November 2019

Can fintech bridge the inequality gap

We know Silicon Valley likes to think it is making the world a better place. So it is no surprise that Facebook wanted to ram home the message that Libra, its digital stablecoin, is going to help the world’s poor. From the White Paper: Our journey is just beginning, and we are asking the community to help. If you believe in what Libra could do for billions of people around the world, share your perspective and join in....

Should ‘Fintech’ Fear Big Tech’s Push Into Banking?

This is the web version of The Ledger, Fortune's weekly newsletter covering financial technology and cryptocurrency. Sign up here to receive future editions. All of a sudden, Big Tech is rushing into financial services. Google plans to offer "smart" checking accounts, powered by Citigroup and Stanford Federal Credit Union. Apple released a credit card with Goldman Sachs. Facebook yet clings to Libra, its audacious digital payments dream. This is the web version of The Ledger, Fortune's weekly newsletter covering...

UK. Have we reached “peak fintech”?

Fintech has become so ubiquitous you can’t go outside without seeing an advert for a new payments card or a new app for money transfers, pensions or investments. Not only that, the United Kingdom has over 1,600 fintech firms – a number which is forecast to more than double in the next decade – that employ over 75,000 people and have raised more than £12 billion over the last five years. For all the growth, however, the industry’s reach...

How Fintech’s Third Wave Will Change How You Bank

The origins of today’s boom in consumer-focused “fintech,” or financial technology, trace back to the global economic meltdown in 2008. Since that disaster struck, the industry has evolved through three discrete phases, says Jason Brown, CEO and cofounder of Tally, a fintech startup, on Balancing The Ledger, Fortune’s show covering the intersection of finance and tech. The first wave met demands resulting from the aftermath of the financial crisis: A need for credit fueled alternative lenders. Online and peer-to-peer...

These are the hottest fintech startups and companies in the world

It's a fascinating time for fintech. What was once a disruptive force in the financial world has become standard practice for many industry leaders. Fintech industry funding has already reached new highs globally in 2018, with overall funding hitting $32.6 billion at the end of Q3. Some new regions, including South America and Africa, are emerging on the scene. And some fintech companies, including a number of insurtechs, have dipped into new markets to escape heightened competition. Now...

Evidence on Usage Behavior and Future Adoption Intention of Fintechs and Digital Finance Solutions

By Johannes M. Gerlach (Chair of Financial Services, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Heinrich-Heine-University) & Julia K. T. Lutz (Chair of Financial Services, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Heinrich-Heine University) Financial Technology Companies are gaining popularity and becoming more relevant within financial services industries worldwide. This growth can be encouraged by the EY FinTech Adoption Index, which indicates a global average FinTech Adoption of 33.0% in 2017. With regard to Financial Technology Companies and Digital Finance Solutions, this...

The Disruptive Impact of FinTech on Retirement Systems

By Julie Agnew, Olivia S. Mitchell This volume examines how technology is transforming financial applications, and how FinTech promises a similar revolution in the retirement planning processes. Robo-advisors and mobile savings apps are a few harbingers of innovations to come. Nevertheless, these changes will bring with them new ethical and regulatory considerations, design challenges related to promoting adoption by an older population less trusting of technology, and concerns over data security and privacy. Our contributors take stock of the disruptive...

October 2019

A Guide to What’s Happening in the Fintech Revolution

Few industry combinations are as alluring to investors as finance and technology. For the past decade fintech startups have offered new ways to help people handle money. As startups face more competition from tech giants and deep-pocketed banks, investors are turning their attention to fintech in new markets. Here’s a look at some of the developments and trends that are driving the industry today. Read also Norway’s largest pension fund KLP exits oil sands companies A Gold Rush Overseas...

Computer As Confidant: Digital Investment Advice and the Fiduciary Standard

By Nicole G. Iannarone Digital investment advisers are the fastest growing segment of financial technology (fintech) and are disrupting traditional investment advisory delivery models. The computer-led investment advisory service model may be growing particularly quickly due to a confluence of social and political factors. Politicians and regulators have increasingly focused on the standards of care applicable to investment advice providers. Fewer Americans are ready for retirement and many lack access to affordable investment advice. At the same time, comfort...

September 2019