VersaBank is getting in on the digital currency game. The Canada-based bank announced plans to launch VCAD, its own cryptocurrency backed one-to-one by the bank’s Canadian dollar bank deposits.

Key to the launch is a partnership with Stablecorp, a joint venture between crypto asset manager 3iQ and blockchain development company Mavennet. Stablecorp will aid in the commercial launch of VCAD.

VersaBank plans to manage the digital issuance process using VersaVault. The issuance tool is a digital bank vault designed by Versabank subsidiary DRT Cyber to secure digital assets.

“VCAD provides consumers with not only the security afforded by an underlying deposit with a Canadian chartered bank but also the comfort of knowing that each VCAD issued or redeemed will always have one-to-one value with the Canadian dollar,” said Stablecorp CEO Jean Desgagne. “With such clear benefits, we are highly confident in the demand for VCAD as digital currencies increasingly become part of mainstream financial transactions.”

According to CoinTelegraph, VCAD is not the only stablecoin pegged to the Canadian dollar. Other Canadian dollar stablecoins available include Coinsquare’s eCAD and TrustToken’s TrueCAD token.

VersaBank aims to make VCAD publicly available “in the coming months.” In the future, VersaBank and Stablecorp plan to launch VUS and VEuro, which will be U.S. dollar and Euro versions, respectively, of the VersaBank digital currency.

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After piloting the product last year, Citibank Hong Kong formally unveiled Citi Plus, its mobile-first bank designed for digital natives.

The new offering aims to help users “level up” their banking experience by providing financial education, personalized wealth management tips, and easy access to a range of investment products.

“Citibank Hong Kong has shown strong determination in the development of digital banking in recent years. Citi Plus is our latest initiative to bring digital natives a banking experience they admire,” said Citibank Hong Kong Consumer Business Manager Lawrence Lam. “Millennials were invited to participate in research and the co-creation process, through which we could better address target clients’ pain points, and help them grow their wealth via the new service.”

The platform’s gamified user experience encourages users to build their wealth by accomplishing fun tasks. The Citi Interest Booster, for example, enables users to earn higher interest rate of up to 1.8% on their savings by completing what Citi calls “missions.” These missions include tasks such as maintaining a certain balance, funding accounts, investing, exchanging currency, and spending with their Citi Plus card.

In addition to the gamification element, Citi Plus will offer savings goals, debit and credit cards with built-in rewards, easy money transfer capabilities, and a low threshold investment platform. The investment opportunities include access to stocks, money market funds, and mutual funds from Aberdeen Standard Investments, Allianz Global Investors and Franklin Templeton.

In the first three weeks after the pilot launched, Citi received 5,000 registrants interested in Citi Plus, which is open to Hong Kong residents only.

The millennial-friendly user interface and marketing, combined with features such as low-threshold investing, financial education tools, and high interest savings accounts, help Citi compete with the increasing number of challenger banks and neobanks that are enticing young users. Unlike this group of digital banks, Citi has a slight upper hand. That’s because the bank not only has a robust existing user base from which to draw new clients, it also has an established reputation and inherent consumer trust.

Opera, one of the top internet browsers, announced a suite of in-browser cashback and payment tools for ecommerce. The release of the tools coincides with the launch of Dify, Opera’s new digital wallet.

Dify is a standalone mobile app that will enable users to open a Dify checking account and make purchases using a free, virtual Mastercard debit card. The account also features a special shopping mode, which protects users’ data while they shop by disabling third party extensions.

“Every day millions of people shop online and make their payments using Opera browsers,” said Opera EVP Browsers & EEA Fintech Krystian Kolondra. “Opera has a track record of growing audiences and then improving their experiences to make them more engaging. We think this is one of the highest-potential areas: With Dify, we are making the browser and a superior wallet work better, together, to improve users’ shopping experience and also make it financially rewarding.”

At launch, the main incentive to opening a Dify account is the cashback feature. Shoppers will receive cash back for purchases made on Opera’s partner websites accessed through its browser and will receive additional cashback on purchases made using their virtual Dify Mastercard.

Opera has a larger vision for Dify’s future, however. The company plans to enable more wallet services like savings management, credit products, investment opportunities, and instant cashback.

Dify is currently available to users in Spain in beta. Opera says it plans to expand to more European markets in the future.

Today’s launch follows a recent expansion of online shopping. According to research from J.P. Morgan, last year ecommerce activity reached $863 billion (€717 billion). The bank’s reports indicate that many countries in Europe will continue to have double-digit growth this year.

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Australia-based financial comparison website Mozo has agreed to be acquired by British Media company Future PLC.

Future anticipates the purchase will fuel its global growth by creating a new revenue stream, adding a new financial services content arm in Australia, and growing Mozo’s market share.

Founded in 2008, Mozo is a B2C site that helps consumers compare offers on home loans, credit cards, and personal loans, as well as compare banking and insurance products. In total, the company compares more than 1,800 products from over 200 banking, insurance, and energy providers.

Monzo is also known for its personal finance resources. The company offers financial calculators and creates content to help guide readers through financial decisions and build their awareness of the finance world.

“We’re delighted to be adding Mozo to the Future family,” said Future CEO Zillah Byng-Thorne. “We are seeing the increasing convergence of content and price comparison and this acquisition supports our global growth ambition in this area.”

Mozo has raised $1.4 million (£1 million) via one round of funding. The company’s team of 45 employees works out of Sydney, Australia.

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