Palgrave Studies in Financial Services Technology – serie

Mobile is impacting heavily on our society today. In this book, Nicoletti analyzes the application of mobile to the world of financial institutions. He considers future developments and the possible use of mobile to help the transformation in products, processes, organizations and business models of financial institutions globally.

This book explores the ways in which the adoption of new paradigms, processes, and technologies can lead to greater revenue, cost efficiency and control, as well as improved business agility in the insurance industry.

This book provides a critical analysis of The European Union’s regulatory framework for mobile payments and bitcoin. Chapters discuss the creation of the EU single market for e-payments and combine legal analysis with comparative case studies in their exploration of the regulatory challenges surrounding e-payments. The contributing authors analyse the key economic and legal issues of the development of bitcoin and mobile payments within the EU framework through a comparative lens. They cover topics ranging from user data and funds protection and the stability of the payment system to the competitiveness of the EU market. Providing a comprehensive and methodological guide to the bitcoin and mobile payments in Europe, this book will prove an illuminating and informative read for academics, students and policy makers with an interest in the impact of innovation on payment systems.

Mobile is impacting heavily on our society today. In this book, Nicoletti analyzes the application of mobile to the world of financial institutions. He considers future developments and the possible use of mobile to help the transformation in products, processes, organizations and business models of financial institutions globally.

This book presents a business model on how to structure the relationship between financial services and procurement. The need for new models is particularly important to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) where there is an evident difficulty in accessing credit.  Due to this context, innovative solutions must be introduced.The objective of this book is to determine how innovation can support the dynamic and volatile international context and the increasingly relevant function of procurement. It is becoming more and more important to take into account complex international transactions with notably long payment terms. Organizations need to manage the best way to handle the financial relationships and the risks related to credit provision and payments. This book presents an end-to-end support to procurement, including trade finance, supply chain finance, and related payments.In addition, the enterprises need to keep sufficient liquidity levels in the short and medium term. This is a constant challenge today, with the turbulence of financial markets and a continuing climate of economic uncertainty making it harder to obtain external funding. Businesses need to optimize the working capital. This can be done through the innovative concept of procurement finance, which allows SMEs to benefit by the new vision of collaborative procurement. This book provides several practical examples of advanced procurement finance solutions. It demonstrates how the use of process improvement and technology can help in overcoming the current financially difficult situation. In addition, based on the business model presented, the integrated approach to procurement finance allows sustainable solutions which will be of interest to academics, researchers, managers, and practitioners in both buyer and vendor companies, as well as in banks and other financial institutions.

The book highlights the rise of Bitcoin, which is based on blockchain technology, and some of the many types of coins and tokens that emerged thereafter. Although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have made national and international news with their dramatic rise and decline in value, nevertheless the underlying technology is being adopted by both industry and governments, which have noted the benefits of speed, cost efficiency, and protection from hacking. Based on numerous downloaded articles, laws, cases, and other materials, the book discusses the digital transformation, the types of cryptocurrencies, key actors, and the benefits and risks. It also addresses legal issues of digital technology and the evolving U.S. federal regulation. The varying treatment by individual U.S. states is reviewed together with attempts by organizations to arrive at a uniform regulatory regime. Both civil and criminal prosecutions are highlighted with an examination of the major cases that have arisen. Whether and how to tax cryptocurrency transactions both in the U.S. and internationally are analyzed, and ends with a speculative narrative of future developments.

Robo-Advisory is a field that has gained momentum over recent years, propelled by the increasing digitalization and automation of global financial markets. More and more money has been flowing into automated advisory, raising essential questions regarding the foundations, mechanics, and performance of such solutions. However, a comprehensive summary taking stock of this new solution at the intersection of finance and technology with consideration for both aspects of theory and implementation has so far been wanting. This book offers such a summary, providing unique insights into the state of Robo-Advisory.Drawing on a pool of expert authors from within the field, this edited collection aims at being the vital go-to resource for academics, students, policy-makers, and practitioners alike wishing to engage with the topic. Split into four parts, the book begins with a survey of academic literature and its key insights paired with an analysis of market developments in Robo-Advisory thus far. The second part tackles specific questions of implementation, which are complemented by practical case studies in Part III. Finally, the fourth part looks ahead to the future, addressing questions of key importance such as artificial intelligence, big data, and social networks. Thereby, this timely book conveys both a comprehensive grasp of the status-quo as well as a guiding outlook onto future trends and developments within the field.

Robo-Advisory is a field that has gained momentum over recent years, propelled by the increasing digitalization and automation of global financial markets. More and more money has been flowing into automated advisory, raising essential questions regarding the foundations, mechanics, and performance of such solutions. However, a comprehensive summary taking stock of this new solution at the intersection of finance and technology with consideration for both aspects of theory and implementation has so far been wanting. This book offers such a summary, providing unique insights into the state of Robo-Advisory.Drawing on a pool of expert authors from within the field, this edited collection aims at being the vital go-to resource for academics, students, policy-makers, and practitioners alike wishing to engage with the topic. Split into four parts, the book begins with a survey of academic literature and its key insights paired with an analysis of market developments in Robo-Advisory thus far. The second part tackles specific questions of implementation, which are complemented by practical case studies in Part III. Finally, the fourth part looks ahead to the future, addressing questions of key importance such as artificial intelligence, big data, and social networks. Thereby, this timely book conveys both a comprehensive grasp of the status-quo as well as a guiding outlook onto future trends and developments within the field.

Industry 4.0 has spread globally since its inception in 2011, now encompassing many sectors, including its diffusion in the field of financial services. By combining information technology and automation, it is now canvassing the insurance sector, which is in dire need of digital transformation.This book presents a business model of Insurance 4.0 by detailing its implementation in processes, platforms, persons, and partnerships of the insurance companies alongside looking at future developments. Filled with business cases in insurance companies and financial services, this book will be of interest to those academics and researchers of insurance, financial technology, and digital transformation, alongside executives and managers of insurance companies.

Industry 4.0 has spread globally since its inception in 2011, now encompassing many sectors, including its diffusion in the field of financial services. By combining information technology and automation, it is now canvassing the insurance sector, which is in dire need of digital transformation.This book presents a business model of Insurance 4.0 by detailing its implementation in processes, platforms, persons, and partnerships of the insurance companies alongside looking at future developments. Filled with business cases in insurance companies and financial services, this book will be of interest to those academics and researchers of insurance, financial technology, and digital transformation, alongside executives and managers of insurance companies.

Bill Gates’ quote, “Banking is necessary, but banks are not,” showcases the opportunity for financial services digital transformation. The next transition from industry 4.0 to 5.0 will impact all sectors, including banking. It will combine information technology and automation, based on artificial intelligence, person-robot collaboration, and sustainability. It is time to analyze this transformation in banking deeply, so that the sector can adequately change to the ‘New Normal’ and a wholly modified banking model can be properly embedded in the business.This book presents a conceptual model of banking 5.0, detailing its implementation in processes, platforms, people, and partnerships of financial services organizations companies. The last part of the book is then dedicated to future developments. Of interest to academics, researchers, and professionals in banking, financial technology, and financial services, this book also includes business cases in financial services.

Bill Gates’ quote, “Banking is necessary, but banks are not,” showcases the opportunity for financial services digital transformation. The next transition from industry 4.0 to 5.0 will impact all sectors, including banking. It will combine information technology and automation, based on artificial intelligence, person-robot collaboration, and sustainability. It is time to analyze this transformation in banking deeply, so that the sector can adequately change to the ‘New Normal’ and a wholly modified banking model can be properly embedded in the business.This book presents a conceptual model of banking 5.0, detailing its implementation in processes, platforms, people, and partnerships of financial services organizations companies. The last part of the book is then dedicated to future developments. Of interest to academics, researchers, and professionals in banking, financial technology, and financial services, this book also includes business cases in financial services.

Microfinance is a renowned albeit controversial solution for giving financial access to the unbanked, even if micro-transactions increase costs, limiting outreach potential. The economic and financial sustainability of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) is a prerequisite for widening a potentially unlimited client base. Automation decreases costs, expanding the outreach potential, and improving transparency and efficiency. Technological solutions range from branchless mobile banking to geo-localization of customers, digital/social networking for group lending, blockchain validation, big data, and artificial intelligence, up to “MicroFinTech” - FinTech applications adapted to microfinance. Of interest to both scholars, students, and professors of financial technology and microfinance, this book examines these trendy solutions comprehensively, going beyond the existing literature and showing potential applications to the traditional sustainability versus outreach trade-off.

Microfinance is a renowned albeit controversial solution for giving financial access to the unbanked, even if micro-transactions increase costs, limiting outreach potential. The economic and financial sustainability of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) is a prerequisite for widening a potentially unlimited client base. Automation decreases costs, expanding the outreach potential, and improving transparency and efficiency. Technological solutions range from branchless mobile banking to geo-localization of customers, digital/social networking for group lending, blockchain validation, big data, and artificial intelligence, up to “MicroFinTech” - FinTech applications adapted to microfinance. Of interest to both scholars, students, and professors of financial technology and microfinance, this book examines these trendy solutions comprehensively, going beyond the existing literature and showing potential applications to the traditional sustainability versus outreach trade-off.

This book exemplifies the potential of FinTech to deliver important economic and societal gains, such as enhancing competition and financial inclusion to deliver tailored financial products and services at more affordable prices and at greater convenience. The emergence of FinTech directly challenges the business models of incumbent financial intermediaries like banks, which are adapting by developing their own FinTech offerings and partnering with FinTech and large technology firms. FinTech also constitutes both known and unknown risks to financial stability and challenges regulators to evaluate whether existing regulations are sufficient. The emergence of FinTech as a global phenomenon requires insightful cross-country analysis and different perspectives to evaluate its development and associated opportunities and challenges. This book will be of interest to practitioners, regulators and students of this essential enabling technology that is a major component of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

This book exemplifies the potential of FinTech to deliver important economic and societal gains, such as enhancing competition and financial inclusion to deliver tailored financial products and services at more affordable prices and at greater convenience. The emergence of FinTech directly challenges the business models of incumbent financial intermediaries like banks, which are adapting by developing their own FinTech offerings and partnering with FinTech and large technology firms. FinTech also constitutes both known and unknown risks to financial stability and challenges regulators to evaluate whether existing regulations are sufficient. The emergence of FinTech as a global phenomenon requires insightful cross-country analysis and different perspectives to evaluate its development and associated opportunities and challenges. This book will be of interest to practitioners, regulators and students of this essential enabling technology that is a major component of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Enterprise management theories about the so-called bionic organization currently face a significant funding gap.  Bionic theories have been mainly applied to enterprise lifecycle because of the presence of similarities between economic organizations and organisms. The digital transformation has offered advancements in the bionics research field which enable us to discuss bionic organizations for the first time as business realities in which humans and machines, especially robotic process automation systems and artificial intelligence tools, cooperate in executing operations.This book determines how a bionic organization can be defined and what are its fundamental elements in the case of banking. Specifically, it investigates the two pillars of bionic enterprise which are technology and humans, as well as the core objectives and outcomes. In order to provide an exhaustive overview, the book proposes a new conceptualization of the business model of a bionic organizationon the basis of the Business Model Canvas framework. Ultimately, the study of bionic organizations is aimed to discover also how they evolved in the post pandemic phase as a result of the disruptive events generated by the spread of the pandemic.The research on the book has been conducted through a qualitative and descriptive methodology with the intent to build further knowledge about the topic starting from the information available in literature. To provide actual evidence of the reality of bionic financial services, the book includes case studies. The organizations observed in the study have been selected since they present some of the key traits identified by the bionic enterprise theory. The book demonstrates that bionic enterprise theory can be further enriched with the conceptualization of a bionic business model in which the paradigm of collaboration between humans and machines is a recurring element.

Enterprise management theories about the so-called bionic organization currently face a significant funding gap.  Bionic theories have been mainly applied to enterprise lifecycle because of the presence of similarities between economic organizations and organisms. The digital transformation has offered advancements in the bionics research field which enable us to discuss bionic organizations for the first time as business realities in which humans and machines, especially robotic process automation systems and artificial intelligence tools, cooperate in executing operations.This book determines how a bionic organization can be defined and what are its fundamental elements in the case of banking. Specifically, it investigates the two pillars of bionic enterprise which are technology and humans, as well as the core objectives and outcomes. In order to provide an exhaustive overview, the book proposes a new conceptualization of the business model of a bionic organizationon the basis of the Business Model Canvas framework. Ultimately, the study of bionic organizations is aimed to discover also how they evolved in the post pandemic phase as a result of the disruptive events generated by the spread of the pandemic.The research on the book has been conducted through a qualitative and descriptive methodology with the intent to build further knowledge about the topic starting from the information available in literature. To provide actual evidence of the reality of bionic financial services, the book includes case studies. The organizations observed in the study have been selected since they present some of the key traits identified by the bionic enterprise theory. The book demonstrates that bionic enterprise theory can be further enriched with the conceptualization of a bionic business model in which the paradigm of collaboration between humans and machines is a recurring element.

This second edition further explores the regulatory landscape of cryptocurrency, highlighting the rise of Bitcoin, which is based on blockchain technology, and some of the many types of coins and tokens that emerged thereafter. Although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have made national and international news with their dramatic rise and decline in value, nevertheless the underlying technology is being adopted by both industry and governments, which have noted the benefits of speed, cost efficiency, and protection from hacking. Based on numerous downloaded articles, laws, cases, and other materials, the book discusses the digital transformation, the types of cryptocurrencies, key actors, and the benefits and risks. It also addresses legal issues of digital technology and the evolving U.S. federal regulation. The varying treatment by individual U.S. states is reviewed together with attempts by organizations to arrive at a uniform regulatory regime. Both civil and criminal prosecutions are highlighted with an examination of the major cases that have arisen. This second edition specifically explores the creation of stablecoins, governments issuance of their own versions of digital currencies, new regulations that have been enacted and promulgated, and a clearer examination of futuristic evolutions that potentially will have a major impact upon the current cited technologies.

This second edition further explores the regulatory landscape of cryptocurrency, highlighting the rise of Bitcoin, which is based on blockchain technology, and some of the many types of coins and tokens that emerged thereafter. Although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have made national and international news with their dramatic rise and decline in value, nevertheless the underlying technology is being adopted by both industry and governments, which have noted the benefits of speed, cost efficiency, and protection from hacking. Based on numerous downloaded articles, laws, cases, and other materials, the book discusses the digital transformation, the types of cryptocurrencies, key actors, and the benefits and risks. It also addresses legal issues of digital technology and the evolving U.S. federal regulation. The varying treatment by individual U.S. states is reviewed together with attempts by organizations to arrive at a uniform regulatory regime. Both civil and criminal prosecutions are highlighted with an examination of the major cases that have arisen. This second edition specifically explores the creation of stablecoins, governments issuance of their own versions of digital currencies, new regulations that have been enacted and promulgated, and a clearer examination of futuristic evolutions that potentially will have a major impact upon the current cited technologies.

This book provides both practice-oriented and academic insights into the disruptive power of fintech for the banking industry. It explores (1) whether and how the banking industry can use newly emerging technologies in the financial sphere to its advantage while managing any associated risks, (2) how these technologies affect traditional banking service formats as well as the pricing of these services, and (3) whether the emergence of fintech in the banking industry calls for a rethinking of existing banking regulations such as the Basel Accords as well as country-specific regulations.Prior publications in this area typically examine both current applications of fintech in the banking industry, as well as its future prospects, by analyzing actual cases or exploring the impact of a single emerging technology on the banking industry. They often ignore the interdependence between emerging technologies and overlook the connection between fintech as a whole and the future of the banking industry. This book addresses this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of various fintech applications and by analyzing what they mean for the future of banking. Given the potentially disruptive power of fintech, the book will focus on the challenges banking supervisors are likely to encounter as a result of fintech’s continual ascent. It will thus encourage readers to think about and explore how to find a balance between the beneficial aspects of fintech and the challenges it creates in terms of supervision, regulation, and risk management.

This book provides both practice-oriented and academic insights into the disruptive power of fintech for the banking industry. It explores (1) whether and how the banking industry can use newly emerging technologies in the financial sphere to its advantage while managing any associated risks, (2) how these technologies affect traditional banking service formats as well as the pricing of these services, and (3) whether the emergence of fintech in the banking industry calls for a rethinking of existing banking regulations such as the Basel Accords as well as country-specific regulations.Prior publications in this area typically examine both current applications of fintech in the banking industry, as well as its future prospects, by analyzing actual cases or exploring the impact of a single emerging technology on the banking industry. They often ignore the interdependence between emerging technologies and overlook the connection between fintech as a whole and the future of the banking industry. This book addresses this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of various fintech applications and by analyzing what they mean for the future of banking. Given the potentially disruptive power of fintech, the book will focus on the challenges banking supervisors are likely to encounter as a result of fintech’s continual ascent. It will thus encourage readers to think about and explore how to find a balance between the beneficial aspects of fintech and the challenges it creates in terms of supervision, regulation, and risk management.

Cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and central bank digital currency open uncharted territory for the nascent economics of new digital money. This Pivot addresses the foundations of the monetary problem raised by Bitcoin and followers, starting with the game theory of Proof-of-Work as rent-seeking contest and a lively account of the different ways of trust that blockchain solutions and monetary institutions are meant to face. In so doing, the authors introduce the relevance of safe assets under the light of the principle of “no questions asked” that characterizes the monetary problem of the 2020s. Principles for regulation emerge in the perspective in which private issuers of digital coins are essentially issuers of demand deposits, and therefore bank-like entities. The potential role of central bank digital currency in the future monetary system is thoroughly discussed. Students and researchers in economics and finance, professionals and sophisticated readers may consider this book an essential guide to the challenging new dimensions of digital money.

Cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and central bank digital currency open uncharted territory for the nascent economics of new digital money. This Pivot addresses the foundations of the monetary problem raised by Bitcoin and followers, starting with the game theory of Proof-of-Work as rent-seeking contest and a lively account of the different ways of trust that blockchain solutions and monetary institutions are meant to face. In so doing, the authors introduce the relevance of safe assets under the light of the principle of “no questions asked” that characterizes the monetary problem of the 2020s. Principles for regulation emerge in the perspective in which private issuers of digital coins are essentially issuers of demand deposits, and therefore bank-like entities. The potential role of central bank digital currency in the future monetary system is thoroughly discussed. Students and researchers in economics and finance, professionals and sophisticated readers may consider this book an essential guide to the challenging new dimensions of digital money.

Although cryptocurrency investment has grown in popularity in recent years, many potential investors remain reluctant to enter the industry due to a number of reasons, including a lack of basic understanding, confidence, and trust. This book addresses the issue by exploring numerous topics that contribute to the development of confidence and trust in the cryptocurrency market. This book offers a detailed examination of the background and present status of the cryptocurrency market to the leadership and development team of a cryptocurrency project with perspectives from experts in the field. It also provides invaluable insights into the future of cryptocurrency as a viable asset class and its potential to change the financial setting, and will be of interest to researchers, students, and practitioners of digital money and financial technology.

This book investigates AI and FinTech from the angle of transparency. Assessing three specific parts, the books examines transparency as part of technological advances, regulation, and its societal impacts. While current developments offered by the Fifth Technological Revolution in terms of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are revolutionizing FinTech and increasing the levels of transparency, there are arising issues such as taxation of platforms and regulation changes that must be examined. It discusses new tools and how they can be utilized for more transparent Fintech market segments through AI and ML. The book explores the impact of FinTech transparency, specifically on developing countries as compared to Europe, and will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and policymakers in financial technology and financial regulation.

This book provides an introduction to the state of the art in financial technology (FinTech) and the current applications of FinTech in digital banking. It is a comprehensive guide to the various technologies, products, processes, and business models integral to the FinTech environment. Covering key definitions and characteristics, models and best practice, as well as presenting relevant case studies related to FinTech and e-Business, this book helps build a theoretical framework for future discussion.

This book explores how a range of innovative disruptive technologies is about to combine to transform the insurance industry, the products it produces, and the way the industry is managed. It argues that unless current insurance providers react to these waves of disruption they will be swept away by new innovators. The book describes what insurers need to do to survive. The main aim is to get insurers to reimagine their industry away from the sale of a one-off product, into the sale of a series of real-time, data-based risk services. While parts of these disruptions have been discussed, this book is the first to bring all the issues together and unites them using a theoretical framework. This book is essential reading for insurance industry participants as well as to academics interested in insurance and understanding the key issues the industry currently faces.