Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT)

We are pleased to share an update on our ongoing efforts to combat economic crime and enhance digital verification. Our second coalition, which brings together leaders from finance, regulation, and technology, will create innovative solutions that will protect businesses and consumers across the UK. With fraud costing the UK economy billions annually, and with nearly £1.2 billion stolen from consumers in 2023 alone, our coalition’s work is more critical than ever. We are committed to developing robust, data-driven initiatives that will strengthen our financial defences, improve business legitimacy checks, and create a more secure and resilient economy. We are grateful to all our partners, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), A&O Shearman, Barclays, CRIF, Dun & Bradstreet, Financial Conduct Authority, Experian, EY, Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), HSBC, LexisNexis Risk Solutions UK & IRL - Financial Services and Businesses, Lloyds Banking Group, Mastercard, Monzo Bank, NatWest Group, OneID®, Payment Systems Regulator, Revolut, Santander, and Yoti, for their contributions so far. As we continue to build on this momentum, stay tuned for our interim findings coming in November and the final blueprint report in March 2025. Follow the link below to learn more and join the discussion 👇 https://lnkd.in/e3KGhEFe #EconomicCrime #FraudPrevention #FinancialSecurity #UKFintech #CFIT

Yesterday, the House of Commons debated the topic of financial fraud and economic crime, highlighting that fraud is a serious and escalating problem in the UK. By tackling payment fraud, the UK could add £6 billion to the economy over five years, and addressing the problem is key to ensuring long-term economic growth.   Key policies considered by the House included:   🎯 Setting a national anti-fraud target to significantly reduce fraud in collaboration with businesses. 🔨 Establishing a National Anti-Fraud Centre to consolidate efforts across agencies such as the SFO and NCA. 🏆 Appointing an Anti-Fraud Champion in Parliament to oversee and coordinate efforts. 📈 Improving data sharing between social media companies, banks, and payment systems to better detect and prevent fraud. 📱 Regulating social media companies more tightly to address fraud originating on their platforms.   CFIT’s industry-wide coalition is working on recommendations to tackle economic fraud by utilising digital verification solutions, which could add £500 million to the UK economy annually throughout the remainder of the decade. It is vital that UK’s financial and tech sectors are taking steps to combat economic fraud in order to protect both businesses and consumers.   To find out more click below 👇:   https://lnkd.in/ewqV8sQn   #EconomicCrime #FraudPrevention #UKFintech #CFIT

  Our CEO, Ezechi Britton MBE, recently joined Kate Moody and Dave Morris on 11:FS, alongside Rebecca O'Connor FRSA and Chris Michael, to discuss the latest fintech and financial services news.   During the podcast, Ez highlighted:   🔹 CFIT’s next steps in making corporate IDs and digital identities a reality – aiming to protect consumers and empower businesses 🔹 Key challenges facing the finance and tech sectors, including those of CFIT’s coalition partners, and how we’re collaborating to turn insights into actionable outcomes. 🔹 The importance of secure data sharing and developing safe data networks to benefit both SMEs and the larger financial industry   A special thanks to our partners who are helping us in our mission to combat economic crime: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Alloy, Barclays, Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd, Cifas, Experian, EY, FDATA Global, Financial Conduct Authority, FinCrime Dynamics, FinTech Wales, FinTech West, Funding Circle UK, Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), HSBC, TechnoXander, TransUnion Tunic Pay UK Finance, University of East London, The University of Edinburgh   Together, we’re building secure data networks and proof of concepts that will enable us to fight economic crime and create a safer economic landscape for both businesses and consumers.   🔗 Listen to the full podcast here: https://lnkd.in/enQuWyJy   #EconomicCrime #FraudPrevention #FinancialSecurity #UKFintech #CFIT

We’re pleased that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed the completion of the Open Banking Roadmap, unlocking new opportunities for financial innovation. This milestone sets the stage for Open Finance and a future powered by Smart Data. With the rapid adoption of Open Banking by millions and the upcoming Digital Information and Smart Data Bill, the UK is solidifying its position as a global leader in Open Banking. At CFIT, we’re excited to continue building on the foundations laid by our first coalition and the CFIT-chaired SME Finance Taskforce, focusing on Smart Data, and driving forward innovation and collaboration in finance as the UK leads the way in the digital economy. Congratulations to Open Banking and all partners for this achievement! Charlotte Crosswell OBE / Ezechi Britton MBE #OpenFinance #OpenBanking #SmartData #Fintech #Innovation #CFIT

We’re pleased that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed the completion of the Open Banking Roadmap, unlocking new opportunities for financial innovation. This milestone sets the stage for Open Finance and a future powered by Smart Data. With the rapid adoption of Open Banking by millions and the upcoming Digital Information and Smart Data Bill, the UK is solidifying its position as a global leader in Open Banking. At CFIT, we’re excited to continue building on the foundations laid by our first coalition and the CFIT-chaired SME Finance Taskforce, focusing on Smart Data, and driving forward innovation and collaboration in finance as the UK leads the way in the digital economy. Congratulations to Open Banking and all partners for this achievement! Charlotte Crosswell OBE / Ezechi Britton MBE #OpenFinance #OpenBanking #SmartData #Fintech #Innovation #CFIT

Recently, our Chair, Charlotte Crosswell OBE, sat down with Lars Mucklejohn at City AM to discuss how bad data is limiting lending to UK SMEs. Charlotte shared insightful perspectives on how open finance and smart data can empower banks to make better lending decisions, highlighting:   🔹 How data unlocking and sharing will likely drive the next wave of financial innovation, both in the UK and globally. 🔹 Lending to UK SMEs has decreased by 20% in real terms over the past decade, contributing to a funding gap of more than £22bn. 🔹 That automating complex data is essential for bridging the gap between traditional banks and digital challengers. 🔹 The pivotal role AI will play in improving access to finance businesses.    If the UK is to deploy growth, speeding up lending to SMEs through high-quality data is crucial. By embracing innovation, we can help SMEs, and the industry at large, thrive.   👉 Read the full article to learn more about Charlotte’s perspective on leveraging smart data for SME growth: https://lnkd.in/e6xF5anf   #OpenFinance #SmartData #UKFintech #SMEs #CFIT  

Through the collaboration of experts in fintech, our second coalition aims to strengthen the UK’s financial security by combatting economic crime.  💬 Our CEO, Ezechi Britton MBE, discusses the importance of partnering with leading companies in the sector, such as Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, Innovate Finance, Konfir, KPMG US, LexisNexis Risk Solutions UK & IRL - Financial Services and Businesses, Mistho, Moneyhub, Monzo Bank, NatWest Group, NayaOne, obconnect, OIX - Open Identity Exchange, and Oliver Wyman, to address this critical issue below.   #EconomicCrime #FraudPrevention #FinancialSecurity #UKFintech #CFIT

Our second coalition, which brings together experts from the finance and technology sectors, is pioneering data-driven research and solutions that will pave the way to making enhanced digital verification a reality. This collaborative effort aims to enhance security and combat economic fraud, ultimately protecting both businesses and consumers. We’re grateful that our recent update has been featured in The Fintech Times, Financial IT, Open Banking Expo, PYMNTS, The Paypers, Credit Connect and Finance Director Europe. We’d like to thank our partners, including AperiData, Alliance Manchester Business School, City of London Police, CRIF, Datavillage - Trusted Data Collaborations, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London South Bank University, Lloyds Banking Group, Mastercard. We look forward to our ongoing collaboration! To read more about our second coalition, follow the link below 👇: https://lnkd.in/gzbssNNn #EconomicCrime #FraudPrevention #FinancialSecurity #UKFintech #CFIT

As economic crime continues to rise, the UK’s financial and tech sectors are taking significant steps to tackle the growing challenge of fraud.   Our CEO, Ezechi Britton MBE, recently shared his insights with The Fintech Times on why combatting fraud is essential for a more secure economic environment. He emphasises the importance of innovative digital verification solutions in achieving this goal, highlighting:    ⚖️ The scale of economic crime affecting businesses and customers. Digital verification solutions can significantly reduce fraud and potentially add £500 million to the UK economy annually throughout the remainder of the decade. 🔐 The opportunities ‘Corporate IDs’ and enhanced digital verification will bring to the UK fintech ecosystem by enabling standardised and verified data, improved authenticity checks, and enhancing fraud detection tools. 🔵 How CFIT’s latest coalition includes blue-chip companies and organisations including City of London Corporation, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), OneID®, Payment Systems Regulator, Quantexa, Revolut, Sage, Santander, Sopra Steria, Smart Data Foundry, SuperTech WM, techUK, The Payments Association, Thought Machine, Tide, TISA UK, TrueLayer, Trustly, Visa, Which? and Yoti, highlights how seriously the industry takes the problem. At CFIT we are committed to leveraging financial technology to combat economic crime through our second coalition. By collaborating with our partners, we’re developing innovative solutions to build a more secure economy for businesses and consumers alike.   To hear more of Ez’s thoughts, click the link below 👇  

As highlighted in the update on our second coalition this morning, we remain dedicated to working with our incredible coalition partners to combat economic crime through collaboration. Thank you to all involved for your commitment to safeguarding businesses and consumers across the UK. Together, we’re building a safer financial future.   Looking forward to more collaboration with Alliance Manchester Business School, Amazon Web Services (AWS), AperiData, Barclays, Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd, Cifas, City of London Corporation, City of London Police, CRIF, Datavillage - Trusted Data Collaborations, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, Experian, EY, FDATA Global, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Financial Conduct Authority, FinCrime Dynamics, FinTech Wales, FinTech West, Funding Circle UK, Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), HSBC, Innovate Finance, Konfir, KPMG, LexisNexis Risk Solutions UK & IRL - Financial Services and Businesses, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), London South Bank University, Lloyds Banking Group, Mastercard, Mistho, Moneyhub, Monzo Bank, NatWest Group, NayaOne, obconnect, OIX - Open Identity Exchange...[continued in comments]   #EconomicCrime #FraudPrevention #FinancialSecurity #UKFintech #CFIT