"In a very long period of time, we expect SpectroCoin to integrate into Bankera as an additional payment channel and an additional asset class. In the short term, SpectroCoin is being developed as a link between crypto-currency and traditional money, and Bankera as a neobank, ”he said. There are several other companies related to V. Karalevičius in Lithuania. Bankera (Bankera Center of Technology (incorporated in Lithuania) is presented as a technology center. Shareholders of the company are V. Karalevičius, M. Mockevičius and J. Dobiliauskas.
According to Sodra, it employs 15 people. Another company is Pervesk, which is managed by the same J. Dobiliauskas, V. Karalevičius and M. Mockevičius through another company Obolis.
Pervesk employs 11 people.
An event related to the company Pervesk, about which
V. Karalevičius did not want to speak more widely. In September 2018, it was reported that the
Bank of Lithuania had fined 0.7 million for violations of money laundering prevention. EUR 5 million and V. Karalevičius himself - EUR 0.5 million. EUR 1 million in fines. "The survey revealed that the company neglected the risk of its clients: there were no adequate internal risk management rules and other documents, and in most cases the customer information that was collected was incomplete and did not disclose the nature of the transactions. The company did not fully understand the origins of the assets and assets of its clients, most of whom carried out operations with virtual assets, and its internal investigations were, in most cases, superficial and formal, 'the central bank said. Interview DELFI V.
Karalevičius pointed out that the fines imposed on him and the company have not come into force and have been appealed in court. "I don't want to comment on this at this time," he said.V. Karalevičius did not agree to disclose who is the owner of Finalify Ltd, a company registered in the Virgin Islands, which operated Bankeras ICO. "It's confidential," he replied. However, DELFI has tried to find out who owns Finalify Ltd in this jurisdiction register. We've been able to get a statement of the company's position, address, contacts, and list of documents submitted to the Registry. One of them is the register of members and directors, but it is private, so it is impossible to find out the owners of Finalify Ltd. V. Karalevičius said that the
Virgin Islands is one of the most popular jurisdictions for this type of project because of its clear, stable regulation in English and is recognized globally. The interlocutor pointed out that in other countries the Bankeros Crypto Currency Exchange is already in operation, and then it is planned to offer loan and deposit services. Interestingly, the website bankera.com is not available in Lithuania. Bankera.lt is currently being developed. V. Karalevičius explained that this is due to unclear regulation. “We are waiting for the Ministry of Finance to submit to the Seimas a supplement to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act, which will take into account the 5th European Union Directive. Interpretations should end, "he said.
As part of the ICO, Bankera introduced its white paper. It describes project goals, implementation plan, team, etc. One of the ambitions identified in the document is to obtain a bank license in the European Union by the end of 2019. V. Karalevičius indicated that this has not been done yet, but is consistently pursued. “We are considering several countries, we are also discussing partnerships with existing banks. Now we have a team that works with processes every day to get to it. We are developing products that will be financing to be the base and a real business model when we take the next step toward the bank, ”he said. However, he acknowledged that the EU would probably fail before the end of this year. It is also promised that in the long run, Bankera will be licensed in the UK, Japan, and Singapore. V. Karalevičius said that in some of these jurisdictions the project is moving even faster than in Lithuania.
"There we have people who work, communication with the environment," he said. "We go to those jurisdictions where the potential is greatest." The White Paper further states that Bankera will have 200 employees in its first year of operation, with a figure of up to 2,000 over a decade.
V. Karalevičius said that currently more than 120 people work in the group's ecosystem.
Recently it has been announced that at least 50 more specialists will be hired in Vilnius and Kaunas in the near future. Previously, a banker plan was found on the Bankeras page, which indicates
that loan and deposit services will be launched in 2019. V. Karalevičius said that at the moment the product is in the testing stage and the market should be launched in July. He also stressed that Lithuanian residents will not have access to loans and deposits."Maybe later, we have such a dream. The majority of the world's population will be accessible. The world is big, Lithuania is small. You will not be a prophet in your country. Very sad, but basically that is the case. It would be much easier for us to provide services in Lithuania, so our competitors are doing the same thing and doing things well for them. Not giving you services in Lithuania is basically more complicated, even bigger costs, because you have a lot to think about how to do it, but that is life ”, - said V. Karalevičius. Divorced attitudes with advisers in Bankeros team are well-known names in public space. For example, former head of Šiaulių bankas Audrius Žiugžda, according to V. Karalevičius, works as a counselor. "It is a man who has been working in the banking sector for a lifetime and the amount of knowledge there is, comparatively, inhuman," said V. Karalevičius. Previously, Bankeros team member Antanas Guoga, former head of the State Tax Inspectorate, Modestas Kaseliauskas, was also a member of the Bank. "A. Guoga was actually near our business since 2015. He helped with the ICO project, his marketing, advertising. The role of M. Kaseliauskas during the ICO was counseling - an idea more ", said V. Karalevičius. He noted that the author of the Bankeras idea was neither Guoga nor Kaseliauskas. "In the long run, when our differences in attitudes and priorities have come to light, our paths have separated with them," said V. Karalevičius.
In early 2018, Bankera was announced to acquire Pacific Private Bank, a bank based in Vanuatu, a Pacific island country. At first glance the exotic purchase, according to V. Karalevičius, was well known. "It was the purchase of technology, teams and knowledge for the development of traditional finance. We knew the people who worked there, our peers, classmates. They are now working in Vanuatu. There are five Lithuanians at the moment, ”said the interlocutor.
He said Pacific Private Bank now has about 10 employees. It is a small bank offering traditional banking services (loans, deposits) in the Pacific region. Mostly working with wealthy people. "It was a good option in good time. Like with any items that are sold. For example, when an apartment is needed, it is not, and when it is, it may not be necessary. At that time, both the need and the fact of the sale coincided, ”V. Karalevičius explained. He added that at the moment Vanuatu Bank and Bankera are not being merged.
"Other things are business secrets," said V. Karalevičius.The previously announced plan also referred to the fact that Bankera will in the future offer investment solutions - index-linked funds, cryptographic mechanisms, and "new types of money".
V. Karalevičius said that these subjects were related to his doctoral topics. "One of my research papers is about the influence of the media - how positive or negative news changes the price of bitcoin. There are still titers, forum posts, etc. That idea comes from the investment world, when scientific work appreciates how share prices change when positive or negative news is publicized. Our other direction, such a signpost, is the separation of money. Money is basically three things: custody, exchange and accounting. It has been a very long time, but we are moving towards these three values being distinguished. A payment channel can be something very innovative, cryptographic currencies can improve, payments can be made as easily as we send e-mail. email.
Technology is rapidly evolving and products that allow you to invest very smoothly and very quickly in real time. In fact, they give you the opportunity to keep your balance on your bank account at all times, with a deposit or other fund. And the unit of account is important as long as we have agreed, so it is good. Whether it is the euro or the dollar, it is good for everyone, ”said V. Karalevičius. The interlocutor explained that the biggest problem with money is the state monopoly. “Therefore, there is no competition, no incentive to create newer forms of money. Innovations in money are not there, because there is no motive, we do not think they can be better. But then there are crypto cards as an alternative to payments. Technologies appear that allow you to keep your savings in the form of a cash deposit. I think we're moving towards that, ”he said.
.... Rest can be found here:
https://www.delfi.lt/verslas/verslas/paslaptingas-neobankas-su-100-mln-doleriu-lietuviai-ketina-sukurti-naujus-pinigus.d?id=81184387 or just google for "Bankera News"