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Mastercard launches 'pay by wave' tech


By Alexandra Leonards

Mastercard is launching a new biometrics programme that will use face and fingerprint technology to verify customers at checkout. The company said it will use the same technology used to unlock phones to speed up the process.


UK's proposed GDPR overhaul ‘must not disrupt data flow’

Changes to Britain’s GDPR rules must not put the flow of data between the UK and the EU at risk, according to BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. The UK’s professional body for information technology issued the warning following the UK government’s proposal of a new post-Brexit data reform bill as announced in the Queen’s Speech last week.

Private networks to boost ‘transformative tech’ for enterprise

techUK has released a new guide highlighting the benefits of the growth of the private network roll out in Britain. The trade association said that further adoption will enable “new and transformative” technologies for enterprise.

Tech Nation opens scaleup funding programmes

Tech Nation has today opened applications for seven government-backed growth programmes aimed at accelerating the growth of the UK’s scaleup companies. The growth network for the UK’s tech firms has relaunched its growth stage and sector programmes: Upscale, Future Fifty, Libra, Applied AI, Fintech, Net Zero as well as launching the new Net Zero X, programme, aimed at later-stage climate-tech companies.

Northern Ireland ‘top region’ for software developers

Northern Ireland (NI) is the top region in the UK in terms of opportunities for software developers, according to research from the Code Institute. NI has around 9,744 opportunities available for software developers, but with an average salary of £43,690, lower than other regions in the UK on average.

Facebook Marketplace scores poorly on Singapore government safety rating

Singapore’s Ministry of Affairs’ e-commerce safety ratings system has given Facebook’s Facebook Marketplace just one out of four in its tick-based safety rating. Launched on 14 May, E-commerce Marketplace Transaction Safety Ratings (TSR) is a government initiative created to better inform consumers on the anti-scam measures major e-commerce platforms have in place in order to foster a safer online environment.

Netflix ‘considering adverts’ to boost revenues

Netflix is considering introducing advertisements to its streaming platform as early as October 2022, according to an internal note to employees seen by the New York times. Despite Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings having long been against introducing ads to the platform, saying in a 2020 interview with Variety that “we want to be the safe respite where you can explore, get stimulated, have fun, enjoy, relax — and have none of the controversy around exploiting users with advertising”, a lower-tier price plan which includes ads is now under consideration, according to documents reported by the New York Times.

Royal Mail plans delivery by drone

Royal Mail is planning to scale up its use of drone technology, creating more than 50 new postal drone routes over the next three years.The plan is subject to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approval, and is part of a new partnership with Windracers, the logistics drone company.
£5m virtual reality centre launches in Portsmouth

The UK’s first purpose-built virtual reality (VR) centre, the Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR), has launched at the University of Portsmouth. The centre is billed as a one-stop-shop exhibiting the latest kit in virtual, augmented, and extended realities.

Value of cryptocurrency TerraLuna drops 98% in 24 hours

The value of cryptocurrency TerraLuna plummeted by around 98% this week, after a stablecoin currency linked to TerraLuna, called terraUSD (UST) decoupled from its pegging to the US dollar. Terra Luna’s token peaked at a value of $118 (£96) in April 2022, and fell 99 per cent to $0.09 on 12 May.

Stablecoin Tether returns to dollar parity

Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin by market capitalisation, has returned to parity with the US dollar. Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency designed to remain the same value as another asset, in Tether’s case the US dollar.

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