Technology

GFT research highlights Brits sleepwalking into a debt disaster

Published

2 years ago

June 24, 2024

GFT’s latest Banking Disruption Index highlights mounting debt worries for UK consumers

LONDON, June 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — British consumers on average are almost £2,700 in credit card debt, and more than a third either already have or contemplated taking out a payday or short-term loan to cover rising debt costs in the last 12 months, according to new research.

The increased cost of living and high inflation means Brits are struggling to stay on top of their finances, with 39% admitting to not having any method of tracking their spending.

This data comes from GFT’s latest Banking Disruption Index, a bi-annual assessment of consumer banking habits.

Richard Kalas, Client Solutions Director, Retail Banking at GFT UK, said, “This mounting debt is understandably becoming a real concern for consumers. We know banks have introduced entire packages of support to help people manage their finances over the last couple of years, but it’s clear customers aren’t aware of them. There’s a huge opportunity here for banks to better demonstrate the help they can offer and become trusted partners to their customers.”

The research also uncovered growing reliance on credit facilities to cover everyday spending. In fact, consumers with a credit card are using it almost twice a week, with almost a third (32%) of those using it for basic expenses such as groceries.

When it comes to debt management, a quarter (25%) of 35-44-year-olds have opened other lines of credit to pay off and consolidate their finances.

Worryingly, however, 18% of people do not currently know what the repayment terms or APR of their credit card(s) are.

But it’s not just credit card debt that’s rising; an overreliance on overdraft facilities is growing too. 45% of those surveyed are using their overdraft before the end of the month, and one in four are falling into an unarranged overdraft facility, incurring significant charges.

Despite these debts, most people aren’t concerned about using their overdraft facilities, with almost half (47%) considering credit card debt to be far more serious.

Support from banks

Overall, banks have increased their support for customers since the cost of living crisis hit, with dedicated packages to help people facing financial difficulty. But the research shows consumers want more.

In fact, nearly a third (32%) of customers are currently unsure what products and services their bank offers to help them with their money. And a further 14% would like specific support to help them manage their credit card and overdraft debts.

As such, an increasing number of people are turning to budgeting apps and buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) facilities to manage their spending, with one in five (20%) of 18-24-year-olds using BNPL services to ease financial challenges.

This press release is also available for download via the GFT newsroom

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gft-research-highlights-brits-sleepwalking-into-a-debt-disaster-302180024.html

Technology

Hexagon Composites ASA: Eirik Løhre appointed permanent CFO

Published

19 minutes ago

May 5, 2026

OSLO, Norway, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement dated 11 November 2025, where Eirik Løhre was appointed interim CFO in Hexagon Composites.

The Company is pleased to inform that Eirik Løhre has been appointed permanently to the role of CFO in Hexagon Composites, effective today.

Eirik Løhre has been with the Company since 2021 and prior to his role as interim CFO, he served as EVP Corporate Development on the Executive Team.

“Eirik has demonstrated strong financial leadership and execution, and he has been instrumental in strengthening our financial performance. I look forward to continuing our work together to develop and position Hexagon in this next phase of growth,” said Philipp Schramm, CEO, Hexagon Composites.

For more information:
Berit-Cathrin Høyvik, Senior Director, Communications, Hexagon Composites
Tel: +47 988 92 161, berit-cathrin.hoyvik@hexagongroup.com

About Hexagon Composites ASA
Hexagon delivers safe and innovative solutions for a cleaner energy future. Our solutions enable storage, transportation and conversion to clean energy in a wide range of mobility and industrial applications. Learn more at www.hexagongroup.com and follow @HexagonASA on LinkedIn.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

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Technology

LONGPORT Whale Enters Malaysian Market with Next Generation Trading Infrastructure for Local Brokerages

Published

19 minutes ago

May 5, 2026

LONGPORT Whale, with proven track record across 100+ institutional clients in Asia, makes its Malaysia debut at Bursa Malaysia Stockbroking Trade Fair 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LONGPORT Whale, a provider of AI-Ready securities trading infrastructure, is making its entry into the Malaysian market at the Bursa Malaysia Stockbroking Trade Fair 2026. The move comes as Malaysia’s Capital Market Masterplan 2026–2030 (CMP4) continues to hone in on local brokerages to modernise core systems, balancing investor experience, regulatory compliance, and operational resilience simultaneously.

Malaysian brokerages are increasingly confronted by a challenge that goes beyond front-end upgrades. Legacy architectures struggle to keep pace with digital-native investor expectations, rising cybersecurity standards, and the demand for multi-market expansion simultaneously. For many such brokerages, the question is no longer whether to modernize, but how to do so without adding complexity or disrupting the business continuity that clients depend on.

Zhong Hua, CEO, LONGPORT Whale, said, “Core trading infrastructure must support continuous evolution — in investor experience, compliance, and AI readiness — without adding unnecessary complexity. The brokerages that lead the next decade won’t be the ones with the best system today; they’ll be the ones whose systems are designed to keep getting better. LONGPORT Whale aims to bring its Asia-proven experience to help Malaysian brokers strike that balance.”

Built on a cloud-native microservices architecture and trusted by more than 100 institutional clients in Asia, Whale’s platform is engineered by industry professionals and refined through years of first-hand operational experience. For the Malaysian market, it addresses four priorities: a best-in-class trading experience validated across competitive, highly regulated markets in Asia; system resilience and performance built for institutional scale, with high system performance and output, real time risk management, and low system latency; global market connectivity spanning Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, US, and Japan without requiring system rebuilds; and an API-first, data-unified architecture that gives brokerages a practical foundation for AI adoption.

Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, where Whale serves online brokers, traditional banking firms, banks and wealth management institutes in a stringent regulatory environment, serve as the primary reference market for its Malaysia expansion. The company said it aims to work with local industry participants as both an infrastructure partner and a contributor to broader conversation on responsible modernization under CMP4.

About LONGPORT Whale

LONGPORT Whale provides integrated securities trading infrastructure to brokers, banks, fund houses, wealth managers, and family offices across Asia. Its cloud-native platform supports multi-market, multi-asset trading across front-, middle-, and back-office workflows, with a deployment model designed for regulatory alignment and long-term scalability. Website: www.longportwhale.com

Media Contact
LONGPORT Whale PR Team
Email: media@longportwhale.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/longport-whale-enters-malaysian-market-with-next-generation-trading-infrastructure-for-local-brokerages-302761411.html

SOURCE LONGPORT Whale

Technology

Thunes and Vodacom Tanzania Unite to Power Cross-Border M-Pesa Payments Across China and Uganda

Published

19 minutes ago

May 5, 2026

Collaboration revolutionises trade & financial convenience for Tanzanian merchants and consumers

SINGAPORE, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, has joined forces with Vodacom Tanzania, the country’s leading telco company, to transform cross-border trade and digital financial inclusion with Vodacom’s new M-Pesa Global Payment solution. Thanks to the collaboration, Vodacom customers in Tanzania can now seamlessly pay merchants in Uganda and China directly from their mobile phones.

This milestone solution responds to growing demand from Tanzanian traders who engage in commerce with Ugandan and Chinese markets but often face challenges with costly, slow, and insecure payment methods. With this innovation, leveraging the Thunes Direct Global Network, Vodacom aims to bridge those gaps, offering secure, real-time digital payments across borders and reinforcing its leadership in mobile money innovation in Africa.

The solution supports trade with two key markets for Tanzania. For eight consecutive years, China has been Tanzania’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade hitting $8.8 billion in 2024. In the same year, bilateral trade between Tanzania and Uganda reached approximately $2.23 billion, an increase of 64% on the previous year.

Epimack Mbeteni, M-Pesa Director at Vodacom Tanzania said: “This is more than just a payment feature, it is a catalyst for economic empowerment and a gateway for small and medium businesses and entrepreneurs in Tanzania to compete and thrive in regional and global markets. Through Thunes’ expansive and trusted Network we are enabling seamless, secure, and affordable cross-border payments that empower people, fuel trade and place M-Pesa at the center of Africa’s digital commerce future.”

Through Thunes’ Direct Global Network, customers can now send payments to merchants in Uganda using MTN MoMo and to Chinese merchants through the Alipay network, all through the M-Pesa USSD menu or the M-Pesa Super App. The process is secure, user-friendly, and eliminates the burden of traditional banking barriers for everyday traders and businesses.

Dawei Wang, SVP Network at Thunes, added: “Vodacom Tanzania joining the Thunes Direct Global Network to digitise cross-border payments is a game changer for local businesses. By combining Vodacom’s technology with Thunes’ trusted and proprietary Network, Tanzanian customers can pay partners in China and Uganda in real time. This innovation accelerates interoperability along with international trade and business growth and supports our vision of connecting the next billion end users to the global economy.”

This initiative stands as a strategic enabler for consumers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who need reliable and quick financial tools such as mobile money. A 2025 GeoPoll survey on Tanzania Financial Services and Usage found that 94% of the survey’s respondents use mobile money.

The Thunes and Vodacom Tanzania alliance is set to transform the lives of millions of consumers by dismantling cross-border barriers. By hyper-connecting Tanzania to global powerhouses like China and streamlining intra-African trade, the collaboration is helping to build an inclusive economy and grow Tanzania’s role as a force in the global market.

About Vodacom Tanzania

For more information, visit: https://www.vodacom.co.tz/

About Thunes

For more information, visit: https://www.thunes.com/

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/thunes-and-vodacom-tanzania-unite-to-power-cross-border-m-pesa-payments-across-china-and-uganda-302760085.html