FNB Launches 2014 Teach Children To Save South Africa

FNB kicked off the 2014 Teach Children To Save South Africa (TCTS SA) Programme in association with the Banking Association of South Africa at the Ntemoseng High School in the Botshabelo Township in the Free State on Friday 7 March. “We look forward to this campaign every year because financial literacy is not just for

Safety Tips for Shopping Online

Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular in South Africa as more and more people are discovering the convenience of transacting online. But while online shopping does offer convenience and great deals it is also important to be aware of the risks and protect yourself accordingly. Fraudsters are increasingly turning to the anonymity of the internet

Mobile Payments: BLE vs NFC Isn’t a Fair Fight

There’s a new kid on the block in the payments environment that promises to deliver even greater convenience and practicality. It’s called ‘Bluetooth Low Energy’, or BLE, and it’s based on technology which is over a decade old. Be that as it may, BLE promises to revolutionise the way consumers and retailers interact – but

Telkom Mobile and BlackBerry Announce Integrated Carrier Billing

Telkom Mobile, the mobile division of telecommunications company Telkom, and BlackBerry have announced an integrated carrier billing service for BlackBerry smartphone customers in South Africa. The service is made possible through Telkom Mobile’s newly developed Event Billing service and will enable Telkom Mobile customers to purchase applications on the BlackBerry World™ storefront and charge it

Standard Bank Produces Satisfactory Financial Results

Standard Bank Group has produced a stable performance in 2013, increasing headline earnings per share by 14% and net asset value per share by 14%. Group return on equity has increased to 14.1% from 14.0% in 2012. Results at a glance: Headline earnings: R17 194 million, up 15% Headline earnings per share (HEPS): 1 064.9

FNB Banking App Uptake Greatest Among Youth

South Africa’s First National Bank (FNB) has revealed the youth market, aged 18 to 25, has shown the greatest growth in the uptake of its mobile banking app. The bank said the youth market has seen 14 per cent growth this year, rising by 133 per cent from when the app was launched in 2011.

Absa Invests in Peer-to-Peer Lender RainFin

RainFin, a South African peer-to-peer lending platform, has announced that Absa Bank have acquired a 49% stake in their business. The investment, cited to be in the tens of millions, will be utilised to support working capital, credit and risk expertise and access to liquidity as well as to grow the business and improve offerings.

FNB – Cards Beat Cash by R3bn in December 2013

South Africans are abandoning cash for card payments, cutting banking costs by reducing the need to transport money, according to First National Bank (FNB). The bank reported in December card payments were ZAR3 billion (US$289 million) higher than cash withdrawals, though this had fallen again by January. “The gap between purchases made with banknotes compared

Report: e-Commerce in South Africa

Effective Measures has released a report on e-commerce in South Africa. They surveyed over 10,000 internet users with desktop access in South Africa in order to ascertain their online shopping habits. Some of the key insights they uncovered include: 73.76% of online shoppers will use the internet to make payments, transfer money and pay utility

Why Retailers Aren’t Making a Killing on Mobile Payments

Why are retailers (or for that matter banks and telecoms service providers) not making an absolute killing in the mobile payment space? Most importantly, why are retailers missing out on potential new revenue streams? Even in an emerging market like South Africa, where mobile penetration is estimated to be around 128%, only nine percent of