Japan’s megabanks are planning to make huge, long-term cuts to their workforces as they increasingly turn to artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in a bid to streamline operations and cut costs.

After more than a decade of growth and hundreds of funded companies, European fintech is no longer a startup story — and the stage is set for a wave of strategic acquisitions over the next two to three years according to Victor Basta, managing partner at investment bank Artis Partners.

Goldman Sachs has established a digital lending service for affluent consumers who hold portfolios at third party wealth management firms.

BBVA has announced the launch of a unit to further strengthen the bank’s financial crime prevention structure.

Visa has unveiled a platform that helps banks issue and manage fiat-backed tokens such as stablecoins on blockchain networks.

Q. What does the payments sector look for in a conference? A. The number of banks registered to attend and the number of bank speakers on the agenda, ready to openly communicate to the audience how they are currently leveraging technology.

Lloyds Bank is to launch a new multi-purpose AI financial assistant to help customers manage their finances via the UK bank’s mobile app.

Barzillian digital banking giant Nubank has applied for a US national bank charter, furthering its international expansion ambitions.

London-based climate risk analytics provider Climate X has appointed former Monzo, Amazon and Facebook staffer Andrew Ellam vice president of technology.

JPMorgan is to give AI training to all new employees, as the bank seeks to cement its reputation as an AI powerhouse.