The European Central Bank (ECB) is considering additional capital buffers to banks looking to incorporate fintech; the regulator says adding fintech to the bank will increase the potential for a volatile client base and the untested products will need a lot of capital; this is part of the recent draft licensing guidelines released by the ECB. Source.
Author and fintech expert Chris Skinner discusses the impact of fintech companies on banking services; the idea of free banking will essentially be gone as fintech companies are able to focus on transactional services the banks once dominated; he calls this the democratization of finance and it will help to bring more transparency to banking overall. Source.
With apologies to Marc Andreesson who famously said several years ago that software is eating the world, I think that...
SWIFT says that digital heists are on the rise as hackers are becoming more sophisticated in their tactics; they are recommending that banks increase security of computers used to transfer money; a Bangladesh Bank lost $81 million back in February, 2016 and there are more recent examples of hacks; the report provides details on the new methods hackers are using. Source
The new express branches are meant to help customers with routine transactions like withdrawals and deposits; customers looking for further advice or a loan would be able to connect via videoconference or go to a typical branch; they are looking to serve millennials in a more efficient way and allow them to access bankers and wealth managers through a digital experience using iPads; removing some of the human intensive areas of the bank and making it more self serve will cut down on costs and help to serve the younger, digital customers. Source.
Oliver Wyman’s new report, Beyond Restructuring: The New Agenda - European Banking 2017, points out that banks have recovered from the crisis but face digital headwinds; for the most part banks have restructured into a new regulatory environment with more capital and smaller balance sheets; but they now they face digital challenges from fintechs and customers looking for better experiences. Source.
There is a lot of talk about all of the different ways blockchain technology can impact financial services; the Financial Times sat down with bankers, consultants, and analysts to come up with five areas where we are likely to see the most impact; categories include clearing and settlement, payments, trade finance, identity and syndicated loans. Source
Orange is a large French telecom company and recently announced plans to launch their own bank; the company is hoping to capitalize on the movement to online banking and is the first telecom company to launch a bank; they are targeting 2 million clients in ten years which would represent 25% of the online banking market; 25,000 of their current customers have expressed interest in the new offering (out of its 21 million mobile clients). Source
While Amazon is unlikely to buy a bank in 2018, they are still a threat to banks and other fintech companies; the company is already involved in payments, cash, debit cards, small business lending and consumer credit; Tearsheet shares how retail and financial services companies are becoming more intertwined and how this is a trend that will continue into 2018; the way consumers interact across various apps and accounts is also having a significant effect on banks. Source
American Banker outlines Amazon’s current offerings in financial services and the recent rumors around new products including checking accounts, small business credit cards and mortgages. Source