Kwami Ahiabenu,II Knowledge Chief

  Launched in 2009, Bitcoin is the original cryptocurrency. It inspired a host of others to be created, but so far none can match Bitcoin’s popularity and market capitalization. Bitcoin stands tall among other cryptocurrencies because it is backed by industrial-scale mining operations that support its value, and it has managed to achieve regulated market status in countries such as Asia, US and Europe and found its way onto the balance sheets of some publicly traded companies like Microstrategy (MSTR), Tesla (TSLA), Galaxy Digital Holdings (BRPHF), Voyager Digital (VYGVF) and Square (SQ). Bitcoin mining, provides the mechanism to support the effective running of Bitcoin. Through the addition of blocks or transaction records of cryptocurrency based on a competition by miners, a sort of electronic ledger is opened and a process of validation by electronic means is set in motion; a blockchain. Each block on the network comprises a hash that is a unique 64-digit hexadecimal value conta...

Knowledge Innovations, a leading tech consultancy firm in collaboration with the Ghana Fintech and Payments Association (GFPA), is set to hold a webinar on the theme, "FinTech Innovations in Africa – Trends, Challenges and Future" scheduled for Thursday, February 24, 2022. The FinTech and Innovations focused event would bring together the continent's leading thought leaders in providing you with unparalleled insights into Africa's fast-growing FinTech Key Geographical Market Developments, Key Innovations, Collaborations, Major Drivers, Growth Trends, How FinTech are Overcoming Some Key Challenges and Exciting Predictions for the Future. Some key leaders in the African fledgling industry would speak at this landmark event to provide rare insights into emerging trends in Africa's Fintech ecosystem. These speakers include Noha Shaker, Founder of the Egyptian Fintech Association; Saqib Nazir, the Managing Director, Africa for Emergent Technology; Ali Hussein, Fintech ...

Knowledge Innovations, a leading tech consultancy firm in collaboration with the Ghana Fintech and Payments Association, is set to hold a webinar on the theme, "FinTech Innovations in Africa – Trends, Challenges and Future" scheduled for Thursday, February 24, 2022. The FinTech and Innovations focused event would bring together the continent's leading thought leaders in providing you with unparalleled insights into Africa's fast-growing FinTech Key Geographical Market Developments, Key Innovations, Collaborations, Major Drivers, Growth Trends, How FinTech are Overcoming Some Key Challenges and Exciting Predictions for the Future. Some key leaders in the African fledgling industry would speak at this landmark event to provide rare insights into emerging trends in Africa's Fintech ecosystem.  These speakers include Noha Shaker, Founder of the Egyptian Fintech Association; Saqib Nazir, the Managing Director, Africa for Emergent Technology; Ali Hussein, Fintech and Di...

Kwami Ahiabenu ll For most people, WhatsApp is a cool tool for fun. So are Telegram, Signal, WeChat, Discord, iMessage, Messages, Viber, Facebook Message, Botim etc. However, WhatsApp with over a two billion users is undoubtedly the most popular of these. The widespread use and acceptance of WhatsApp as a messaging tool has many service providers aiming to make their services available on that platform in order to reach their numerous clients. In 2018 South Africa’s Absa Bank pioneered the concept of mobile banking. Since then, banks in recognition of the power of WhatsApp are offering a wide range of services on that platform, leading to optimal efficiency as customer requests are processed in real-time. Generally, there are three types of graduated applications of WhatsApp in the banking industry; first as a primary contact center tool where clients can interact with customer care and ask questions or verify information related to banking, eliciting automated responses such as “we wi...

  Kwami Ahiabenu ll Setting up a bank can be a long, expensive process with complex regulatory and compliance hurdles to overcome. However, with the emergence of Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS), an entity can provide banking services without batting an eyelid. With BaaS, non-banks including FinTech, and other entities such as professional bodies or schools can offer their own branded financial products such as debit, credit, or loyalty cards. In other words, BaaS opens up banking to third parties supporting the evolution of new services and enabling greater financial transparency. BaaS is assuming great importance because it offers a great potential to expand banking services, disrupting the status quo and offering solutions that support exceptional banking consumer experience. Banking-as-a-Service is centered on the open banking model, which emphasizes consumer-driven financial service opportunities with more significant benefits accruing to consumers. Banking-as-a-service (BaaS) can ...

  Kwami Ahiabenu ll The Automated Teller Machine (ATM) started its humble life in 1967 in the U.K. as a single-use dumb machine dispensing cash; a maximum of 14 USD at a time. Over time, the ATM has grown significantly into a smart device with full intelligence capabilities able to provide complete banking services such as deposits, withdrawals, requests, and printing of full-page bank statements. In recent times the ATM has evolved even further. It has become an Internet-enabled device that enables users to purchase or sell bitcoin or other cryptocurrency using cash, debit, credit card, or through electronic transfers for a transaction fee. Cryptocurrency is a groundbreaking currency based on blockchain, offering unapparelled transparency without any central control. The starting point to transact using cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin is registering a Bitcoin wallet with several available service providers. After that, the user loads “value” on it or receives funds onto it. On...