Fintech, from “financial technology,” is an emerging industry that uses technology to improve financial services. Most new fintech companies are start-ups aiming to disrupt traditional banking processes or offer entirely new value propositions. Fintech solutions have the potential to advance financial inclusion by offering customers faster, more convenient and more affordable ways to use financial services. They can bring unserved customers into the financial system with innovations such as mobile money, digital payments, alternative credit scoring using big data analysis, biometrics for client on-boarding processes, and blockchain technology for payments.
Of course, there are also important risks involved with the growing use of fintech solutions and emerging technologies. Among others, these include risks related to data privacy, business model viability, governance and cybersecurity. Both fintech companies and policymakers need to understand these risks and take appropriate action to mitigate them. Regulation plays an important role in making sure that customers are protected and that fintech can fulfill its promise for financial inclusion.
What can you find in this Topic Hub?
Curated by FinDev editors, this Topic Hub offers you access to key resources contributed by organizations around the world who work on the topic of fintechs and financial inclusion. Our latest blogs and publications on this topic are featured here (in the Resources Tab above), and you can find a collection of papers, case studies and guides to explore further. When there are upcoming webinars, events and recent news on this topic, they will be featured in the Topic Hub as well, so make sure to come back regularly for the latest on this topic. Finally, we’ve selected some key additional resources, which are listed on the right here, where you can learn even more about this topic.
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Featured
This paper analyzes the potential for fintech to facilitate cheaper and more efficient remittances, and to enhance financial inclusion in Central America.
This practical guide, based on two years of global research, describes how development funders can identify promising fintechs and maximize their impact.
This paper identifies a range of consumer risks posed by fintech and discusses consumer protection regulatory approaches for policy makers to consider when developing regulatory policy to target such risks.
News & Events
The latest news and upcoming events and training from the global financial inclusion community on this topic.