Fintech Rundown (23/03) - Nasdaq, Goldman Sachs, Starling Bank

The SEC approved Nasdaq's plan to let certain securities trade in tokenized form, integrating blockchain technology into U.S. equity markets. Under the new framework, eligible Nasdaq participants can opt to settle trades as blockchain-based tokens that trade alongside traditional shares with the same tickers, prices, and investor rights. The SEC said the structure meets investor protection standards, noting that surveillance, data reporting, and settlement timelines remain intact.

Next up, Goldman Sachs plans to cut a small number of underperforming staff in April. The cuts are not part of its regular annual culling, dubbed internally as "strategic resource assessment," under which the Wall Street firm traditionally cuts between 1% and 3% of staff

Finally, Starling Bank is rolling out what it says is the “UK’s first agentic AI financial assistant”, as it looks to leverage the new technology to help improve day-to-day banking. The UK challenger bank, said that Starling Assistant can help its customers manage day-to-day finances, share personalised financial insights and give general banking guidance. The assistant responds to voice and natural language prompts before carrying out banking tasks on the customer’s behalf.

That’s your fintech rundown. Stay tuned for more updates.