Does the 'Wirecard AG' Case Address FinTech Crises?

Abstract

This paper analyzes the Wirecard AG case from a digital finance perspective. The relatively low pace of digital transformation of financial supervisors and the high speed of advancements in technology increase the technological gaps between supervisors and their responsibility areas and result in a new phenomenon named “asymmetric technology”. This transition period's lagged and foggy atmosphere might be very conducive to potential white-collar fraudsters who plan to abuse their TECHs in Finance advantages. Fueled by inconsistent supervisory approaches, national protectionism in reaction to trade wars, fierce competitions among national economies, and unattractive yields at money markets, potential white-collar fraudsters come up with great opportunities to abuse FinTech related companies at capital markets. Therefore, the Wirecard AG case has multiple aspects and causes, not only one. Nevertheless, many aspects of today’s financial sectors address new FinTech crises and FinTech related scandals, not only in one country but also in every economy, developing or developed ones. Therefore, governments and financial supervisors should brace for FinTech crises and financial scandals in the near future unless they meet structural reform and digital transformation requirements.