Posts Tagged ‘#LatinAmerica’

Latin America’s crypto conquest is driven by consumers needs

51% of consumers in Latin America have already made a transaction with cryptoassets.

Latin Americans desire flexibility and convenience in digital currencies and payments and are seeking more support from their financial institutions.

MIAMI, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The digital payments revolution that began during the pandemic is consolidating and driving Latin American interest in cryptocurrencies. 51% of consumers in the region have already made a transaction with cryptoassets and more than a third say they have made a payment for an everyday purchase with stablecoin, reveals Mastercard’s New Payments Index 2022, a survey conducted between March and April of this year among more than 35,000 people around the world.

The New Payments Index annually evaluates consumer behavior concerning emerging payment methods. In its second edition, the study shows that financial innovation -cryptocurrencies, DeFI solutions, blockchain, NFTs- registers significant activity in the region, with consumers eager to learn more about this ecosystem.

In Latin America, 54% percent of Latino consumers are optimistic about the performance of digital assets as an investment. Meanwhile, two-thirds of Latinos want greater flexibility to use crypto and traditional payment methods interchangeably in their day-to-day operations.

“More and more Latin Americans are showing interest in cryptocurrencies and want solutions that facilitate access to the crypto world. At Mastercard, we are designing these solutions to expand digital inclusion and strengthening alliances that guarantee operability and support”, said Walter Pimenta, executive vice president, Products and Engineering, Mastercard Latin America and the Caribbean.

The survey shows that consumers in Latin America and the Caribbean would feel more confident investing (69%) and making/receiving payments (67%) in cryptocurrencies if they were issued or backed by a trusted organization. Another 82% acknowledge that they would like to have cryptocurrency-related functions available directly from their current financial institution.

Digital payments, convenience and flexibility
Mastercard’s New Payments Index 2022 reveals that 86% of Latino consumers have used at least one emerging payment method in the past year. While 77% of Americans and 74% of Europeans prefer traditional payment methods to newer ones, Latinos are willing to use emerging methods such as biometrics, digital currencies and QR code, in addition to contactless payments.

“The future of payments is already here. Increasingly Latin Americans are turning to technology to conduct their financial transactions and this trend is expected to continue to rise, with an overwhelming 95% planning to use a digital payment method in the coming year and 29% acknowledging having used less cash in the past year”, added Pimenta.

Consumers in the region are familiar with fintechs and open banking, which allows them to conveniently manage their personal finances. Nearly 50% of Latin American consumers already use digital channels for financial activities and 78% of them are interested in flexible payment solutions that allow them, for example, to change the payment date of their bills, especially those with irregular incomes and millennials.

Biometric payments: security and convenience
When deciding which payment method to use, Latinos prioritize security (54%), but also look for the speed that financial technology offers. Biometrics is emerging as an option to find that balance between convenience and security. Three out of four Latinos say that “using biometric technologies for identity and payments is more secure than a PIN, password or another form of identification,” but concerns persist about which entities have access to their data.

People under 40 and millennials are more likely to perceive emerging digital solutions as secure. While they still use them, people who grew up in traditional banking are more wary, which is – for all players in the payments chain – an opportunity to build trust.

To learn more about this year’s New Payments Index, click here to Mastercard’s Newsroom.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.
www.mastercard.com

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22 Jun 2022

by caribpr

Banking/Financial Services

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Ankura Appoints Fernando Batlle as First LATAM Chairman

Brings Wealth of Management Experience to Expansion Efforts in Latin America & the Caribbean

NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Ankura Consulting, a global expert services and advisory firm, today announced the appointment of Fernando Batlle as the Firm’s first Chairman of its Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM) region. Mr. Batlle’s new position as LATAM Chairman underscores Ankura’s commitment to strengthening its presence in the region and to offering an expansive suite of solutions for clients across the world.

Ankura (PRNewsfoto/Ankura)

“We are thrilled to have an experienced executive like Fernando lead our growing LATAM team. This is a critically important region to many of our clients, and Fernando’s addition bolsters our ability to support them in the market,” said Ankura’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Lavin. “Fernando brings broad industry expertise complemented by a deep connection to and knowledge of the regional landscape, and truly embodies the collaborative culture at Ankura.”

Prior to his appointment as LATAM Chairman, Mr. Batlle served as a Senior Managing Director at Ankura and helped establish the Firm’s position in the turnaround and restructuring market. He holds three decades of leadership and executive experience in both the private and public sector, with a proven track record of executing turnarounds and growing businesses at high profile financial institutions. Mr. Batlle has provided strategic and financial advisory for the Government of Puerto Rico throughout the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. He has held senior leadership positions in commercial and investment banking, securities brokerage, asset management, and public finance. His multiple areas of expertise encompass financial services, energy, capital markets, public-private partnerships, implementation of performance improvement and major transformation initiatives and debt restructuring. He has extensive experience advising governments, state-owned entities, and businesses on strategic and financial matters from development of comprehensive financial plans to economic strategy, debt management strategy, and governance.

“I look forward to growing our team and presence in Latin America and the Caribbean so that we are optimally positioned to address the complex business and financial issues our current and prospective clients face in the region,” said Mr. Batlle. “I’m honored to assume this new position and to advance the Firm’s commitment to developing innovative solutions and driving impactful results for our clients’ continued success around the world.”

Mr. Batlle holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS from Northeastern University.

About Ankura

Ankura Consulting Group, LLC is an independent global expert services and advisory firm that delivers services and end-to-end solutions to help clients at critical inflection points related to change, risk, disputes, finance, performance, distress, and transformation. The Ankura team consists of more than 1,500 professionals in 34 offices globally who are leaders in their respective fields and areas of expertise. Collaborative lateral thinking, hard-earned experience, expertise, and multidisciplinary capabilities drive results and Ankura is unrivaled in its ability to assist clients to Protect, Create and Recover value. For more information, please visit, www.ankura.com

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4 Oct 2021

by caribpr

Business

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Mastercard Study Shows Consumers in LAC Make the Move to Contactless Payments

Consumers cite simplicity, cleanliness and speed through checkout experience as contactless payments booster

– Mastercard champions effort to raise limits for contactless payment transactions across Latin America & Caribbean

MIAMI, April 30, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – During first quarter of 2020, as many countries imposed necessary restrictions on social distancing, a growing number of consumers in Latin America & Caribbean (LAC) turned to contactless payments for necessary purchases, a new Mastercard study shows. According to the survey, 35% of people in the region have increased their usage of contactless payments, citing simplicity, safety and cleanliness.

Consumer polling by Mastercard paints a picture of accelerated and sustained contactless adoption. This shift in consumer behavior is particularly clear at checkout as people express a desire for contactless cards and concerns over cleanliness and safety at the point of sale, according to the study. In fact, findings of the study show that the impact of social distancing and other safety guidelines on consumer payment behavior is extensive:

  • 56% of Latin Americans said they are more aware of dirtiness of cash.
  • 84% of Latin Americans believe contactless is a cleaner way to pay.

1.        Mastercard’s own initiatives, along with the intelligence of its technology, data analytics and investments in security, will continue to propel a world beyond cash. Already, more than half of consumers around the world (63%) are using cash less often, or not at all, since the pandemic began. The same is true in LAC, where on average 66% of consumers are using cash less often, or not at all:

  • 77% of Brazilians indicated that they are using cash less, or not at all, since the pandemic.
  • 61% of Colombians indicated that they are using cash less, or not at all, since the pandemic.
  • 68% of Costa Ricans indicated that they are using cash less, or not at all, since the pandemic.
  • 58% Dominican Republicans indicated that they are using cash less, or not at all, since the pandemic.

2.       Consumers are quickly appreciating the benefits of contactless payments with 79% across LAC finding them more secure when compared to keeping or paying with cash. Additionally, regional consumer polling by Mastercard indicated sustained contactless usage with consumers preferring the quick and efficient checkout experience.

  • 78% of Latin Americans indicated they will continue using contactless payments even after the pandemic is over.
  • The belief was even stronger among those under the age of 35, where 82% of this population indicated continued use post-COVID.

“As we all experience the first global pandemic in an age defined by the digitalization of our lives, contactless card payments have taken on a new urgency. It has been both encouraging and gratifying to see our partners throughout the LAC region adopt the changes and acceleration of contactless. The technology is available, and it’s clear that the change we are witnessing in consumer behavior is here to stay,” said Walter Pimenta, Senior Vice President, Products & Innovation, Mastercard Latin America and Caribbean.

Accelerating faster, cleaner, safer payments
Throughout the world, Mastercard has been spearheading the transition to contactless for more than 15 years, championing it as the simple, safe and fast way to pay. As a region with countries where contactless technologies are a newer experience, LAC has seen a rapid increase in infrastructure, with 75% of point of sale terminals ready to accept contactless transactions, and 60% of financial institutions issuing contactless-enabled cards.

In March, Mastercard led a move to increase the contactless payment limits across the LAC region as people looked for safer ways to pay in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, four countries have already raised their contactless payment limits including, Colombia, Argentina, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, with many others expected to follow soon. The initiative is in line with similar actions taking place around the world as health officials recommend social distancing and a growing number of merchants are encouraging consumers to pay with contactless instead of cash to avoid contact.

“As the spread of COVID-19 highlights the steadfast mindset for ‘contact-free’ environments and experiences in many aspects of our lives, the increased interest in contactless payments is far reaching. We believe in providing consumers with the freedom of choice in how they pay and peace of mind when they pay. With increased convenience and security, we look forward to expanding the contactless footprint more than ever before,” added Pimenta.

Contactless Payments Growth
As consumers increasingly seek out ways to quickly get in and out of stores without touching terminals, Mastercard data reveals over 40% growth in contactless transactions globally in the first quarter of 20201. Further, 80% of contactless transactions are under $25, a range that is typically dominated by cash. LAC, a less mature region when it comes to contactless penetration, saw exponential growth, with contactless transactions up 500% overall since March of last year.

While countries worldwide are at different stages of contactless card deployment and usage for daily shopping habits, Mastercard’s insights on grocery and pharmacy trends – two areas where many day-to-day essentials are being purchased – showed that nearly all regions experienced significant spikes in February and March. Further, reinforcing changing behaviors and consumer checkout preferences, Mastercard saw the number of contactless card payments at grocery stores and pharmacies grow twice as fast as non-contactless transactions globally2.

Notes to Editors:

1 Growth calculated as the percentage increase in contactless transactions compared to the percentage increase in non-contactless transactions, comparing March 2020 to March 2019, at Grocery and Pharmacy categories

2Growth calculated as the percentage increase in contactless transactions compared to the percentage increase in non-contactless transactions, comparing March 2020 to February 2020, at Grocery and Pharmacy categories

Survey Methodology

  • Online interviews of 17,000 consumers in 19 countries worldwide
  • 1,000 banked respondents per country in the US and Canada (North America); Australia, Singapore (Asia Pacific); UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, South Africa (Middle East and Africa); UK, Italy, France, German, Spain, Poland, Russia, the Netherlands (Europe).
  • 500 banked respondents per country in Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Colombia (Latin America and the Caribbean)
  • Research conducted April 10-12, 2020
  • Nationally representative sample
  • Readable sample sizes of:
    • Gen Z/Millennials
    • Affluent [defined at a country level]
    • Contactless users
    • Primary shoppers
    • Those with high levels of concern about Covid-19

About Mastercard
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

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30 Apr 2020

by caribpr

Banking/Financial Services

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One in five people in Latin America and the Caribbean experiences sexual extortion, or knows someone who has, survey says

Report highlights citizens’ views and experiences of bribery and corruption

BERLIN, Sept. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – A new report from Transparency International reveals that more than half of all citizens in 18 Latin American and Caribbean countries think corruption is getting worse in their country and governments aren’t doing enough to tackle it. Corruption is a major concern for ordinary people; 85 per cent of those surveyed believe government corruption is “a big problem”.

Read the report

The report, entitled, Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) — Latin America and the Caribbean, for the first time shows one in five people experiences sexual extortion when accessing a government service, like health care or education, or knows someone who has.

Data also shows that 71 per cent of people think that sextortion happens at least occasionally.

Equally troubling, one in four people was offered a bribe in exchange for votes at national, regional or local elections in the past five years. In a damning indictment of low trust in government, 65 per cent think their government is run by and for a few private interests.

These alarming statistics underscore the disproportionate effect that corruption has on women, and suggests a significant lack of political integrity among government leaders. The office of the President and Prime Minister, as well as Members of Parliament, are seen as the most corrupt group or institution by 53 and 52 per cent of people respectively.

“Too often, presidents, parliamentarians and other political leaders act in their own self-interest, at the expense of the citizens they serve,” said Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chair of Transparency International. “In a region where anti-corruption efforts are building momentum despite recent setbacks, citizens continue to demand more and better from their governments.”

People’s actual experience with bribery is similarly concerning. More than one in five people who access public services, have to pay a bribe. This is equivalent to approximately 56 million citizens.

Across the region, police earn the highest bribery rate (24 per cent), while other services like utilities, including electricity and water, are close behind (19 per cent). 

Despite these challenges, an overwhelming majority of people remain hopeful. Seventy-seven per cent believe ordinary citizens can make a difference in the fight against corruption.

“Citizens have the right to report corruption and expect that politicians act with integrity,” said Patricia Moreira, Managing Director of Transparency International. “Corruption eats away at society and undermines institutions. Political leaders need to listen to the clear demands of citizens to tackle corruption and strengthen democracy.”

Transparency International recommends political leaders take the following actions:

  • Recognise and address specific gendered forms of corruption, including with gender-sensitive reporting mechanisms.
  • Strengthen integrity of elections and enforce sanctions against vote-buying, with transparent campaign finance and support for fact-based journalism.
  • Empower individuals, civil society and media to report corruption, including with comprehensive legislation to protect whistleblowers.
  • Implement the Lima Commitment, including publicly reporting on progress since the VIII Summit of the Americas.

For more information, including a full list of recommendations, go to: anticorru.pt/gcb2019lac

Report
Infographic
Country cards

About Transparency International
Through chapters in more than 100 countries and an international secretariat in Berlin, Transparency International has been leading the fight against corruption for the last 25 years.

About the Global Corruption Barometer
The GCB is the largest, most detailed survey of citizens’ views on corruption and their experiences of bribery in Latin American and the Caribbean. Between January and March 2019, the GCB surveyed more than 17,000 citizens in 18 countries across the region. The surveys were conducted by Ipsos in 13 Latin American countries, Market Research Insights in 4 Caribbean countries and by Public Domain Limited in the Bahamas. For more details on the methodology, a full list of countries surveyed and information on the survey approach, please see here.

Transparency International has been working to fight corruption for the past 25 years.

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23 Sep 2019

by caribpr

Politics

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Sérgio Moro leads speakers at OffshoreAlert Brazil Conference

MIAMI, Aug. 27, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Brazil’s Minister for Justice, Sérgio Moro, will give the keynote address at The OffshoreAlert Conference Latin America on Financial Intelligence & Investigations on September 16-17, 2019.

Tickets can be purchased now at oacbrazil.com, where you will also find details about our agenda and speakers.

Attendees will learn how to detect financial crime, recover hidden assets, obtain litigation funding to pursue claims, file whistleblowing claims, evaluate investment opportunities, and increase their chance of success in high-value, cross-border finance. Network with industry leaders in a stunning, five-star setting.

Moro is known internationally for his role as a judge overseeing bribery and corruption cases arising from Operação Lava Jato, a.k.a. Operation Car Wash, including the trial of Brazil’s former president Luís Inácio Lula da Silva.

He is part of a powerful and influential line-up of speakers that also includes Latin American Herald Tribune publisher Russ Dallen, Brazil’s Director of Asset Recovery & International Judicial Cooperation, Erika Marena; judges Paulo Furtado de Oliveira Filho and Moacyr Lobato de Campos Filho, prosecutors Vladimir Aras, Eronides Aparecido Rodrigues dos Santos, and Pedro Lupera Zerpa, politician Hugo Leal, whistleblower Jonathan Taylor, leading fraud and asset recovery attorneys, insolvency practitioners, journalists, and other experts on serious financial crime.

Sessions include:

  • An Introduction To International Asset Recovery;
  • Asset Recovery Latin America: Tips From The Experts;
  • Litigation Funding: How to Get Your Multi-Million Dollar Claims Funded By Third Parties;
  • How Latin American Whistleblowers Can Make Millions From US Whistleblowing Programs;
  • Brazil’s Whistleblowing Laws: An Analysis of Existing & Proposed Legislation;
  • The Emperor Has No Clothes: The Great Cryptocurrency Scam;
  • Busting the Blockchain: How To Trace & Seize Virtual Assets & Evaluate Risk in a Pseudo-Anonymous World;
  • Data Leaks: What The ICIJ’s Panama & Paradise Papers Revealed About Latin America;
  • Corruption & Asset Recovery: The Brazilian Perspective;
  • Allen Stanford: An Update for Latin American Victims;
  • Bankruptcy Fraud in Brazil: The Duties of Trustees;
  • Inside Venezuela: An Overview of Fraud & Corruption;
  • Cross-Border Insolvencies: Chapter 15 & Latin American Equivalents;
  • Investing in Distressed Assets & Legal Claims: What You Need To Know; and
  • Corruption & Money Laundering in Brazil: Problems & Solutions.

The OffshoreAlert Conference Latin America will be held at the magnificent Palácio Tangará hotel in Sāo Paulo, Brazil, on September 16-17, 2019. Presentations will be simultaneously interpreted in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

About OffshoreAlert

Launched in 1997, Miami-based OffshoreAlert is the leading provider of investigative information about individuals and businesses operating in high-value, cross-border finance. We offer a subscription-based news and documents service at www.offshorealert.com and hold annual conferences on financial intelligence and investigations in Miami, Brazil, and London. OffshoreAlert has exposed more than 175 fraudulent schemes and helped prosecutors and regulators punish those responsible. FIFA’s top officials were exposed at our Miami Conference in 2010 – 5 years before they were indicted for corruption.

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27 Aug 2019

by caribpr

Conferences

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