The Houston Rockets and BBVA USA have announced the launch of their annual Launchpad contest for Houston entrepreneurs.

Quantum computing has taken a short time to make a big leap: from R&D laboratories to corporate meeting rooms. BBVA began its quantum journey almost two years ago and now has a team specialized in quantum development, business units involved in the initiative, strategic alliances agreed, and various lines of research in place.

BBVA is gearing up for the first anniversary of the global unification of its brand identity. The introduction in the bank’s different locations is progressing at a good pace, thanks to the coordinated work of local teams to change both physical and digital assets. In fact, some countries like Argentina and Uruguay have already completed the process. On a global scale, in less than a year, over 3,600 branches around the world have been changed, and 1,000 logos have been adapted on different channels.

Is it possible to take advantage of big data without it affecting the privacy of users? The answer may reside in “Privacy-enhancing technologies”, or PETs, a set of technologies that use different computational and mathematical approaches with the same purpose: extracting data value in order to unleash its full commercial, scientific and social potential, without jeopardizing the privacy and security of this information.

As BBVA last week unveiled a new set of strategic priorities to help strengthen its purpose, it also shared an update on its digital transformation.

Mobile payments in Europe, QR codes in Latin America, and super apps in Asia: These are some of the trends that are getting the most traction across the globe in the digital payments arena. We review those initiatives that are making the biggest impact in each region.

2019 has seen the first 5G networks rolled out and the first achievements in quantum computing, as well as the establishment of various financial initiatives using blockchain. These three technologies will mark a before and after in the banking sector in the years to come.

According to the results of the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2019, with 13 out of the world’s top 20 universities, the United States is, yet another year, the world’s academic powerhouse in computer science. Computer Science is a booming tech field. Demand for specialized talent, for example in artificial intelligence, has skyrocketed more than 400 percent since 2010.

The use of quantum algorithms in artificial intelligence techniques will boost machines’ learning abilities. This will lead to improvements in the development, among others, of predication systems, including those of the financial industry. However, we’ll have to wait to start these improvements being rolled out.

A new toolkit designed to explain the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and to standardise its use has been launched by the World Economic Forum with help from BBVA.

Garanti BBVA is the only private Turkish bank participating in Turkey’s blockchain network, the BiGA Digital Asset Transform Platform, developed by Istanbul Clearing, Settlement and Custody Bank (Takasbank). For the first time, Garanti BBVA carried out blockchain transfers in real time with other participating banks.

BBVA’s ecosystem of innovation and fintech talent was key to the success of Lucas. This startup, which facilitates access to the purchase of a home, was able to find its main partners, develop a platform and launch its product on the market thanks to its access to BBVA Open Space’s network of contacts and advice. Now the startup is preparing for its first round of seed funding.

For the third year in a row, Garanti BBVA won the awards for the “Best Mobile App” in Turkey and the “Best Consumer Digital Bank” in Turkey at the 2019 World Finance Digital Banking Awards. This recognition demonstrates once again that Garanti BBVA is a leader in the banking sector, with innovative digital banking products and services.

BBVA has partnered with the authentication solutions company Nok Nok Labs — one of the driving forces behind the new FIDO (Fast Identity Online) standard aimed at strengthening the security of biometric systems on mobile devices. The agreement is part of BBVA’s strategy to improve the security and user experience of its mobile banking services through state-of-the-art biometric capabilities.

The new Fast Identity Online (FIDO) standard reinforces the security of online identity authentication systems on mobile devices and web applications. Its goal is to replace the exclusive use of passwords with more secure biometric authentication mechanisms that are protected by encryption systems.