15 country operations in Asia. As we serve merchants covering wide range of industries and operating across borders with close interaction with our teams in Asia, we respect the unique background, needs, perspectives, and potential of all team members. We:

Identify diversity and inclusion as key strategic priorities
Recruit and hire openly across Asia
Establish snd enforce cross-country mentorship
Promote team work and foster relationship by overseas team training, yearly executive meeting…etc …
Acknowledge holidays of all cultures and celebrate
Be aware of any unconscious bias.
Ensure benefits and programs are inclusive

And, we set up a variety of staff performance and long-service awards to appreciate our team member’s contributions regardless of their genders, races, religion, nationalities, and sexual orientations. Every team member is equally involved in and supported in all areas of the workplace.

Even under this highly competitive Fintech market, we have enjoyed relatively high retention over the years.

AsiaPay continues its business expansion in Asia with 16 operation offices as of date. What are the strategies for the Indonesian market?

Indonesia is one of the key emerging markets in Asia, according to a YStats.com report points that Indonesia mostly used “online wallet” (69%) alternatively to traditional payments in 2020. “Online wallet” was commonly used as an alternative payment method after the onset of COVID-19;

BimoPay is a payment gateway platform service offered by AsiaPayto address the Indonesian digital payment needs, as Indonesia is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Our key strategies shall emcompass,

Sales strategies and programs targeting key merchant segments;
Bank and payment and channel partnership;
Digital marketing campaigns enhancing brand and service awareness;
Localised product and service innovation and development;

Do you see AsiaPay expanding its offering in the future? How do you see 2023 coming?

With digitalization and technological innovations taking over the economic sector of the world, AsiaPay will continually bring advanced, secured, integrated, and cost-effective digital payment processing solutions and services to banks and eBusiness globally.
We will continually embrace change and innovate capitalizing on the technological trends and strength especially addressing the coming evolution of digital commerce, smart retail, web 3.0 payment, payment data analytics, crypto/CBDC and blockchain technologies.

Apart from our existing 16-country operations in Asia, we will continue to expand our footprint in the world to expand our payment solution and service coverage, and further sca