Thistle Initiatives (2022 Winner: FinTech Awards) - Wealth & Finance International

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Tax Return Deadline 2026: The Final Annual Self-Assessment Before Making Tax Digital Goes Live

As the 31st of January tax return deadline rapidly approaches, this will be the final submission before major changes to the self-assessment process are introduced. From April 2026, as part of the government’s plans to modernise the tax system, self-employed

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Making Tax Digital Is Days Away and Some People Still Likely to Be Caught Out

Affinia, the UK’s fastest growing accountancy firm, is urging sole traders, landlords and small business owners to act now on “Making Tax Digital” (MTD), warning that many people who assume the rules do not apply to them could be caught by the forthcomin

How AI and Cloud Technology Are Transforming Financial Services and Customer Experience

This exclusive interview with Tomi Popoola was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency. Artificial intelligence and cloud technologies are reshaping financial services at pace, driving smarter decision-making, broader access to financial pr

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What Are the Best IRA Custodians for Private Equity Investments?

Slow, steady individual retirement account (IRA) growth can feel limiting when you try to build a more dynamic retirement strategy. Exploring where you can find a reliable IRA custodian for private equity investments can help you overcome this hindrance. You a

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What Are the Pros and Cons of Delaware Statutory Trusts?

A Delaware statutory trust (DST) has become a popular investment option because it allows members of an investor pool to hold an undivided fractional interest in real estate. This avenue, like all investment possibilities, has numerous aspects to consider. Her

The Next Frontier: How Embedded Finance Is Transforming Accounting Services

By Philipp Buschmann, co-founder and CEO of AAZZUR Accounting might not be the most exciting part of running a business, but it’s essential. No founder launches a company dreaming about reconciling receipts or wrestling with R&D tax claims. Yet neglect i

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Bitcoin for Business: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Started in 2025

Bitcoin can feel like a big leap. This guide breaks it into simple steps any business leader can follow. You’ll learn what to prepare, how to accept payments, how to keep records, and how to protect your company. No hype — just clear actions you ca

Tax Return Deadline 2026: The Final Annual Self-Assessment Before Making Tax Digital Goes Live

Making Tax Digital Is Days Away and Some People Still Likely to Be Caught Out

How AI and Cloud Technology Are Transforming Financial Services and Customer Experience

How Digital Finance Websites Win Customers: What Users Expect Before They Sign Up

Digital finance is crowded now. Whether you’re a fintech app, a digital lender, a payments platform, or a wealth product, you’re competing against brands that look polished, sound confident, and promise broadly similar outcomes. So people don&rsquo

Now Is the Time to Think About Buying Bitcoin

As we enter 2026, Bitcoin remains one of the most discussed assets in global finance, capturing the attention of both seasoned investors and newcomers alike. Bitcoin has been trading around the high $80,000s to around $90,000 USD recently, reflecting healthy d

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A First-Time Buyer’s Guide to Understanding Home Loans

Buying your first home is definitely an emotional milestone. But the process can feel overwhelming. The entire roller coaster of home loans and their complexities is difficult to understand for a first-time buyer. And it is normal! Whether you’re looking at

How to Find the Best Home Equity Loan in Your Area: What to Compare, and Which Questions to Ask

Exploring home equity loan options unlocks one of the most innovative ways to use your home’s value to your advantage. A home equity loan lets you borrow against the equity you have built and turn it into funding for home renovations, debt consolidation or i

Payment Processing as a Growth Engine: Core Metrics Finance Pros Should Track

Growth does not happen by accident. Companies build momentum when they understand how money moves through their systems. Payment processing is often treated as a back-end function, but it can be a driver of scale when tracked carefully. Finance pros know that

How to Find and Hire the Right Financial Professionals for Your Business

How to Find and Hire the Right Financial Professionals for Your BusinessRunning a business without proper financial guidance is like navigating without a compass. You might stumble in the right direction for a while, but eventually, you'll need someone who kno

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Wealtharc Now Connects to Over 140 Custodian Banks Worldwide, Solving the Toughest Data Challenge in AI-Driven Wealth and Asset Management

New-generation data feeds across Switzerland, the US, UK, Monaco, and the Bahamas mark a major leap in global coverage. WealthArc, the Swiss-born fintech revolutionizing wealth and asset management with AI-ready data infrastructure and intuitive portfolio mana

Digital Deal: Tech Partnership Handshake.

Trustly and Paytweak Announce New Innovative Payment Solution for European Merchants

Trustly, the world’s industry leader in Account-to-Account (A2A) payments, announces the signing of a strategic partnership with Paytweak, a French fintech specialising in modern payment links. This 100% SEPA solution integrates Paytweak's smart payment conn

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What Are the Keys to Will Litigation?

A death in the family can trigger bank freezes, title searches, and a sudden rush for documents.When the will surprises people, the grief quickly turns into questions about fairness and intent. Those questions often land on an executor who must act fast while

Why Is It Important To Stick To Your Financial Plans

Most of us start a financial plan with good intentions. We want to save more, stress less, and feel confident about the future. But sticking to that plan? That’s often the most challenging part. Life gets busy, priorities change, and it’s easy to d

Evaluating Whether Consolidation Fits Your Situation

Key HighlightsDebt consolidation loans can simplify finances by combining multiple debts into one fixed repayment.They’re most effective when interest rates are high or repayments are spread across several lenders.It’s important to assess whether c

What Are the Best IRA Custodians for Private Equity Investments?

What Are the Pros and Cons of Delaware Statutory Trusts?

Bulgaria Golden Visa Drives Competition Among Fund Managers

Golden Visa Program Reshapes Bulgaria’s Investment MarketAs part of its strategy to strengthen and modernise the country’s capital market, the Bulgarian government has introduced a revamped Bulgaria Golden Visa program. The updated framework includ

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Can Part-Time Workers Apply for Small Loans in Singapore?

Many part-time workers in Singapore wonder if they can qualify for small loans to manage short-term expenses or build financial stability. Yes, part-time workers can apply for small loans in Singapore, but approval depends on income level, job consistency, and

Evaluating 5 Top Outsourced CCO Services for Hedge Funds

For hedge funds, regulatory compliance is crucial to operational success, investor trust and legal safety. Maintaining rigorous compliance programs is often the task of a chief compliance officer (CCO). However, while necessary, this position is often expensiv

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UK Government Commences Crackdown on Late Payment Crisis, Amid Half of Supplier Invoices Being Paid Late

As the Prime Minister announces a crackdown on persistent late payers, a study highlights that half of all supplier invoices are paid late, costing the UK economy £11bn annually and contributing to the closure of 38 businesses every day. Sir Keir Starmer’s

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Why We Need a New Approach to Startup Funding

Dr Ardin Ramani, PhD, founder and CEO of Akadia Group It’s common knowledge that gaining startup funding is hard. Venture capital (VC) has easily become the dominant model, which leaves startups fighting to prove their worth. And only those that fit within t

Two in Five Finance Brokers Expect Surge in SME Demand for Loans Over £100,000 in Next Year, as Recession Fears Ease

New research reveals two in five (42%) SME finance brokers expect demand for loans above £100,000 to surge in the next year SMEs requesting large loans to realise growth targets –– a quarter (26%) of brokers say that firms are applying for loans over £10

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UK Cash Savings Surge to Record £2.05 trillion Leaving Savers Heavily Exposed to Falling Interest Rates

Cash savings have risen £51bn year-to-date to reach £2.05 trillion* Cash savings are now worth 80% of UK National Debt But despite high interest rates, cash has returned less than a third of that returned by stocks and shares this year Savers have missed out

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Macro Meets Crypto: A 2025 Strategic View for Investors

By Peter Curk, CEO of ICONOMI 2025 as a Year of Recalibration, Not Crisis If 2025 taught markets anything, it was that transition, not crisis, now defines economic cycles. The year unfolded as a period of recalibration across both macroeconomic systems and dig

Smart Ways Small Business Owners Can Prep For The Holiday Season

Getting ready for December is a big time of planning for small businesses. The holiday season, along with festive offers and deals, is a major commercial opportunity to end the year with a nice profit boost.Whether you run a boutique shop, an e-commerce brand,

Things You Should Know Before You Start Forex Trading

Forex trading (or trading foreign exchange) has become more accessible than ever. With just a laptop and an internet connection, you can start buying and selling currencies from anywhere.Yet, while it may look simple on the surface, forex is a fast-moving, hig

Asian businesswoman stands in front of café looking at a sign closing down, shutting down a small business.

Retail Closures: Finance Experts Advise Businesses to ‘Adapt and React’

The Centre of Retail Research predicted that as many as 17,000 shops could close throughout 2025, and October is set to add to this figure with numerous closures for the likes of Poundland, Halifax, and New Look. Factors such as increasing business costs, shif

businesswoman, house and condo sales agent, handing over keys to clients and signing sales or rental agreements at office.

From Uncertainty to Opportunity: Why Buying Commercial Property Makes Sense Right Now

By Andy Jansons, an experienced entrepreneur with over four decades of experience in the commercial property industry. 2025 is a year that will go down in history for many things. The year AI became truly ubiquitous, a year of geopolitical realignment, a pivot

Image of a real estate agent offering house keys, symbolizing homeownership and new beginnings.

The True Cost of Homeownership: A Guide to the Expenses You’re Forgetting

Homeownership often seems like the ultimate financial milestone. However, it also requires significant preparation beyond finding affordable mortgage payments. Owning and caring for a home comes with several expenses that might surprise many buyers. Beyond the

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Smart Ways to Use Your Savings Today to Build Wealth Faster

Saving money is an essential first step toward financial security, but simply letting savings sit idle is often not enough to build long-term wealth. While having an emergency fund is critical, money that is not strategically deployed can lose value over time

Is Debt Consolidation the Right Choice for You? Key Factors to Consider

Consolidating multiple debts into a single loan can be a strategic move that saves you a lot of money in the long run. Most borrowers choose this pathway because there are fewer debts to manage, and they receive the new loan at a lower interest rate. Now, as g

Why Financial Education Attracts So Many Scammers – And How to Spot Them

People seek financial education because they want more financial stability. While some are simply looking to build wealth or a nest egg for their children, others are working all hours just to make ends meet. And learning how to trade, whether stocks and share

Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship: Why Meaning Sells in 2025

Purpose-Driven‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ Entrepreneurship: Why Meaning Sells in 2025 Purpose in business is no longer considered an extra for a few companies, but rather a requirement that must be met. Customers are no longer just buyers

Common Financial Mistakes That Derail High-Net-Worth Families

Wealth brings options, influence and complexity. Families who built fortunes often juggle operating companies, concentrated equity, trust, real estate and cross-border lives. The challenge is avoiding unforced errors that compound over time. In the U.S., the r

AI Is Taking On Unfair Employers: Meet Grapple Law, The Automated Legal Fighter

The cost and complexity of hiring a solicitor often put legal recourse out of reach for everyday people. Now, that may be changing. Leading UK Employment Law firm, Monaco Solicitors, has launched a pioneering platform called Grapple Law, which functions as a f

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Tax Return Deadline 2026: The Final Annual Self-Assessment Before Making Tax Digital Goes Live

Making Tax Digital Is Days Away and Some People Still Likely to Be Caught Out

Who Are the Top Experts on Section 174?

When it comes to navigating the complexities of Section 174 — a key part of the U.S. tax code that governs research and development (R&D) expenses — businesses can’t afford to take chances. Since the 2022 changes that required companies t

Tax deduction planning concept. Businessman calculating business balance prepare tax reduction.

Why Does R&D Continue to Be a Missed Opportunity in the UK Mid-Market?

By Shenal Wijetunge, Tax Partner and R&D Specialist at Dow Schofield Watts Despite rising levels of innovation spending across the UK, many mid-market firms continue to miss out on the benefits of R&D tax relief. This is concerning, given that the reli

Tax Resolution for Small Businesses: What to Look for in a Tax Resolution Service, and 5 Best Firms

Managing taxes can be overwhelming for small businesses. Unpaid balances or missed filings are both stressful and financially draining. Fortunately, tax resolution services exist to help companies regain control and move forward with confidence.Understanding T

Getting Taxpayer and Stakeholder Feedback Is How Tax Policy Should Be Developed by HMRC

Electronic invoicing consultation invited businesses, sectors and advisors to all feed into new policy Getting taxpayer and stakeholder feedback is how tax policy should be developed by HMRC, say leading audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg.

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Protecting Sensitive Client Data with Stronger Access Controls

Law firms usually deal with highly sensitive data, and they have to ensure confidentiality at all times. With the increasing use of technology, many firms are struggling with data confidentiality as they still want to break their silos and optimise collaborati

Why Financial Education Attracts So Many Scammers – And How to Spot Them

Experimentation or Integration? Expert Predictions for Fintech in 2026

2026 is poised to be a big year for fintech, both for individual users and UK firms. New governmental support emerging for fintech innovators in the UK will lead to expanded use cases for new technologies, while tightening rules for users will provide increase

Cyber Security Breaches and Insurance: A Small Business Checklist

Cyber breaches happen only to big corporations. Small business owners are equally, if not more, at risk. The key to guarding against information theft, loss of money, and damage to reputation is a good cyber security policy. Insurance can accompany it and act

Microwave vs. Fiber: The Network Showdown Reshaping Financial Markets

The invisible infrastructure war between microwave and fiber networks is transforming global finance at its core. As trading algorithms grow more sophisticated, the battle for transmission supremacy has become a zero-sum game where nanoseconds determine profit

Cloud Backup: The Smartest Financial Investment Your Business Can Make

Imagine walking into your office to find every customer record, financial document, and project file wiped out. Not by a natural disaster or theft, but by a single corrupted update or malicious line of code. For businesses without robust protection, this isn&r

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FinTech Awards 2022

Thistle Initiatives