Foreign Exchange via Mobile

Boston, MA – May 20, 2014 – Globalization is driving an increased need for digital payments (wire transfer, card payments, ACH), and cross-border payment tools such as foreign exchange (FX). The top two concerns of many businesses today around the world are managing currency risk and the global supply chain.

Mercator Advisory Group’s new Research Note, Foreign Exchange via Mobile, explores the emerging technology of mobile platforms for FX trading, reviews the current state of corporate mobile banking and FX market, provides a framework for understanding the global foreign exchange market that will be of use to financial institutions that want to develop a mobile FX platform. Topics covered include exchange rates, the benefits of FX trading, the size of the global currency market, and regulation. The Note also profiles three firms with mobile FX apps targeted to businesses or individuals.

“Small to medium sized enterprises and wealth management customers of financial institutions want a robust trading platform at their fingertips and a good trading experience irrespective of where they are, as today’s businesses and/or individual customers could be traveling on business anywhere around the world. The mobile trading platform provides that flexibility and convenience,” comments Pradeep Moudgal, Director, Emerging Technologies Advisory Service at Mercator Advisory Group and author of the note.

Highlights of this Research Note include:

• Size of the prize—the market opportunity for financial institutions to offer mobile FX mobile apps for businesses and high-net-worth individuals 
• FX global market basics, including definitions of key terms such as spot trades, forward contracts, currency spread, and stop limits 
• Risk, security, regulation, and other considerations necessary for developing an FX mobile technology infrastructure 
• Two use cases 
• Profiles of three mobile FX apps 

Companies mentioned in this Research Note include: American Express, Bank for International Settlements, Citigroup, Federal Reserve Bank, Gain Capital, JP Morgan Chase, Oanda, Travelex, Wells Fargo Bank, Western Union, World Bank, and Xoom.com.

This Research Note contains 13 pages and 4 exhibits.

Members of Mercator Advisory Group’s Emerging Technologies Advisory Service have access to these reports as well as the upcoming research for the year ahead, presentations, analyst access, and other membership benefits.