Monocle Solutions

After unpacking payments modernisation over the past two episodes - from infrastructure to fintech innovation - this conversation turns to the real test: adoption. How do these changes translate into everyday economic activity for millions of South Africans? Hema Morar, Executive Head of @FNBSA eWallet, shares how the platform is evolving to meet the realities of informal income, using AI, alternative data, and accessible channels like WhatsApp to drive meaningful financial inclusion. Click here to listen to the full podcast: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/40F78a0 Spotify: bit.ly/4uVP7Cf YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/4duUZvG #PaymentsModernisation #eWallets #DigitalPaymentsAdoption @MichaelJAvery

[Promoted] Early bird offer ending soon for the 2026 Monocle/GIBS Beyond Banking Conference @Monocle_Sol @GIBS_SA businesstech.co.za/news/industry-…

Following last week’s conversation on the infrastructure behind South Africa’s payments modernisation, this episode shifts to the merchant frontlines as @MichaelJAvery sat down with Rachel Cowan, Interim CEO of Ozow. The discussion unpacked the growing shift toward real-time account-to-account payments and the importance of interoperability across the ecosystem. Rachel shared how evolving payment rails, including PayShap, are reshaping the checkout experience for South African businesses - and how these changes can improve cash flow, support financial inclusion, and unlock new opportunities in digital commerce. Click here to listen to the full podcast: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/4lIYUY9 Spotify: bit.ly/47u86tf YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/40nrC6W #PaymentsModernisation #PayShap #Payments

Through the Payments Ecosystem Modernisation Programme (PEM), South Africa is moving away from legacy infrastructure toward faster, more open payment rails. @MichaelJAvery spoke with Marin Cundall, Managing Executive: Identity, Customer, and Payments @gotymebankza, to unpack what this shift means for banks, fintechs, and the broader economy. From instant payments and interoperability to the role of digital identity and regulatory reform, the conversation explored how modernising the “arteries” of the financial system could reshape how money moves in SA. Click here to listen to the full podcast: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/4l5Yaf2 Spotify: bit.ly/4aRYtqD YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/4b1xgjT #TymeBank #PEM #Banking

Banking regulation today extends far beyond capital adequacy - fundamentally changing how shareholders, boards, and acquirers must approach transactions. @MichaelJAvery met with Deborah Carmichael, Executive in ENS’s Banking and Finance practice, to unpack cross-border control of South African banks: why deals succeed, why they stall, and how to get them over the line, in light of the recent collapse of the proposed Bidvest Bank / Access Bank transaction. From prudential scrutiny to governance, risk, and supervisory expectations, banking deals demand patience, precision and, above all, regulatory credibility. Click here to listen to the full podcast: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3MT5y0F Spotify: bit.ly/4qTdzkd YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/4cgISBV #RegulatoryFramework #BankingSA #BankDeals

[Promoted] Claims, Complexity and Competitive Advantage: Rethinking Insurance for the Digital Age @Monocle_Sol businesstech.co.za/news/industry-…

Business Talk – Monocle Head of Tech Mark Beringer on spreadsheets and modernisation in banking @Monocle_Sol businesstech.co.za/news/banking/8…

This week, @MichaelJAvery set out to understand why electricity reform is becoming far more than an energy story - and what it means for investment, market structure, and economic growth. He spoke with Peter Attard Montalto, Managing Director at @kruthamX and one of South Africa’s most incisive political-economy analysts, whose team authored a report on behalf of the South African Electricity Traders Association, alongside Cathy Oxby, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at @AfricaGreenCo. Tune in to understand how South Africa’s energy transformation could reshape the broader economy: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/46dsRsF Spotify: bit.ly/3MEz7mG YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/4api3dt #EnergyReform #EconomicGrowth #SAETA

Gold is the new gold, not Bitcoin @Monocle_Sol businesstech.co.za/news/business-…

Recorded during the African Mining Indaba in Cape Town, @MichaelJAvery spoke with Thobela Bixa, Senior Research Analyst at @Nedbank CIB, about copper’s evolving role in the global economy. The conversation explored Africa’s geological advantages alongside the infrastructure and energy constraints shaping future supply. As copper transitions from industrial commodity to strategic economic infrastructure, the speakers reflected on the implications for pricing, investment, and Africa’s role in the global energy transition. Click here to listen to the full podcast: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/462A8vp Spotify: bit.ly/4asXYBA YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/4rLjHMc #CopperMarkets #AfricanMiningIndaba #EnergyTransition

To understand why regulation should be seen as an enabler rather than a barrier to innovation, @MichaelJAvery met with Lerato Lamola, Partner at @webberwentzel. They unpacked why thinking outside the box and adopting a consumer-first mindset is critical, and how this applies to South Africa’s shifting retail banking and fintech landscape, particularly in light of the Conduct of Financial Institution's (COFI) mandate. Lerato also shared her expertise on payments infrastructure, crypto regulation, exchange controls, and new opportunities for non-bank payment providers. Click here to listen to the full podcast: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3ZitU6U Spotify: bit.ly/3ZiYVYm YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/3ZfG4xl #RegulatoryFramework #Innovation #Fintech #Banking

To explore how embedded insurance is reshaping the industry across South Africa and Africa, @MichaelJAvery was joined by @Deloitte Africa’s Insurance Sector Advisory Lead, Andrew Warren. They unpacked how banks, telcos, and fintechs are using technology to simplify underwriting, automate claims, and bring insurance directly into everyday platforms - raising important questions about how traditional insurers can maintain visibility and customer connection. Click here to listen to the full podcast: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/4qNN2Wt Spotify: bit.ly/3Z8M1vT YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/4qRpCiX #Insurance #Tech #InsuranceIndustry

In its latest statement outlining supervisory priorities for 2026 through 2028, the European Central Bank emphasised the need for European banks to strengthen their resilience amid heightened geopolitical risk and uncertainty. In addition, the ECB highlighted the importance of bolstering both financial and operational resilience, particularly in relation to credit losses, climate‑related risks, and persistent data deficiencies observed across risk data aggregation and risk reporting initiatives in Europe. @ecb #Banking #Regulation #RiskManagement

In a recent research report, Standard Chartered highlighted the risk that U.S. banks may lose up to half a trillion dollars in customer deposits as crypto exchanges offering access to stablecoins become more attractive to depositors. In 2025, the United States established a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins, a move expected to pave the way for broader adoption of dollar‑pegged tokens. Although stablecoin issuers are prohibited from paying interest on their tokens, Standard Chartered noted a significant loophole: crypto exchanges could still offer yields on stablecoins, effectively incentivising customers to shift their bank deposits to digital asset platforms. #CryptoNews #CryptoMarket #Banking #StableCoins

Bringing it full circle from the very first episode, @MichaelJAvery met with Monocle CEO David Buckham. David unpacked the moments that shaped Monocle: surviving the global financial crisis, prioritising integrity and culture, and expanding into risk and technology as both were being radically redefined. From Basel II to AI, from cloud migration to geopolitical fault lines, the conversation cut across two decades of banking evolution and asked what comes next. One hundred episodes in, the Monocle Banking Podcastremains a space for in-depth, forward-thinking conversation in the banking sector. Click here to listen to the full podcast: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/4jSM20t Spotify: bit.ly/49QpMzR YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/49ATaex #ManagementConsultingFirms #InnovationInBanking #Banking #Entrepreneurship

Gold prices are hitting record highs - not just because of market cycles, but because global trust is shifting. @MichaelJAvery sat down with Craig Brewer, Managing Director and Co-Head of Origination at @Absa_CIB, to examine what this means for mining and global capital. They unpacked why mega-mergers are reshaping the industry, why copper is becoming the backbone of AI and electrification, and how governance and policy certainty - especially in Africa - will determine where capital flows next. Click here to listen to the full podcast: Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3NeB1dP Spotify: bit.ly/49D3aCu YouTube Podcasts: bit.ly/4qSrTK2 #MiningStrategy #Gold #GlobalCapital

With BCBS 239 compliance remaining a priority for banks across Europe and the United Kingdom, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has reinforced the need for end‑to‑end data traceability. This continues to be a significant challenge for many banks, as investment in vendor solutions that provide automated data lineage analysis has been limited. Robust data management, cost reductions, and improved operational efficiencies are key benefits enabled by technical data lineage; however, the value of these tools depends heavily on how effectively they are implemented and embedded within the organisation. #BCBS #Data #Banking

South Africa is set to be removed from the European Union’s list of High-Risk Third-Country jurisdictions following its subsequent removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list in October 2025. The country’s financial industry, which has been subject to enhanced due‑diligence requirements due to deficiencies in its anti‑money‑laundering and terrorism‑financing frameworks, will benefit from these changes. The updates are expected to enable faster and more efficient processing of cross‑border transactions across the South African economy. #SouthAfrica #GreyList #AML

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has announced that it has begun assessing potential reforms to the commercial bank prime rate, which is currently set at 350 basis points above the monetary policy rate. Because the prime rate is deeply embedded across the financial services industry, its possible removal could have significant financial and operational implications. However, the impact on the overall cost of finance remains uncertain. #PrimeRate #SARB