Tag: #investments

Family Office Crypto Adoption and Web3 Investments

With digital transformation reshaping wealth strategies, crypto solutions for family offices are no longer fringe considerations — they’re becoming part of strategic conversations. As younger generations take a more active role in managing multigenerational wealth, family offices are increasingly exploring the crypto space to stay relevant and future-proof their portfolios.

The Role of Crypto Assets for Family Offices

Family offices are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the long-term potential of digital assets. Unlike traditional institutions, they often have more flexibility and a longer investment horizon, allowing them to experiment with emerging technologies. Crypto assets for family offices offer diversification, hedging against inflation, and exposure to high-growth sectors such as decentralized finance (DeFi) and tokenized assets.

At the same time, digital assets for family offices must be approached with a robust infrastructure: custody, security, and clear compliance with evolving crypto regulation for family offices. A thoughtful approach can open up access to new asset classes and new forms of value creation, especially through private investments or direct token ownership.

The digital asset class is broad. Here are the key categories relevant to digital asset portfolio management:

  • Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, used as stores of value or mediums of exchange.
  • Stablecoins, such as USDT, pegged to fiat currencies and designed to minimize volatility.
  • Security tokens, representing ownership of traditional assets like equity or real estate.
  • Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), state-issued digital currencies aiming to modernize fiat infrastructure with blockchain efficiency and traceability.

DeFi for Institutional Investors – Why It Matters

Web3 represents a shift in how value, data, and ownership are managed online. For family offices used to guarding privacy, securing assets, and ensuring long-term legacy, this decentralized paradigm offers something familiar — only now, it’s powered by code and transparency.

In this emerging ecosystem, smart contracts in wealth management allow for programmable agreements that execute automatically when certain conditions are met. Whether it’s distributing profits, handling escrow, or triggering rebalancing events, these contracts reduce reliance on middlemen while increasing speed and security.

At the same time, DeFi for institutional investors is opening new channels for capital deployment. Yield farming, crypto lending, and liquidity provisioning — all accessible without traditional banks — are becoming tools for family offices looking to diversify and enhance returns with controlled risk exposure.

The Appeal of Web3 Investment Opportunities for Family Offices.

Web3 investment opportunities are increasingly seen as a gateway to innovation. These include decentralized social networks, gaming platforms powered by NFTs, and infrastructure for the Metaverse. Web3 investment strategies can align with long-term themes like digital identity, ownership of data, and the future of online interaction.

Family offices that adopt blockchain for wealth management benefit from greater control, traceability, and efficiency in portfolio administration. Digital asset portfolio management tools now support real-time reporting, tax optimization, and compliance, bringing institutional-grade capabilities to crypto holdings.

Family office crypto adoption is gaining traction as the investment landscape evolves. While challenges remain, especially around regulation and security, the momentum behind digital assets and Web3 is undeniable.

Irish fintech increased almost 300% in 2024

2024 was a positive year for the Irish fintech market, with funding reaching $237.95 million across 25 deals; this was a significant increase (291%) compared to last year were $60.83 million was raised across 11 deals, according to the Pulse of FinTech H2’24—a bi-annual report published by KPMG highlighting global fintech investment trends.

The data includes the $109 million buyout of Dublin-based software company SoftCo by Keensight Capital, making it the largest fintech deal in Ireland in 2024. Other notable deals for the period were ones by mobile payment platform CleverCards and CreditLogic, a Dublin-based fintech both raising just over $8.6 million and $3.7 million respectively.

But fintech levels in Ireland was an outlier. Global investment dropped from $119.8 billion across 5,382 deals in 2023 to a seven-year low of $95.6 billion across 4,639 deals in 2024. A perfect storm of factors combined to soften investor appetite, including macroeconomic challenges, geopolitical conflicts and tensions, a year of elections in major jurisdictions, and concerns about valuations and the lack of exits.

Fintech investment in EMEA region sinks to $20.3 billion—lowest total since 2016

Fintech investment in the EMEA region fell from $27.6 billion across 1,833 deals in 2023 to just $20.3 billion across 1,465 deals in 2024. H2’24 also saw a significant drop compared to H1’24—from $13 billion across 820 deals to just $7.3 billion across 645 deals.

Irish fintech ecosystem shows resilience

Commenting on fintech activity in Ireland during 2024, Ian Nelson, Head of Financial Services & Regulatory at KPMG in Ireland, said: “The Irish fintech sector’s remarkable growth in 2024, with a staggering 291% increase in investment to $237.95 million, underscores its resilience and potential. Despite global investment falling to a seven-year low, Ireland’s innovative spirit and robust ecosystem have set it apart as a beacon of progress in a challenging economic landscape.”

Nelson adds, “Early-stage deals are thriving, driven by interest in AI and innovative business models. This growth is even more impressive given the macroeconomic challenges, geopolitical conflicts, and election uncertainties that have dampened investor appetite globally, and a testament to the strength and adaptability of our fintech ecosystem.”

Focussing on H2’24, Ireland’s fintech sector recorded $97.15 million in M&A, venture capital and private equity transactions across five deals. This reflects a significant increase from the $1.61 million for the same period last year.

Global Highlights 2024 

  • Global fintech investment fell from $119.8 billion across 5,382 deals in 2023 to $95.6 billion across 4,639 deals in 2024.
  • The Americas attracted $63.8 billion in fintech investment across 2,267 deals in 2024, of which the US accounted for $50.7 billion across 1,836 deals; the EMEA region attracted $20.3 billion across 1,4645 deals, while the ASPAC region attracted $11.2 billion across 896 deals.
  • Global M&A deal value fell from $60.2 billion to $49.6 billion between 2023 and 2024; while H2’24 was softer than H1’24, M&A deal value rose from $7.4 billion to $14.2 billion between Q3’24 and Q4’24.
  • PE investment declined significantly, falling from $10.5 billion in 2023 to just $2.6 billion in 2024, while VC investment saw a modest drop from $49.2 billion in 2023 to $43.4 billion in 2024.
  • Payments was the strongest area of fintech investment globally in 2024, with $31 billion in investment compared to just $17.2 billion in 2023; other sectors that saw investment rise year-over-year included digital assets and currencies —from $8.7 billion to $9.1 billion, regtech—from $4.4 billion to $7.4 billion, proptech—from $1.9 billion to $3 billion, and wealthtech—from $190 million to $400 million.
  • Corporate VC-participating investment globally fell from $26 .9 billion in 2023 to $19.6 billion in 2024; only the EMEA region saw corporate investment in VC deals rise—from $5.1 billion to $5.8 billion year-over-year. The Americas saw CVC drop from $13.8 billion to $9.9 billion, while ASPAC saw CVC investment drop from $8.0 billion to $3.9 billion.

EMEA Trends to watch for in H1’25

  • Continued investment in regtech given the ongoing evolution of regulations and the complexities associated with compliance.
  • Growing interest in the development of AI agents able to act independently, particularly in areas like AML and financial crime detection.
  • Increasing regulatory burden acting as a potential driver for consolidation.
  • Continued focus on secondary transactions given subdued IPO environment
  • Further development of the digital euro and its ecosystem changing the game for investment, use case development, and the enhancement of an ISV ecosystem.

Report

PayPal study: SME owners in Ireland are prioritising tech investments to drive growth

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ireland that sell online appear to be experiencing a growth period, with 96 per cent seeing an increase in online sales over the past 12 months. A similar proportion (95%) are feeling optimistic about the growth of their business over the next year.

PayPal’s 2024 ‘Business of Change Report’* revealed that on average, SMEs selling their products or services in international markets generated €240,605 in the last 12 months. Those surveyed that don’t currently sell internationally, but are planning to do so in the future, estimated that the move would generate €122,728 annually for their business.

Cross border trade a catalyst for growth

Further exploration into the prevalence of international commerce uncovered that half (50%) of SMEs in Ireland are presently engaged in international sales, with an additional 30 per cent intending to do so within the next year. Among those already selling internationally, 77 per cent have experienced a surge in international sales volume over the past three years.

The primary impetus behind international expansion is the belief that Ireland is strategically positioned to seize opportunities in global markets (41%). However, a significant 31 per cent of those surveyed indicated that their survival hinges on international expansion.

Not surprisingly, 34 per cent of SME owners prioritise delivering an improved customer experience as a crucial factor for business expansion—second only to providing high-quality products or services, which garnered 38 per cent. Rounding out the top five priorities were adopting emerging technologies, utilising online marketplaces, and ensuring affordability of products or services, each at 32 per cent.

Concerns and challenges

While there is a general feeling of optimism, almost a quarter of SME owners (23%) cited poor purchasing processes for customers as a top barrier to future business growth. Meanwhile, more than a fifth (22%) identified that they lack the skills or resources to fully leverage online platforms.

 As well as internal factors, external trends most impacting SMEs in Ireland that sell online are:

  • A rising demand for more payment methods (such as buy now pay later and digital wallets like PayPal) – 40%
  • More people wanting discounts, promotions and deals – 38%
  • Customers wanting more convenience (such as click and collect, and package tracking) – 37%
  • Three in 10 (30%) are concerned with the trend that fewer people are converting at checkout – more browsers than buyers.

SMEs prioritise tech investments for future growth, eyeing AI, VR experiences

Looking forward, the vast majority (92%) of SME owners prioritise technology investment for their business’s future growth. Nearly a quarter (23%) desire to allocate resources to Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning, while 21 per cent plan to invest in Virtual Reality experiences.

Regarding specific areas earmarked for investment within the next year to bolster expansion, 38 per cent plan to prioritise enhancing their online presence. Following closely are investments in marketing (33%), additional shipping/delivery capabilities (32%), team expansion (32%), and social commerce (31%).

Moreover, 27 per cent intend to invest in ecommerce capabilities, with secure payment methods and international sales processes on the agenda for 26 per cent of SME owners surveyed.

Jonas Breding, General Manager, PayPal Northern Europe shared, “For over twenty years, we’ve been a trusted partner for Irish entrepreneurs and ecommerce businesses. We recently launched PayPal Complete Payments, our most advanced offering in the market. Our comprehensive solution fosters growth, provides advanced fraud protection, and streamlines cross-border trade, empowering entrepreneurs to thrive.”

For more information, visit https://www.paypal.com, https://about.pypl.com/ and https://investor.pypl.com/.

AWS Announces $230 Million Commitment for Generative AI Startups

Amazon Web Services, Inc. today announced a $230 million commitment for startups around the world to accelerate the creation of generative AI applications. This will provide startups, especially early-stage companies, with AWS credits, mentorship, and education to further their use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies. Part of the new commitment will fund the second cohort of the AWS Generative AI Accelerator, a program that provides hands-on expertise and up to $1 million in credits to each of the top 80 early-stage startups that are using generative AI to solve complex challenges. Applications for the AWS Generative AI Accelerator open today and will be accepted until July 19. Startups can apply here.

“For more than 18 years, AWS has helped more startups to build, launch, and scale their business than any other cloud provider—it’s no coincidence that 96% of all AI/ML unicorns run on AWS,” said Matt Wood, vice president, Artificial Intelligence Products at AWS. “With this new effort, we will help startups launch and scale world-class businesses, providing the building blocks they need to unleash new AI applications that will impact all facets of how the world learns, connects, and does business.”

Interested startups can learn more about how to access these funds here. Startups can use AWS credits to access AWS compute, storage, and database technologies, as well as AWS Trainium and AWS Inferentia2, energy-efficient AI chips that offer high performance at the lowest cost. These credits can also be used on Amazon SageMaker, a fully managed service that helps companies build and train their own FMs, as well as to access models and tools to easily and securely build generative AI applications through Amazon Bedrock.

AWS Generative AI Accelerator continues to launch successful startups

The AWS Generative AI Accelerator identifies top early-stage startups that are using generative AI to solve complex challenges in areas such as financial services, healthcare and life sciences, media and entertainment, business, and climate change, among others. Participants will access sessions on ML performance enhancement, stack optimization, and go-to-market strategies. The 10-week program will match participants with both business and technical mentors based on industry vertical. Startups will receive up to $1 million each in AWS credits to help them build, train, test, and launch their generative AI solutions. They will also have access to industry experts, technology, and technical sessions from NVIDIA, the program’s presenting partner, and be invited to join the NVIDIA Inception program, designed to nurture cutting-edge startups.

AWS will announce selected startups for the second cohort on September 10, and the program will kick off on October 1 with in-person sessions at Amazon’s Seattle campus. All 80 participating startups will be invited to attend and showcase their solutions to potential investors, customers, partners, and AWS leaders in December at re:Invent 2024 in Las Vegas.

“AWS has been instrumental in enabling us to scale our generative AI platform to meet the rapidly growing demand from our global user community. Their robust generative AI infrastructure helped us reduce inferencing costs by 60% and accelerate our language model inference speeds by up to 35%,” said Jachin Bhasme, co-founder and COO of Leonardo.AI, a powerful suite of generative AI tools for creators and one of the 21 startups to participate in the first cohort of the program. “The accelerator was also an incredible experience for us. The business and technical mentorship we received and the connections we made played a crucial role in shaping our product and strategy.”

“AWS has the right combination of technology, network of partners, and potential customers in the life sciences space that made it the best fit to support our vision of building the next generation of AI models for drug discovery,” said Nima Alidoust, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Vevo Therapeutics, an AI-driven biotechnology startup building the world’s first platform to generate high-resolution, single-cell in vivo data in living organisms at scale. “Participating in the AWS Generative AI Accelerator program provided us with valuable opportunities to tap into this community and to leverage AWS’s infrastructure and expertise in scaling model training and development.”

To learn more about the opportunities for generative AI startups choosing AWS, and the application process for the AWS Generative AI Accelerator, visit startups.aws.

Tech Investments in the Digital Entertainment Industry

In an age defined by digitalisation, the entertainment industry has undergone a seismic shift. Traditional forms of entertainment have gracefully paved the way for their digital counterparts, driven by technology’s relentless march forward. As consumers increasingly embrace digital platforms, the fusion of tech investments and digital entertainment continues to redefine how we engage with content. Let’s delve deeper into this dynamic relationship and its profound impacts on our leisure time.

Tech Innovations in iGaming

The iGaming industry has experienced a significant surge in popularity over the past few years. This growth can be attributed to various factors such as user-friendly interfaces, secure payment options, and engaging gameplay. The presence of famous casino slots games, with their state-of-the-art graphics and innovative features, exemplifies the extent of tech investments in this sector. These games, such as Big Bass Bonanza and Gonzo’s Quest, provide players with immersive experiences, often taking inspiration from popular culture, historical themes, or even abstract concepts.

iGaming has seen swift advancements primarily driven by significant tech investments. These funds have catalysed progress in several areas. For instance, blockchain technology has been adopted to guarantee fair play and transparent transactions. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence tools have been implemented to scrutinise player behaviour, optimising the gaming experience without crossing ethical lines. Additionally, augmented and virtual reality technologies have been integrated, either simulating real-world scenarios or forging entirely novel environments, thereby elevating the immersion level in gaming.

Such technological innovations have not only enhanced player experience but also ensured security, transparency, and reliability in the iGaming space.

Streaming and Music Platforms

In recent years, the transition from traditional forms of entertainment to their digital counterparts has been nothing short of spectacular. Streaming platforms, especially the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, stand at the forefront of this revolution. These giants have significantly changed the way we consume entertainment, driven by their massive investments in AI algorithms. Such investments ensure viewers receive personalised content recommendations tailored to their unique viewing habits.

On the music front, platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal have not only democratised music access for diverse audiences worldwide but have also employed sophisticated data analytics to curate playlists and suggest tracks. This innovation harnesses user listening habits, ensuring each individual is treated to a unique and bespoke auditory experience tailored to their preferences and moods.

Digital Reading and Publishing

The realm of literature and publishing hasn’t remained untouched by the tidal wave of digitisation. Platforms such as Kindle and Audible have ushered in a new era for book enthusiasts. Gone are the days when one needed to physically visit a store or library to procure a book.

Today, vast digital libraries are available at our fingertips, making it easier than ever for readers to dive into new adventures or learn about various subjects. Moreover, these platforms’ robust tech investments have added features like adjustable fonts, integrated dictionaries, and narration speeds, catering to the diverse needs of readers and ensuring a comfortable and enriching reading experience.

Tech investments in the digital entertainment industry, from iGaming to streaming services, have transformed how audiences consume content. As technology continues to evolve, one can anticipate even more groundbreaking innovations that cater to diverse consumer preferences and redefine entertainment in the digital age.

Bitcoin: The Best Investments of all time

You must be astonished upon seeing the rapid growth of Bitcoins ever since its invention in 2009. Especially this hype is found among the youth and the youngsters. Such hyped ambiances might drag you in the same line in no time. Thus, if you find yourself interested in the same way in cryptos, then you can choose Bitcoins. For more information, you can check out thought of Morgan Stanley about  investment

Bitcoin is the first developed Cryptocurrency of all time. It came to existence holding the hands of Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. The full-fledged advanced version of this Cryptocurrency got released in 2009 along with its white papers. Today, Bitcoins stand out as the number one Cryptocurrency in the world. 

Perks of Investing in Bitcoins

As a newbie in the field of Cryptocurrency, it might be inconvenient for you to figure out every detail regarding bitcoins on your own. To help you get a better understanding of Cryptocurrency, you can check out the following benefits:

 

  • Extremely secure:

Since its invention, several hackers and cyber criminals have attempted to breach through the security cover of cryptocurrencies. Many cryptocurrencies have come up to the trade market with an excellent reputation, helped users earn pretty good profits, and gone down at the end due to the disturbances of security breaches and cyber-attacks over the years. However, despite so many attempts by these hackers, no one could ever breach the primary trade market of Bitcoins as it runs on ‘Proof of work.’ 

Besides these, bitcoin has the involvement of blockchain technology and high cryptographic programs, which does not entertain any fraudulent transactions or cyber theft issues in the trade market. All the data and transaction details are recorded in the public ledger from where no one can alter or erase the information. Moreover, so many developers are directly involved with the network of BTC that upon noticing any slight abnormal activities in the public ledgers, the developers become cautious and take necessary steps immediately to stop the hacking activities. All these factors make Bitcoin extremely secure crypto to invest in.

  • Bitcoin has the potential to change the world:

If you consider the issues of fiat currencies worldwide, then it would not take much time to realize that each country comes with a different set of fiat currencies. Thus, every time a traveler travels from one corner of the world to another, they need to go to a currency exchange and get the respective currencies used in the country. If you have a lot of Bitcoins in your pockets, you would not have to get involved in such headaches. Bitcoin has the potential to become the global currency in the future. Several businesses and popular brands like Microsoft, and Starbucks have already started accepting Bitcoins as their payment method.  You can find some major retail outlets accepting bitcoins too. So you can easily use your BTC wallet to purchase goods and services, and you do not need to pay a hefty transaction fee for the same. 

  • It is not a part of the environment:

Bitcoins are available only in their digital forms, so you would never be able to touch or feel these currencies, unlike the fiat currencies in the world. Though Bitcoin mining involves the use of tones of electricity and energy utilization, they are still better than fiat currencies which have to take help from various workers, machines, and tools to come into existence. It somewhere utilizes a lot of natural non-renewable energy sources. Thus, bitcoin is environmentally friendly.

  • No taxation:

Another significant factor you should not forget about Bitcoins is its decentralized network. Yes, the entire BTC network is decentralized, meaning it does not have to involve any third-party application or central body like banks or government in the transaction processes. Thus, the government holds no right to imply taxes on the transactions at any point. However, government bodies from different countries have started taking high taxes on each profit set to make the crypto tender pass for legalizing them in the respective countries. 

Apart from these points, it would help if you did not forget that Bitcoins do not depend on any external factor, keeping the trade market intact.     

 

Fraud Alert: Bank of Ireland urge increased vigilance against investment scams from fake or unregulated investment firms. #Fraud #Investments

Bank of Ireland has issued a fraud alert today urging extra vigilance against investment fraud.  Following an increase in reports of incidence of investment fraud the Bank is strongly advising consumers to be alert to investment scams being carried out by false and unregulated companies offering fake investment opportunities.

Describing how investment scams can operate, Edel McDermott, Head of Fraud at Bank of Ireland said: “There has been a notable increase in false and unregulated companies offering convincing investment opportunities promising a quick profit.  For example, they might be selling cryptocurrencies or offering bonds and share investments that do not exist.  A consumer or investor who falls victim to these companies and hands over money is unlikely to see their money again.  There is unfortunately no redress for a consumer or investor who hands over money to an unregulated firm.  By being aware of how these false companies turn up and the tactics that they use, consumers and investors can take steps to protect themselves against fraud and financial loss”. 

Common ways to encounter these bogus companies and warning signs include:

Internet search:  Bogus firms online may appear when searching for investment opportunities or via pop-up message on a website or through social media.

False endorsement: Online article where a celebrity appears to promote an investment or tells a story about how much they made from it.

Cold calls: Unsolicited calls or emails from someone who claims to be from a legitimate investment company who puts pressure on the consumer to take advantage of an urgent opportunity.

How consumers can protect themselves from these scams: 

  • Do not respond to cold calls and don’t be rushed into investing your money.
  • Be suspicious of any offers that guarantee a return or a large profit.
  • Research the company and check the Central Bank register before making any investment.

Many of these firms might appear to have legitimate websites and convincing products or investor ‘log in’ to check your investment.  To safeguard against this, consumers and investors are urged to ensure that any company they are considering investing with is a regulated firm by checking the Central Bank of Ireland register (ROI) or Financial Conduct Authority (UK).  If a firm is not listed, do not invest with them. 

Bank of Ireland is committed to building awareness around fraud, including investment fraud of this nature. Bank of Ireland will continue to focus on the issues around fraud, through the Bank’s own channels and by working collaboratively through the Bank and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) FraudSMART campaign.

Useful Links in the fight against fraud:

https://www.bankofireland.com/security-zone/

http://registers.centralbank.ie/Home.aspx

https://register.fca.org.uk/s/

www.fraudsmart.ie

Bank of Ireland customers who think they have been the victim of this type of fraud, should contact the Bank as soon as possible.

https://www.bankofireland.com/security-zone/report-fraud/