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Category: FinTech

What Makes A Good Fintech Lab?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Fintech labs or companies which come into existence with the sole vision of providing easy financial access to people across all strata of life. Fintech startups provide power to the lending ecosystem through various technology thus minimizing the need of intermediaries.

Top Features That a Top Fintech Lab Must Have

Since the fintech companies are all startups, it is highly necessary for them to first understand the traditional banking system and the challenges that it suffers with. Once that is understood these fintech labs need to get some good funding to be able to sustain themselves in this competitive market. With that done their first and foremost goal should be to remove the friction that the common people face while banking through the traditional banking system.
The second most important feature of the fintech companies is that they should create affiliate services. These fintech startups don’t really attack the traditional banking system, instead they try and work around the issues that the banking sector deals with and with the help of technology works towards bringing about a change. Examples of two such fintech startups are – Square and Simple.

Focus on the team is another very important thing that these startups need to keep in mind. With a strong core team which is even resilient, these fintech labs can grow in leaps and bounds and even go ahead and make relevant connections in the industry.

A good fintech lab must also have a team which along with having people a degree in fintech courses, it must also be an amalgamation of people from various sectors and disciplines of study. Mixing the talent pool is the key! This would help in bringing together some of the best minds from all over thus, in turn, helping in reinvention.

Also, one must not fear to put ideas into action even at the cost of a few trials and errors before something scalable comes up!

A good fintech company would also know its regulator(s) thus confirming to the fact that these companies know what they are in for. These companies would also not make the mistake of focusing exclusively on selling to banks. Instead of competing with them and creating a separate client base is what which is needed to grow in this field.

Banks, in fact, create a lot of bureaucratic and regulatory issues hence working hand in hand with them by the fintech companies tend to become next to impossible.

Lastly, a successful fintech startup would always value data over money! Focusing purely on a digital exchange of data will help in making the company go a long way in the industry. After all, it’s the data be it the data of customers or money made by competition, information such as these always helps businesses stay a step ahead of their rivals.

In fact with the focus on data along with the help of technology, one can create whole new business models around those which the traditional banking system fails to do largely.

How will Fintech Change the Credit Market?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Driving digital transformation through technology has been at the heart of FinTech industry. One of the key attributes of Fintech is the contribution to the credit market through innovation.
Fintech has been on the rise since the past decade or so. So you maybe wondering what exactly is fintech and why is it so critical to business? Fintech in simplistic terms are companies or institutions that have revolutionized the banking industry through technological advancements. It means to harness the power of technology to make timely business decisions, simplify processes, analyse data at limited costs and optimized resources.
Today, Fintech has moved at an unprecedented rate to provide solutions and services to customers through online banking, online lending, bill payment and other transformative features. There are also emerging fintech online courses which will help professionals progress themselves. Technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Blockchain, Cloud are able to store, process and analyse large amounts of data in a minimal amount of time, thereby enabling businesses to make informed decisions quickly. Fintech companies are able to roll out custom-made applications and services to banking instiutions allowing them to better serve their customers’ needs.

Use of Digital Data

For every transaction conducted there is a large amount of data that is stored and processes. Digital data warehouses are vast and can become tedious to extract and work with. Fintech market analyses Big Data using software applications, thereby enabling better transactions. For example, if you pay by your credit card at a store, your transaction will immediately reflect across your bank statements thereby allowing you to keep a check on your finances at a real-time basis. This has been enabled by the effective utilization of digital data.

Use of Digital Processes

There are many new features and attributes that have found their way into mainstream lending and credit market thanks to emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning. Most banking institutions today offer easy loan borrowing options, repayment and even increasing your borrowed amount all through digital channels. This means that consumers can borrow a large sum of money by providing the right documents online.

Data Privacy

One of the key problems that Fintech industry is trying to solve is data privacy and protection. Cybercrimes, online frauds are on the rise and critical data can be protected by building the right infrastructure around it. Fintech companies are testing new and improved solutions to transform the services offered by banks every day. Professionals are also signing up for Fintech courses in order to be equipped to deal with the current scenario of financial services thereby enhancing their career trajectory.
Conclusion
Alternate lending is an integral part of the fintech revolution and the rise of applications and services will provide an opportunity to banks and financial institutions to upgrade their customer experience and meet the demands.

Top Fintech Tools Which Will Have a Major Impact on the Financial World

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

FinTech is fast becoming a powerful industry where technologies such as IoT, AI and blockchain is making waves and influencing a massive shift in the financial industry. 
You have walked into an ATM and withdrawn money only to realise the traction is incorrect. In the earlier days, this would mean running to your bank branch and a lot of paperwork to reverse the transaction. Today, thanks to a technology called block chain, the payment is reversed in a matter of minutes. FinTech Tools have revolutionized the way consumers interact with financial institutions and organisations. At the beginning of the 21st century, financial organisations worked with financial technology experts to optimise their services and provide better user experience using IoT, Blockchain, Cloud and other emerging technologies.
Fast-forward 2018 and we are at the dawn of FinTech industries growth. Reputed institutes are offering FinTech courses for professionals to upskill themselves and enhance their growth trajectory. In order to understand the landscape, it is essential to understand the finer aspects of FinTech features which influence the industry.
Now, a new wave of FinTech Tools and applications are hitting the market to appeal to the consumers and businesses alike. These new applications are powered by IoT and AI and provide simplified user experience, seamless integration with other services and much more. As a business or a professional here are a few key things to watch out for in the FinTech industry.

Analytics Are Everything

One of the key aspects of FinTech Tools is the ability to provide real-time data and analytics to both users and businesses. This data will focus on problem areas of the business, provide insights to take business decisions which will reduce costs and utilise resources effectively. Most banking and financial services have complex layers of processes which would require time and energy to sort through. Analytics help simplify this and provide only assets which would enhance the business.

Fintech Are Increasing Relying On AI and Machine Learning

While Block chain changed the way transactions are made and managed by financial institutions, AI and Machine Learning is helping businesses reduce cost, effectively utilize resources through automation. Artificial Intelligence has the ability to learn and perform tasks thereby empowering business to make strategic decisions in a timely fashion. Plus, it helps curb financial crimes such as fraud, theft and protects data.

Risk Mitigation

In the financial world, it is imperative to keep crimes at bay. Blockchain has ensured that every transaction is recorded and sealed to prevent fraudulent activities. In addition there are also software which are now available which offer clients an understanding of their finances so that they can prepare their financial goals and mitigate risk.

Conclusion

The FinTech revolution will provide a significant opportunity for both businesses and individuals to harness the power of technology to enhance customer experience.

How to Traverse the Future of Fintech The Best Fintech Courses to Learn?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

If you working in finance already, or are interested in switching to finance as a career choice, you will most likely have heard of the high number of opportunities present in the field. Huge changes are being implemented in the way finance is done now, and a digital transformation is happening already – therefore, professionals need to have a larger skill set too.
Today, you can be certain that most of what is known today about finance will become obsolete or unnecessary in the next decade or so – such is the digital transformation occurring. The digital disruption movement has arrived at finance, and it can be visible in instances like the rapid growth of Zhong An. The digital insuring company Zhong An currently has more customers in five years than what traditional giants like Citi, JPM and HSBC have combined, even though they have been in the market for more than a century now.
SO how do you obtain the skills which are required for you to make a splash in this field? Luckily, there are many Fintech online courses available today. Actually, Fintech Courses in India are making quite a splash, and have an increasing number of students with every passing day. This is because both working professionals in finance and rookies feel the need to understand the digital transformation that is happening today.
Some of the best Fintech Courses available have been mentioned here, in no particular order. These courses touch upon most new technologies, from blockchains to cryptocurrencies and machine learning, since these are the innovations which are most likely to have an impact on your career as a Fintech professional.

Best Fintech Courses     

Oxford Fintech Program, Said Business School

The course by Oxford University has two broad aims – to arm the students with a working knowledge of Fintech innovation today and to impart a sense of critical thinking which would help them launch their own Fintech venture. The course has a heavy workload and has a number of practical exercises which truly stretch your mind when you think about what can be possible in modern finance. It requires some basic understanding of future of Fintech from beforehand, as it is an advanced course. The cost of the course is around 2500 Pounds, and it is an online, ten-week-long course.

Introduction to Fintech by University of Hong Kong

Taught by some of the leading academics in the field, this course is for university graduates and relative amateurs to get a feel of the field they are interested in. The course starts from some of the key concepts and progresses well. It is available online for free, too.

Innovative Banking, by Imperial College Business School

This course is meant for bankers with extensive experience in the field and those who are looking to understand the digital transformations taking place today. The course gives an idea about how you can implement Fintech systems in their own organisations. There is a focus on the new, modern blockchain technology too. It costs around 2390 Pounds, and it is a 2-day in-class programme.
If you find yourself yearning to learn more about Fintech, check out the Fintech Courses available at Imarticus Learning!                                 

The Future of Fintech and Industry Is Emerging: PM Modi

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

India is today moving fast towards digitisation and focusing on the fintech industry to help it achieve financial stability and inclusion. At the recent Singapore Fintech Festival the Indian PM Narendra Modi mentioned that with the explosive growth seen by fintech enterprises and innovation, India has emerged a good destination for technology and fintech firms. With India showing an ROI of 29% against the global average of 20% according to the Fintech 2017 report, the PM’s account is indeed true!

The Vision and the Prime Minister’s Observations

Delivering his keynote address the Indian PM claimed that Industry and Fintech were emerging. The government’s policy and the PM’s vision is to use financial technology to eradicate financial crimes and money laundering, he said, while launching the APIX banking technology to reach out with banking services to nearly 2 billion unbanked people worldwide. He also commented that adopting fintech and its potential helps reach the marginalised poor people globally and financial inclusion.
Modi emphasised that his government’s efforts in four years gave citizens easy access to credit, bank accounts, and financial pluses when compared to the previous ones aided by innovations from fintech. Demonetisation pushed the total digital transactions to 244.81Cr in 2018 August and is expected to reach $2.4 billion in the next two years as per the Ministry of and Information, Electronics, and Technology.

Future of Fintech

The midterm 2018 election in the US has impacted the emergence of fintech in the USA. With a wafer-thin majority and poor coordination between Democrats and Republicans over a host of issues like the Americans first policy, immigration issues, and sanctions, data privacy, and internet openness policies, India stands to gain.
The mantra of financial inclusion in India has been a success so far with Aadhar based e-KYC, the evolution of digital financial transactions, mobile telephony, internet banking, cashless transactions and many such modern innovations reaching the common man. This definitely benefits the government too as it taps into the huge reserve of the unbanked in India on its way to financial stability and financial inclusion.
India will definitely see the emergence of visualisation and block-chain technology in aiding financial transactions. The dropping prices of the smart-phones and internet services will only spur more people to adapt to digital transactions. The slight setback of the Supreme Court judgment is a small hiccup that India will overcome with the proper use of its fintech courses, tech-savvy personnel and vast potential for innovation in the fintech field.

How Is Fintech Disrupting Traditional Banking?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

One of the common buzzwords that seem to have taken over the banking industry off late is Fintech. The word simply refers to using technology in all aspects of financial servicing and its functions. It is mainly seen as the replacement to all paper-driven tasks and processes, which take up a significant chunk of the banking industry.
Fintech was initially used for office functions with software used to control and manage transactions, handle personal accounts, manage databases and more. Today, however, fintech has completely transformed and changed the way banks operate. Fintech has become a vital part of customer-facing processes with every digital transaction, now available on the customer’s fingertips. Be it stock investments, transferring money, shopping, forex or even opening a bank account, FinTech is at the forefront of it all.
Here are a few ways fintech is transforming financial services in a huge manner:

Chatbots

Chatbots are software which have been coded to apply machine learning and natural language processing techniques to learn from interactions with humans. It has become a very popular tool, and banks are using it judiciously for a wide range of customer-facing processes like directing customers to departments or handling simple queries. One of Japan’s biggest banks is releasing a chatbot which aids customers to find any relevant information, directly on their website.

Blockchain

Blockchain is seen as the future of banking and as a primary disruptor in the FinTech industry in general. It uses a digital public record of transactions that is decentralised, unchangeable and anonymous. Instead of depending on a bank to maintain a private database of any records, blockchain fintech technology releases all records to the public. The impact it could have is touted as revolutionary and life-changing.

Personal Finance

Personal finance was seen as an industry that was wholly controlled by most of the major financial institutions. There are companies, however, that are making it more transparent and affordable. There are online platforms and even cell phone apps which aid businesses develop budgets, file taxes and invest and more. FinTech courses also allows people to track their expenditures on a daily basis and scan through their financial status whenever needed.

Payment technology

There are a wide array of payment technologies which allow individuals to transfer their money via the internet. By simply using smartphones and the NFC tech, payments can be completed in a flash. These services eliminate the need for a debit and credit card and even cash!
Thus, the FinTech industry is here to stay with many innovations looking to change the way individuals bank.

How Would You Define Fintech and Blockchain to the Lay Business Person?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Two of the most common buzzwords that seemed to have taken over the banking industry were Blockchain and fintech. These are terms which have revolutionised banking over the last decade or so and are seen as the future of banking, especially in the hands of the millennials, who have technology at their fingertips.
If you’re working at a financial institution, then there may be situations where you’ve to explain what “Fintech” and “Blockchain” are to a lot of people. Here’s a small guide to help you do so:

Fintech

FinTech is simply a combination of “Finance + Technology.” But obviously, there’s more to that. It is a massive field that covers a wide array of startups, and these can be divided into five categories, with each solving a different unique problem:

  1. Payments
  2. Lending
  3. Cryptocurrency
  4. Banking
  5. Personal finance and wealth management

For each category, FinTech solves a multitude of problems by improving it in either one of two ways:

  • Making it more available for more people
  • Making the product or service easier and cheaper to use.

Fintech basically takes a common problem plaguing a lot of individuals and simplifies the same. By doing so, it allows innovations in the industry to prosper and make finance a much easier sector to work in. Companies are able to transfer their paperwork electronically, saving precious time and money as well.
There are special fintech training and fintech courses available which make it easier for those looking to specialise in this field.

Blockchain

Blockchain, in the simplest of terms, is just about security and fairness. It is a large database which is available to the public and cannot be tampered with. Blockchain stores all important financial data and since it cannot be erased, it just adds another “block” of information.
This block is part of a series of blocks which create a chain or network of digital information. Anytime new information is added, it creates a successive block, which means that all transactions are public and can be viewed.
It also helps banks save money by having one centralised system for all transactions. If anybody tries to tamper with the information, the common code which all parties involved are given,
Thus, Blockchain and fintech are going to play a major role in shaping the financial future of the world. Learning and applying their basic principles to modern banking will serve you in good stead over the long term.

What Problems Can Fintech Innovations Solve That Still Exist in Finance

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

One of the biggest disruptors in the financial industry over the last decade or so has been Fintech. Using technology to solve a slew of problems faced by banks has caught on and is here to stay. While FinTech has revolutionized sectors such as personal finance and banking, there are still a few places where its potential hasn’t been utilised.
Here are a few problems Fintech technology can solve:

Increase in Regulations

Ever since the 2008 market crash, policymakers have been forced to lay greater emphasis on safer financing. The financial crisis bought in newer regulations in the hope that it would restore confidence back into the banking industry. With most banks having paid back their regulatory incompliance fines, regulators are starting to ask for innovation in these markets and they need to create a safe environment.

Startups in the FinTech industry should expand beyond their home nations and make international payments possible. The home country regulations can be expensive with a lot of legal fees but innovations in FinTech courses such as Blockchain should be able to solve this issue and make it easier.

Regulatory measures can be a roadblock for many companies looking to grow domestically. By having the freedom of moving abroad, they can expand their horizons and successfully continue their business elsewhere.

Product Distribution

Product information is generally very random and scattered all across the board. Different folders, separate drives, a random excel sheet can all be frustrating to follow up on.

Product distribution lines can be managed in a much simpler manner with the help of FinTech. By having a central record of all transactions, companies can have a centralized repository of their products. By innovating with the front-end and introducing cool searching features, FinTech can be used to eliminate the same for banks that aren’t using this system yet.

Compliance Monitoring

Many banks today have tools for compliance reporting but since there are a lot of complexities involved in regulatory requirements, it just isn’t enough. Compliance violations are becoming harder to find and most of the systems, written in legacy code aren’t cut out for this task.

RegTech, a new field in the financial services has boomed, with over 150 startups present globally. These startups understand data better than anyone else and leverage a lot of data architecture innovations. While still ongoing, this is one of the major problems that Fintech Technology / Financial Technology can solve in today’s world.

M&A Consolidation in the Fintech Landscape

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Fintech or financial technology is a term that can broadly apply to any kind of financial activity through digital/online means like money transfers, depositing checks through one’s smartphone, raising money for a business through the online medium, so on and so forth. Basically when one carries out any kind of financial activity only through technology and without the assistance of a person is when one has adopted the Fintech landscape.

The Growth of Fintech M&A

New businesses, even a few years back, were met by issues like inertia, funding problems and even the fear of their own obsolescence. However, now with Fintech being the “in” thing, large corporations are now beginning to view fintech startups as an opportunity to scale up what they offer and even amplify their customer experience at a faster pace in comparison to their competitors.
‘The Global Fintech Report’ by PwC published in 2017 states that “82% of financial institutions expect to increase fintech partnerships between 2018 and 2023”, thus making the fintech M&A the core for the development of the financial service sectors.

Large Corporate Opting To Acquire/Merge with the Fintech Landscape

With technology being extremely important in today’s world, large corporates across businesses are now opting to get into the M&A space in Fintech. These organizations realised that, to deal with the company’s financial needs they would need to establish calculated partnerships with lean, tech-savvy teams that would help in bringing about significant benefits to their business.
Such M&A consolidation would mean:

  • Cost-effective and speedy routes into the market with the help of the latest technology.
  • Easy access to the demographics of a new client who prefer to engage with businesses through digital channels.
  • Easy cross-selling opportunities through the digital platform.
    Mergers and Acquisitions in 2018 in the Fintech Landscape:
    2018 in fact has seen some of the big names in the corporate world merge and acquire some fintech startups to further their business need in various ways.Earlier in 2018 JLT Employee Benefits (JLT), acquired the award-winning digital saving and investment service Moola! The acquisition of Moola by JLT’s was to help UK businesses deliver better performance through the improved financial, emotional and physical wellness of its people. Basically with this acquisition JLT aimed at helping its clients and employees at better wealth management.
    Marsh the insurance broking giant invested in ‘Bought By Many’ this year (2018). With this investment Marsh aims at collaborating with insurtech firms in a bid to open distribution channels and create innovative insurance solutions for clients.
    Cake Technologies, the U.K. fintech startup was acquired by American Express as well this 2018. Cake Technologies aims at bringing about more convenience to pay restaurant or bar bills and with American Express onboard the plans are to beef up its payment options for Amex members.

    Best Performing Fintech Sectors Currently

    Lending: After the financial crisis in 2007-2008, the lending sector dried up, thus making space for a host of alternatives in the lending business. These made use of technology largely and the need for middlemen were cut off. Fintech being a part of this sector also meant greater returns.
    Investment: With banks being reluctant to increase the rate of interest on investments the fintech landscape stepped in. Fintech courses aims at solving this issue by delivering online investment platforms.
    Payments: Transferring money between accounts has also been made easy with the help of technology. It’s also less expensive as compared to the pre-fintech era!

    Conclusion:

    As the fintech M&A is picking up pace and formation of partnerships and alliances among companies and fintech is gathering momentum it is becoming increasingly important for large corporates to have a targeted M&A strategy as it is highly needed for businesses to keep up with the technological growth. On the other hand, fintechs need to carefully plan and decide with whom they would like to get into an M&A space so as to be able to grow exponentially.
    For more details, you can directly browse: https://imarticus.org/

AI, blockchain playing a key role in India’s fintech revolution: Report

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Financial technology, or fintech, as it’s popularly known, has taken the finance world by storm by introducing path breaking innovations and a very novel way of banking, the world over. And recently, fintech has become the next big thing in India too. Buzzing e-commerce and product deliveries at the doorstep have risen the demand for ‘one touch’ banking that only fintech can provide. India is truly moving towards becoming a ‘knowledge-driven’, reasoning oriented and digitally empowered nation.
What facilitates fintech is a set of technologies and business models that are responsible for its growth and sustenance. Among the technologies that power fintech, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain have played a very significant role. This article discusses as to how AI and blockchain have played a central role in the fintech revolution in India, based on the joint report by the consulting giant KPMG and IT services giant NASSCOM.
In India, “Go Digital” initiative, together with the ever-growing e-commerce market, has been a significant catalyst for the fintech revolution. As India is inching towards a less-cash economy, digital payments are estimated to increase by at least ten times. Studies indicate that prepaid payment instruments registered gigantic volume growth of over 162% in the 2016-17 fiscal year. With the digitization of banking, interoperability and universal wallets are hassle-free and seamless.
The Government of India has proposed a two per cent discount in GST for users who make digital payments. This is a strategic move that will automate workflows, ensure best accounting practices,  tax compliance and a new approach towards digital inclusion. In the insurance sector too, there is an increased usage of advanced data techniques and analytics to identify risks and avert potential dangers.
Public and private sector banks are implementing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning methods. Take, for example, Kotak Mahindra Bank and HDFC banks have introduced AI-powered chatbots for enhanced customer experience and efficient business operations, raising the productivity by leaps and bounds, as clearly shown by the profit margins of the various quarters. Added to that, robo advisors, the first of their kind provide comprehensive and accurate information to make the best possible decisions.
A lot of iterative processes can be avoided, and customer satisfaction is much higher because they are given the exact specifications that they are looking for, without much hassle. With AI, a lot of grey areas and ambiguity can be eliminated. These are some of the many wonders that AI is capable of! Of course, AI can solve problems with efficiency and speed that are beyond the purview of the human mind. Automation is the one thing banks and fintech companies are looking to achieve, and this is mostly backed by artificial intelligence and machine learning.
When everything went digital, a large group of people expressed concern over how they prefer human interaction. Well, AI has been able to fit that requirement to a large extent. There are many bots that are now ’emotionally capable’.  One of the most significant advantages of using AI to power fintech has been the accuracy of fraud detection and pre-emptive policies based on predictive analytics. For example, based on behavioural patterns, bots can suggest users about their financial habits and suggestions for better handling of finances, all at the touch of a mobile screen. Even the most minute and seemingly insignificant data are analyzed by machine learning algorithms to form meaningful insights.
Another behemoth running the fintech revolution is the blockchain technology. Essentially, blockchain is a public ledger like a system that records transactions publicly and sequentially, for cryptocurrencies. Blockchain has been a robust system, making it much preferred for fintech. It is a formidable combination of public sharing and tight security. Aligning with fintech‘s vision, the blockchain technology empowers the user and makes for a friendly experience. With peer to peer money transactions becoming operational, blockchain has found a stable ground for itself.
The Indian government has recognized the role of blockchain technology in good governance. Andhra Pradesh has set up a Blockchain centre of excellence that has invited startups and experts to collaborate towards creating the first blockchain state in the country. Other states like Karnataka and Maharashtra are catching up fast with this trend. ‘India Chain’ of the NITI-Aayog is planning on implementing a fully enabled blockchain infrastructure to deal with e-governance, Aadhar, court cases, property records etc. On the educational front in India, several universities are providing fintech courses, replete with artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies and business models supporting the same.