The consultancy firm Deloitte highlights this year's trends. Big Data progresses from being a trend to become a reality and data analysis gains strength.

A  few months ago, I left Simple, the company I co-founded in 2009, took some time out  - including a visit to India with my daughter Asha- and then joined BBVA in a newly created-role as Head of Open APIs. At parties, when talking about the move, I often get quizzical looks asking “Why?” Why would I leave a young, fast-growing financial business that I founded, and go and work for a bank?

It isn’t common to come across a 500 euro bill, but now it’s possible that they may disappear completely. In their last meeting, European Union economics and finance ministers (Ecofin) considered removing 500 euro bills from circulation. It is also being explored by the ECB. Why? To help reduce possible financing sources for illegal activities.

The Grupo Bursátil Mexicano has been in the Mexican financial markets for over 35 years, but it was a little over five years ago when it forged closer links with everyone interested in investing, thanks to its digital platform. Javier Martínez Morodo, one of the 33 innovators in the ebook Hablan los protagonistas ( The key players speak), is convinced advantages of exploiting the boom in information technologies to transform the socioeconomic landscape.

Millennials do not intend to go into a branch in their lives. They're used to taking out all services online and want to have the same facility with banks. But, as highlighted in the BBVA Research article “Digital contracting of financial services: electronic identity as a key element” there is no regulatory framework allowing banks to remotely verify the identity of new customers.

BBVA invests in the best  digital financial services startups. The bank has announced that it is expanding its Fintech  fund up to 250 million dollars and the agreement with Propel Venture Partners (Propel).