Since the onset of the pandemic, the stir caused by the wave of fintech has overshadowed traditional banking and financial methods. In the past few years, tremendous changes have occurred, bringing novel solutions and ideas for banking, payments, data sharing, etc. There are about 315 companies holding a unicorn status in the fintech industry. With such rapid development and the extent of applied technology, the bucket is still brimming with opportunities. 

The disruptive technologies that shook the entire system in 2021 ranged from the massive incorporation of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, a deeper involvement of RegTech, Open APIs (Application Programming Interface) used in Open Banking, and BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later).

Though these technologies are still inching towards their peaks, the projected trends for 2022 include a couple of newer areas that are gradually gaining ground.

Top 10 Fintech Trends to Watch Out for in 2022

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A Win for Embedded Finance

2021 saw the rise of embedded finance in more and more banks looking to grow their portfolios to suit the needs of their customers. Embedded finance allows the customer to get credit without leaving the platform. With this, companies can provide small credit facilities to customers to enable them to make their purchases. BNPL is one example of embedded finance, which has taken the market by storm. The technologies, payment methods, and solutions offered under this cap are likely to expand in 2022.

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The Scope of Web3

Web3 is a buzzword that has attracted a large audience owing to its brilliance combined with quirkiness. With more people wanting to expand their digital assets and purchases, the fintech industry is booming with innovation in this field.

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The Growing Importance of Blockchains

Virtual reality has gained popularity for its existence as the digital counterpart of the world, resulting in people purchasing and investing in digital assets using cryptocurrencies. As these currencies are supported and operated using blockchains, the world of fintech is slowly ballooning to accommodate the scope blockchains encompass.

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Cross-Border e-Commerce

 International payments are soaring due to the influx of technologically-equipped solutions everywhere. P2P payments and transfers are becoming non-negotiable, and banks and companies are targeting easier facilitation of cross-border payments.

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Usability of Super Apps

Super Apps like AliPay are dominating specific markets. Super Apps are mobile applications that are not restricted to one service, enabling them to provide a range of services like purchasing groceries, booking taxis, and purchasing clothes and other items all in one place. The adoption rate of the idea of super apps has incentivized many companies to head in this direction. While AliPay and WeChat are active in Asian countries, the Western market is yet to exploit the opportunities Super Apps project.

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Efficient RPA

Robotic Process Automation is the engagement of robotic technologies to automate processes to reduce the involvement of humans. This shift enables quicker and more efficient processes that substantially reduce the possibilities of human errors. RPA can be incorporated into a wide range of services, like conducting security and background checks, processing credit cards, customer onboarding, etc.

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Practical Biometrics

With regulations becoming more agile and dynamic owing to the fast-moving nature of fintech, biometrics is one field that is said to be the future of the regulatory system. With more people owning and using smartphones, voice commands, face recognition, fingerprints, etc., would be used more extensively for verification purposes in the future.

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RegTech

Because of the rapidly changing landscape of fintech, regulatory authorities must stay connected with all developments in all markets. Such dynamism requires regulations and technologies that are agile and more adaptive to the surrounding changes. RegTech is an integral part of fintech, making it one of the most crucial fields in fintech.

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Targeting Underdeveloped Regions

There is an enormous strength of unbanked and underbanked people in underdeveloped regions that are yet to become a formal part of the banking sector. A large number of underbanked and unbanked persons presents a new opportunity for fintech to partake in, where it can provide services and products that cater to this category, where traditional banking has not penetrated successfully.

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Sustainable Finance

With the climate crisis predominating every sector and field, it is imperative for the fintech industry to build a foundation that offers sustainable solutions. With people going cashless, the onset of sustainable practices is already evident. Sustainable finance is a vast area that is yet to become absolutely constitutional.

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Closing Thoughts

The aim of fintech has been the betterment of financial services by building a more customer-centric system. In 2022, these trends are already making rounds. While some technologies may take off immediately, others might require more time and alterations. Customer-centric financial services that are quick, compliant, and efficient are the guiding lights of fintech, which are going to guide the momentum of this industry.

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Although most of us fall into the category of banked individuals, who have access to and operate several services and products offered by banks and financial institutions; however, all over the world, there is a large percentage of individuals who are unbanked or underbanked. In the USA alone, more than 24% of the market remains unbanked or underbanked, giving rise to many questions and opportunities.

Although most of us fall into the category of banked individuals, who have access to and operate several services and products offered by banks and financial institutions; however, all over the world, there is a large percentage of individuals who are unbanked or underbanked. In the USA alone, more than 24% of the market remains unbanked or underbanked, giving rise to many questions and opportunities.

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The Unbanked Sector

Unbanked people do not use traditional banking services and products; they only use alternative methods for carrying out transactions with zero percent reliance on banking services, including holding savings accounts or debit cards. Such practices majorly occur because of several reasons like not having access to banks, community beliefs that lead to mistrust in the banking sector, etc. 

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Reason for People Remaining Unbanked

There are around 1 billion people who remain unbanked to this day. There are multiple reasons for the sustained existence of this segment:

Lack of Trust and Low Incomes – People don’t have enough trust in banks owing to their need for privacy or some negative prior experiences, because of which they refrain from associating with banks altogether. Some people believe that their earnings or income is not substantial enough, to put anything in their bank accounts, making these the most common reasons for people remaining unbanked.

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Social Restrictions – When people grow up in setups where there is a lack of social normalcy, it makes it very difficult for them to follow social obligations and methods. With the absenteeism of proper role models, it becomes impossible for them to understand the relevance of social setups like banking systems.

Accessibility and Unmet Requirements – There are many regions, especially in developing countries, where people don’t have access to banks and their products/services. Such gaps in the banking system make way for the unbanked sector.

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The Underbanked Sector

The underbanked sector is a much larger segment of people, comprising more than 20% % of the world market, where people have partial access and operations in banks. People who use or have used alternative means of financing in the past are underbanked individuals. 

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Reasons for People Remaining Underbanked

There are several reasons for families and individuals remaining underbanked, such as:

High fees – Some people undergo negative banking experiences, which compel them to move away from them, like banks charging a high fee, people overdrawing and not paying back, etc.

Lack of savings and assets – People have a lack of savings for their retirement or emergencies, and they do not have direct deposits, or assets like homes, making them withdraw from the obligation of operating banks.

Although both these terms are used as synonyms, there is an evident difference in both these sectors, where one group is completely devoid of banking-related services, and the other group has partial access and operations.

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Facts & Figures

-         There are about 1 billion individuals who do not have a bank account.

-         More women than men remain unbanked or underbanked.

-         Countries like China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, and Mexico have the highest number of unbanked individuals.

-         Most of the unbanked individuals are adults above the age of 25.

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Benefits of Being Banked

Underbanked and unbanked people have often faced discrimination based on their financial status or beliefs, because of which, they naturally opt out of the social structure of the banking industry. There are numerous advantages of having bank accounts and managing finances through banks. The primary reasons to avail of banking services are:

Protection – The biggest reason for people opting for banking services is the high level of protection a consumer gets for their money and assets against theft and fraud.

Accessibility – Operating banks and associating with them gets people to stay within the social structure, where they can make deposits and withdrawals, improve their credit histories, and get loans.

Accumulation – With proper financial management, people can accumulate enough savings for emergencies and medical expenditures, which would otherwise cause a big dent in their future.

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The Opportunities for Fintech

With such a large population without any basic infrastructure and access to banks, the opportunities for fintech to bridge this digital and infrastructural divide are immense. Fintech can use this wide gap to offer remodeled setups that provide customized services. 

One of the most profitable ventures that could help lessen this gap is mobile banking. With mobile banking, customers can be assured of having increased access and control over their bank accounts and finances. There can be a better education system set up for the unbanked and underbanked sectors to understand their woes and advise on their future possibilities. With mobile banking, banks do not need to set up traditional brick-and-mortar branches, which could also help them reduce their fees substantially. Online and mobile banking can also help facilitate P2P transfers, which could help resolve any issues.

The Retail Payments Activities Act (RPAA) is an initiative by the Canadian federal government to regulate the retail payment services space in the country. Introduced on the 30th of April, 2021, as a part of the budget Bill C-30, this Act aims to create a framework that oversees retail payments activities going to and fro the Canadian market.

The intended initiation of this Act has been in the direction of creating a space that promotes innovation and competition while maintaining and complying with regulations and set standards.

In 2017, the Department of Finance published a consultation to the people of Canada, named “New Retail Payments Oversight Framework”. This consultation paper highlighted the evolution of fintech and retail payment services and how the daily actions of Canadians had also gravitated towards a fintech-enabled world. The purpose of this paper was to redress the existing regulatory system by bringing in better transparency and compliance.

The Department of Finance issued a consultation to the people of Canada seeking their opinions and perspectives on the oversight of retail payments. Since then the Finance Department has been working on creating a systematic policy framework to monitor the retail payments sector.

The Major Parties Affected by RPAA

The Canadian Federal Government has had clear intentions of regulating the Canadian retail payments space that complies with national and international standards while promoting innovation. The main parties that get affected by the issuance of this Act are:

–         Retail Payment Servers that are housed in Canada, and provide retail payment services to the people of Canada.

–         Retail Payment Servers located outside Canada but have their services extended to Canadian residents.

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The Canadian Government’s Role

Payments are an integral part of an economy. For a smooth functioning economy, its participants must be presented with appropriate payment options. For individual consumers and businesses, retail payments play a significant role. All the payments conducted using various methods play a prominent role in the economy.

Here is where the Canadian government steps in. The Government believes in ensuring that their economy functions in smoothly. By overseeing the operations and activities of retail payment providers, that are functioning in the Canadian space, the Government can ensure the security and interests of consumers. 

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The Regulatory Body

The Bank of Canada (BoC) is the official regulatory body that monitors the activities of various entities that function as retail payment servers in the Canadian space. The BoC is responsible for overseeing whether the entities comply with the regulations laid out in the RPAA or not. The RPAA has also authorized the BoC to issue advanced guidelines to entities, entailing how the RPAA applies in various situations and activities.‍

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Key Points in Regulating Retail Payment Servers‍

The RPAA is here to protect the interests of users and regulate payment activities across Canada. To achieve this, a holistic journal has been laid out defining procedures for registering with the BoC before performing any activities, providing adequate documentation, and creating a proper response framework where entities report any operational risks that occur during their operations. ‍

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Closing Notes‍

The emergence of RPAA in Canada is similar to many regulatory bodies in various economies like the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The issuance of such regulations and policies not only makes the environment safer but also helps provide a proper direction to the units that are relentlessly innovating to compete globally. With fintech disrupting the payment sector, government and other regulatory bodies must step up and become torch bearers. This act by the Canadian authorities has received tremendous appreciation from all over the world, and we only hope to witness similar progress globally.

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The banking sector has undergone a wave of newness and various changes concurrent with the dynamism of fintech. With new technologies and capabilities emerging at every corner, it becomes crucial for traditional financial institutions to analyze their future alongside this disruption. 

Open Banking is one of the tributaries in this river of fintech evolution that has had a tremendous influence on banking methods.

What is Open Banking?

Open banking is a newly established method of banking where financial institutions collaborate with non-financial parties by sharing financial and personal information of customers to enhance financial services. It involves strict application of regulations and compliances that safeguard customer interests. 

Banks and traditional financial institutions implement APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) created by third-parties, which allow them to incorporate advanced technologies into their existing systems to provide more efficient and diverse services and products.

While open banking compels active participation of regulatory authorities, it also demands adequate freedom and space for innovation. With countless startups surfacing globally, the level of competition has never been so high. An environment as competitive as the one we have today, requires freedom to give innovative solutions that can cause further positive disruptions. Financial institutions can employ advanced technologies to serve their customers better by collaborating with third-parties, 

Types of Open Banking

There are many variations of Open Banking methods implemented globally. These variations are across different sectors like products and services, targeted timelines, the parties involved, etc. The two broad categories that define all these variations are:

Market-oriented Open Banking

Countries like USA, where state-regulations dominate regulations for banking systems, market-led open banking methods take charge. Market-oriented open banking allows better freedom and evasion of red tapism; however, it also has the potential to compromise data security. Most regulatory bodies advise against this approach because of security issues and advocate the implementation of regulation-led open banking.

Regulation-oriented Open Banking

Under this method, open banking is governed by regulations. Only actions and alliances permitted under this method are allowed to take place. The Australian authorities have created the Consumer Data Rights (CDR) Act that allows consumers to share their personal details with their choice of third-parties.

Key Benefits of Open Banking

Open Banking has opened numerous doors of growth opportunities for people globally. The main areas which have benefitted from open banking are:

Customer Service

The level of customer service offered by financial institutions has increased manifold. Earlier traditional systems restricted focus on customers, where ordinary processes and employee-level work took over the main stage. With open banking stepping into the picture, the transition of banks and financial institutions is immense. When third-parties take technical lead and supply advanced technological supplements, traditional financial bodies can guarantee quicker results, more customer-centric processes, and minimal bureaucracy.

Revenue Streams

With more growth opportunities and an upsurge in the participants, open banking has opened more revenue chambers for people to explore. The scope of applied technology is immense; with more and more people realizing the importance of digitalization, the number of opportunities is incredible.

More Sustainable Business

 Finance is not the only sector getting a digital makeover. All dominating sectors have revamped owing to digitalization. With open banking and other technologies taking the helm of the financial sector, the companies collaborating in this space would become more sustainable and stable. 

 The Core Capabilities of Open Banking

Even though open banking has been here for some time, it is still not a dominant branch of fintech. This field is gradually gaining more traction with more businesses pouring in. The future holds big plans for open banking, and all participating entities have innumerable opportunities lined up for them like:

Data Custody

With continuous transfer of personal and financial data between companies, one of the key elements that would decide who holds the bigger hand is data custody. The future would bring more regulations and policies defining how data custody would occur, and entities would have an opportunity to use this in their favor.

Data Management

The management, analysis and handling of shared data is another knot waiting to open completely. Although third-parties and financial institutions have pre-defined onuses, how data would be managed ideally and by whom is a vast opportunity yet to be explored.

Agile Partnerships

Technology enables agility and quickness. In open banking, the more agile and flexible data sharing is, the better the partnership should be. Agile partnerships would enable quick and transparent transfers of data and reports, which would help the overall purpose of open banking.

Security

Data security is a global issue in fintech that is being worked on uninterruptedly. With open banking, the issue of data security is slightly more as there is transfer of sensitive information between parties. Although the fintech space in this regard is consistent with the existing regulations, data security is an area where improvements would always be welcome, rendering it another core capability of open banking.

Closing Remarks

Open banking is a concept which is disrupting traditional methods of banking. With strict policies and compliance standards, combined with the freedom to innovate, open banking has emerged as the perfect space that promotes technological developments. Mixing novel technologies with traditional systems is changing banking.

Although open banking is emerging in different places at different paces and variations, it still has a long way to go. With countries like Hong Kong, UK and US exemplifying the growth opportunities and benefits of open banking, other countries in Southeast Asia, East Africa and Europe are cautiously following the steps to explore open banking.

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The gamut of services and products disrupting the spectrum of fintech is becoming irrepressible. With the massive eruption of startups acquiring more and more fintech space, the world is undergoing a financial revolution. The global fintech industry is expected to grow at a compounded rate of 24%, and the overall valuation of the market size is expected to reach $124 billion USD by 2025. Such figures imply an enormous scope of opportunities that are yet to be tapped. 

Risk and compliance are the two sectors that have recently come in the limelight for the number of opportunities they offer, if tapped wisely.

Growth of Fintech

The tremendous growth witnessed in the word of fintech has been caused due to a few underlying reasons that have helped shape the market:

Smartphones

One of the main factors that has had a colossal effect on the fintech front is the upsurge in the adoption and penetration of smartphones. With billions of people shifting focus from other media to smartphones, the reachability of most sectors like social media, banking, investments has grown manifold.

Inefficient Traditional Banking

Traditional banking methods were created as per the earlier needs and practices. Obsolete and slow systems, combined with population growth, are the main factors that have incentivized more players to enter the market and change the perceptions and ways of banking and financing.

Trends in Customer Behavior

With new entrants streaming into the industry, vis-à-vis new products and services, the reliance on old methods has taken a hit. The customer habits and behaviors prevalent a few years back have naturally adapted to the new systems dominating the world now. Such behavioral shifts are making way for more innovation and disruption.

Risk and Compliance as Opportunities

As more and more customers get familiarized with the range of services and products offered under the fintech umbrella, their expectations and behaviors change. Such changes in customer habits depict a more customer-focused approach for innovation.

With fintech making deeper headway into people’s everyday lives, new branches of this industry are gaining more prevalence in terms of the scope of opportunities they provide. Risk and compliance have recently received eminence owing to their level of involvement in shaping the industry. While there are countless opportunities surfacing all across the market, there are few which have recently received a lot of attention.

While customers need a secure and safe structure for all types of payments, they also want simpler processes which don’t involve multiple levels of verifications and password inputs. Such expectations open doors for the usage of biometrics to keep the fintech interface secure. 

Fraud detection is another big market in the risk assessment category of fintech in which customer habits, behaviors, activities and trends are studied intensely to mark outliers, which could help in fraud detection.

Information and data related to customer behavior and trends can be used to ascertain the chances of loan repayments, providing a cushion-like equipment to get better risk insights.

Information about the e-commerce activities of customers on various fronts can be stored and used to determine the creditworthiness of customer. In this way, companies and financial institutions can offer customized products and services as per their suitability and needs.

Such opportunities are incessantly flowing into the market space, and fintech players all over the world are continuously keeping track of new trends that have the potential to become the next big thing.

New technologies like machine learning, artificial technology, etc., have already been in the picture for a few years now. Their true potential is gradually surfacing as fintech players dive deeper into gaining better insights about the market and industry.

All fintech developments that have occurred in the past and will possibly occur in the future are regulated by authorities. With such rapid advancements occurring so frequently at a global level, it is imperative for regulations and compliance bodies to create very agile and adaptive systems that efficiently safeguard the best interests of businesses and customers while also allowing space for innovation and challenges. Hence, compliance is perceived as the Golconda of new-age fintech. 

The true potential of technology can be realized by focusing on the needs, trends and habits of customers and the requirements of the regulatory authorities. A number of fintech startups and companies have incorporated this in their vision, which has helped them come up with more innovative and customer-centric solutions and services.

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Buzzwords like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cryptocurrencies have been making rounds. Their individual roles in our lives have disrupted and changed traditional systems that everyone was well-accustomed. With the expeditious adoption of technology in every sphere of our lives, the digital makeover of the banking and financial sector became inevitable; and so the origination of fintech began.

Cloud computing has been an integral part of the digitalization wave that has changed the way people perceive technology.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud technologies enable users to access computing services like software, storage, programs and more over the internet, rather than on singular devices. This proposition essentially provides incredible agility to businesses and individuals, where they don’t need to obtain individual devices for all computing functions. This technology uses the ideology of buying-on-the-go, where customers can avail cloud benefits for various purposes as and when they require them, without adding any physical baggage. Cloud technology is particularly beneficial for large businesses, which aim to become leaner, bigger and more efficient.

There are various cloud computing technologies that cater to different niches and requirements. The most prevalent are:

SaaS (Software as a Service) – SaaS Cloud Computing enables users to install, use, update software without storing the software and its accessories on devices or hard drives. 

PaaS (Platform as a Service) – PaaS Cloud Computing offers developers easy-to-use platforms where they can create own applications and software without requiring external servers or specialized testing environments.

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) – With IaaS, companies can access firewalls, servers, storage, etc., without buying or creating the equipment. This technology offers ready-to-use online infrastructures than can be used for various purposes.

The Benefits of Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing has taken up the entire digitalized space by a storm. Nowadays, big companies and brands are heavily reliant on cloud technologies. There are countless benefits that cloud technologies bring to the table; some of them are:

Speed

With immense agility comes inordinate efficiency. Gaining access to data, programs, software as per need leaves minimal space for lags. Churning reports, updating information, buying more storage on-the-go are indispensable benefits that can amplify the agility and efficiency of companies and individuals.

Cost

The cost of capital investment in buying hardware, is substantially reduced when a company moves to cloud services. Cloud computing does not require companies to invest in purchasing equipment, separate software, hardware and even maintenance!

Productivity

The level of efficiency achieved from cloud computing is incredible. Cloud technologies provide instant access to data, making it an extremely viable option for the entire industry. Nowadays, it is imperative for companies to stay on the frontline of technological advancements, which is easily achievable when the company chooses to transport its base and system on clouds, rather than handling, maintaining and upgrading different equipment independently.

Scalability

The global scalability that businesses can accomplish through cloud technologies is remarkable. With easy and continuous access to software and data, combined with the option to upscale or downscale cloud purchases on-the-go, the scalability of the resources transcends into a different dimension. Companies can purchase accessories, tools and resources as per their requirements, and they can even downscale when need be.

Data Security

As all cloud purchases and data is readily accessible and available on the internet space, the data security on cloud technologies is immense. There is also an added layer of protection in cloud technologies as it is not only on the consumer company to protect data and information on the cloud it is also on the server company to provide the necessary protection. This additional layer of security makes the entire cloud space safer.

Data Recovery

Data recovery on cloud technologies is easy as the data is not dependent on a particular device or equipment. With agile technologies like clouds, redundant storages can mirror data on the network. These redundant sites provide continued access to the data as even if one server fails or malfunctions, some other redundant storage is automatically made available to provide uninterrupted access.

Cloud Computing in Fintech

The adoption of cloud technologies in fintech had a slow start. But the onset of the pandemic compelled an astronomical increase in the adoption of fintech by masses and, in turn, the adoption of cloud computing technologies by the fintech industry. Cloud technologies not only bring efficiency and agility into a company’s system, they also help provide automatic leverages of technological changes and upgradation that occur globally. 

Integrating cloud technologies with the fintech landscape was experiencing a bottleneck before Covid-19 entered the picture. While people discussed the possibilities of amalgamation, the pandemic brought the cloud and fintech coalescence into reality. Today, more than 50% fintech companies have adopted cloud computing technologies, and the number will only grow from here. 

The Future of Cloud Computing in Fintech

Fintech is an industry that stands on a dynamic frame. With swift changes in technologies taking place frequently, the scope of possibilities feels limitless. Cloud computing has become an integral part of fintech, and the main areas where it is being widely used are:

Data Management

Cloud computing makes scalability and agility obvious adjuncts to business systems. When companies managing vast amounts of data gain easy and consistent access to different programs, software and storage limits, data management becomes a much easier and joyful experience. With direct control over information, companies can use it to its advantage and even offer products based on it. 

Customer Services

Agile and fast turnovers have a huge contribution in enhancing customer services. With secure and fast data systems, institutions employing cloud technologies can guarantee better and quicker results and services, which would positively affect the service quality.

Efficiencies

With scalable and quick options readily available, business efficiencies multiply. Business can take better control of their actions and decisions. Not only does cloud computing save time, it also reduces the overall investment that a company would have to put in otherwise. By cutting down both cost and time, cloud computing can become the real asset for businesses.

Closing ThoughtsCloud computing turned up at the right junction, just when the fintech world was about to take off. With the help of cloud technologies, the fintech landscape has witnessed tremendous changes, most of which have been problem-solving in nature. With cloud technologies, companies can set up exceptionally agile and efficient systems while saving on costs and money. Such positive propositions suggest an indispensable position of cloud computing, where the reliance of fintech companies on cloud servers is only going to grow.

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