Fintech Lenders Research Articles

Bridging the gap? A theoretical analysis of the net effect of FinTech entry on access to credit

FinTech lenders offer an opportunity to enhance credit access but may also disrupt traditional banking. This study proposes a theoretical framework for analyzing the net impact of FinTech’s entry on access to credit in credit markets dominated by conventional banks. When a FinTech lender enters the market, competition intensifies, which reduces the bank’s gain in serving certain customer segments. While FinTech lending can help serve some unattended niches, it may cause the bank to abandon others, leading to an ambiguous or even negative impact on access to credit.

Open banking: an early review

PurposeThis paper offers an overview of the burgeoning literature on open banking, focusing on its implications for the financial sector.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the recent developments in the nascent literature of open banking. In particular, it discusses the following issues. (1) the extent to which open banking fosters competition, drives innovation and enhances financial inclusion; (2) the impact of institutional arrangements on the outcomes of open banking initiatives and (3) the critical role of government in promoting open banking and regulating banking activities.FindingsThe paper concludes with a discussion on potential directions for future research. First, open banking introduces significant challenges to the traditional banking model. Furthermore, the interplay between open banking and financial risk presents an area ripe for exploration. Lastly, the importance of consumer education in the context of open banking cannot be overstated.Originality/valueOpen innovation enables financial institutions generate productive innovations as well as provide customers with significantly better services, by getting access to previously restricted customer data. However, currently non-bank and fintech lenders often face significant barriers in accessing comprehensive customer data, which restricts their capacity to support non-standard credit models. More emphasis is required to be assigned to research on the economic impact of open banking.

The impact of fintech lending on credit access for U.S. small businesses

Small business lending (SBL) plays an important role in funding productive investment and fostering local economic growth. Recently, nonbank lenders have gained market share in the SBL market in the United States, especially relative to community banks. Among nonbanks, fintech lenders have become particularly active, leveraging alternative data and complex modeling for their own internal credit scoring. We use proprietary loan-level data from two fintech SBL platforms (Funding Circle and LendingClub) to explore the characteristics of loans originated pre-pandemic (20162019). Our results show that these fintech SBL platforms lent relatively more in zip codes with higher unemployment rates and higher business bankruptcy filings. Moreover, fintech platforms’ internal credit scores were able to predict future loan performance more accurately than traditional credit scores, particularly in areas with high unemployment. Using Y-14 M loan-level bank data, we compare fintech SBL with traditional bank business cards in terms of credit access and interest rates. Overall, while not all fintech firms follow the same approach, we find that fintech lenders could help close the credit gap, allowing small businesses that were less likely to receive credit through traditional lenders to access credit and potentially at lower cost.

Banking competition in Indonesia: does Fintech lending matters?

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how the rise of financial technology (Fintech) lending affects bank competition. Moreover, this study also identifies the structure of Indonesian commercial banking sector and the different behaviour of competition among bank groups (based on their size, type and ownership) and the joint impact of COVID-19 due to the rise of Fintech lending.Design/methodology/approachUsing an unbalanced panel data set of 118 commercial banks in Indonesia over the period 2018–2022, both static panel and 2SLS/IV data analysis were used and found that random effect model is the best model.FindingsThe results show that the Indonesian commercial banking sector can be considered as monopolistic competition. Moreover, using the Lerner index reveals that the entry of the Fintech lenders increases bank competition. Furthermore, there were different responses to the impact of Fintech lending on bank competition among state-owned banks, private banks, regional development banks and foreign banks. Greater efficiency and stability lead to greater market power. In the meantime, higher level of asset growth, capitalisation and cost-to-income ratio increase the competition. Lastly, higher bank credit growth and lower inflation boost overall bank competitiveness.Practical implicationsThis study highlights some policy recommendations for commercial banks to be aware of the coming of Fintech lenders because they have started to increase the market competition. The government should create a more collaborative ecosystem between banks and Fintech lending to anticipate unhealthy competition.Originality/valueThis study will contribute to the literature by expanding the determinants of bank competition by considering the rise of Fintech lending in the market.

FinTech and banks: Strategic partnerships that circumvent state usury laws

This paper investigates the role of interest rate regulation of consumer credit and institutional risk segmentation in FinTech lenders’ efforts to solicit new customers in the personal loan market. We find that strategic partnerships between FinTech companies and specialist banks target marginal-risk, near-prime and low-prime consumers, living in states with low interest rate ceilings for unsecured personal loans. In partnering with the specialist banks, the FinTech lenders are able to take advantage of federal preemptions from state rate ceilings to lend profitably to higher-risk consumers in states with low rate ceilings to compete in these markets. We also show that when these partnerships are restricted, finance companies increase their credit supply.

The role of FinTech lenders in mortgage market: Evidence from corporate relocations

This study investigates how FinTech lenders respond to the surge in mortgage demand caused by corporate headquarter relocations. We find that FinTech lenders tend to increase mortgage supply and loosen underwriting criteria as compared to non-FinTech lenders. The competitive advantage obtained from mortgage securitization enables FinTech lenders to capture growth opportunities.

Fintech lenders and borrowers screening: Superior abilities or lax practices?

Fintech lenders target borrowers that commercial banks deem too risky. We hypothesize that such borrower selection is either due to superior screening abilities of Fintech lenders, or due to less rigorous screening practices from their part. We find evidence in favor of the “superior screening” hypothesis. Using data on U.S. conforming mortgage loans originated between 2012 and 2022, we show that Fintech mortgage lenders serve borrowers with lower credit scores compared to banks, while experiencing better mortgage performance. This result is particularly strong in the mortgage refinancing market. These findings suggest that Fintech mortgage lenders specialize in providing refinancing credit to ex-ante riskier mortgage applicants, to whom they successfully apply rigorous screening standards.

Digital disruptors at the gate. Does FinTech lending affect bank market power and stability?

This paper examines the effect of FinTech lending on the market power and stability of incumbent banks. Using an international sample of 6,225 banks during the period 2013–2019, our results show that the volume of credit provided by FinTech lenders negatively affects bank market power and stability. These results are influenced by the legal framework and institutional quality of each jurisdiction. Furthermore, the impact of FinTech lending on bank stability is partially channeled by the effect of FinTech credit on the market power of incumbent banks. Our main results – lower bank market power and bank stability – are also observed at the country level and after addressing potential endogeneity concerns. Regarding policy implications, more prudential regulation on FinTech activity is needed to address information imbalance issues and potential risks stemming from their activities. Furthermore, reinforcing the legal framework and institutional structure could serve to mitigate the adverse effects of FinTech lending on the traditional commercial banking sector.

Lender Automation and Racial Disparities in Credit Access

ABSTRACTProcess automation reduces racial disparities in credit access by enabling smaller loans, broadening banks' geographic reach, and removing human biases from decision making. We document these findings in the context of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), where private lenders faced no credit risk but decided which firms to serve. Black‐owned firms obtained PPP loans primarily from automated fintech lenders, especially in areas with high racial animus. After traditional banks automated their loan processing procedures, their PPP lending to Black‐owned firms increased. Our findings cannot be fully explained by racial differences in loan application behaviors, preexisting banking relationships, firm performance, or fraud rates.

The impact of Fintech on the nexus between household debt and financial crises: A global perspective

This study investigates whether fintech development shapes the nexus between household debt and financial crises. Prior research has demonstrated a positive relationship between household debt and financial crises but has neglected to explore the heterogeneity of this effect resulting from the rapid fintech development. We used a dataset of 100 countries from 2006 to 2019 and revealed that fintech development elevates the probability of a household debt expansion resulting in a financial crisis. This effect primarily operates through increased risk-taking among traditional banks, which tend to relax their credit standards to compete with fintech lenders. Furthermore, the amplification effect of fintech development is more pronounced in countries characterized by more developed financial systems, more advanced information-sharing systems, less stringent financial regulations, and higher digitalization. These findings have enriched our understanding of how fintech influences household credit quality, providing insights into its economic consequences from the vantage point of financial crises.

FinTech and Banks: Strategic Partnerships That Circumvent State Usury Laws

Previous research has found evidence suggesting that financial technology (FinTech) lenders seek out opportunities in markets that have been underserved by mainstream banks. The research focuses primarily on the effect of bank market structure, limited income, and economic hardship in attracting FinTech companies to underserved markets. This paper expands the scope of FinTech research by investigating the role of interest rate regulation of consumer credit and institutional risk segmentation in FinTech lenders’ efforts to solicit new customers in the personal loan market. We find that strategic partnerships between FinTech companies and specialist banks target marginal-risk, near-prime, and low-prime consumers for credit card and other debt consolidation loans. These FinTech-bank partnerships especially target marginal consumers in states with low interest rate ceilings. Mainstream banks largely avoid higher-risk consumers, and low rate ceilings inhibit consumer finance company lending, which historically has been the major source of personal loans for higher risk consumers and may compete with banks at the margin. In partnering with the specialist banks, the FinTech lenders are able to take advantage of federal preemptions from state rate ceilings to lend profitably to higher-risk consumers in states with low rate ceilings to compete in these markets.

Analisis Pertumbuhan Fintech Sebelum dan Saat Pandemi Covid-19 di Indonesia

Fintech in development has fluctuations in every sentiment, both negative and positive and has had an impact on its development. Before the Covid-19 pandemic occurred, many people still use traditional financial services which were carried out through offline payment transactions and carrying cash even though fintech options were available. During the Covid-19 pandemic occurred, financial services changed offline habits into online activities. However, inconsistencies occurred between loan disbursement which increased while the interest trend in fintech financing decreased when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. The purpose of this study is to analyze whether there were differences before and during the Covid-19 pandemic among fintech lenders in Indonesia. analyze whether there were differences before and during the Covid-19 pandemic for fintech borrowers in Indonesia. The data used is transaction data of fintech lenders and borrowers in Indonesia from 2018 – 2022. This study uses the Paired Sample t-Test and the Wilcoxon Test with the Eviews 12 test tool. The results of this study indicate that there are significant differences in lender transactions and borrowers in conditions before the entry of Covid-19 to the time of entry of Covid-19 to Indonesia. The conclusion is that this significant difference is because during Covid-19, especially investors in Indonesia experienced many problems from health to finance, so when Covid-19 occurred they held back money more than investing in fintech so that lender transactions decreased. In borrower transactions due to lender transactions as lenders decreasing so that loan requests by borrowers that can be fulfilled also decrease.

Fintech Lending: An Analysis of Supply Factors in Indian Context

With a risen technological advancement, the lending sector has changed the way it serves borrowers. Fintech lenders are those who depend on this type of advancement and create a positive effect on the lending sector in India. The primary goal of this research paper is to comprehend the supply drivers of fintech lending in India. To fulfil this goal, researchers create a conceptual framework based on secondary sources of information. In conclusion, there are four drivers that make the supply line stable for the fintech lenders in India. The results of this study can be used to refine a case study approach for use in other studies.

FinTech and Banks: Strategic Partnerships That Circumvent State Usury Laws

Previous research has found evidence suggesting that financial technology (FinTech) lenders seek out opportunities in markets that have been underserved by mainstream banks. The research focuses primarily on the effect of bank market structure, limited income, and economic hardship in attracting FinTech companies to underserved markets. This paper expands the scope of FinTech research by investigating the role of interest rate regulation of consumer credit and institutional risk segmentation in FinTech lenders’ efforts to solicit new customers in the personal loan market. We find that strategic partnerships between FinTech companies and specialist banks target marginal-risk, near-prime, and low-prime consumers for credit card and other debt consolidation loans. These FinTech-bank partnerships especially target marginal consumers in states with low interest rate ceilings. Mainstream banks largely avoid higher-risk consumers, and low rate ceilings inhibit consumer finance company lending, which historically has been the major source of personal loans for higher risk consumers and may compete with banks at the margin. In partnering with the specialist banks, the FinTech lenders are able to take advantage of federal preemptions from state rate ceilings to lend profitably to higher-risk consumers in states with low rate ceilings to compete in these markets.

FinTech-Issued Personal Loans in the U.S.

The financial technology advances of the past decade brought to prominence a new group of lenders active within the personal loan space—financial technology (FinTech) lenders. Although traditional lenders such as banks, thrifts, credit unions, and finance companies continue to play an important role in providing personal loans to consumers, FinTech lenders gained a notable market share.

Trust and Personal Innovativeness as the Prerequisites for Using Digital Lending Services Offered by FinTech Lenders

Theoretical background: Contemporary financial systems have been going through a period of dynamic changes since the beginning of this century. A special role in this process is played by technological innovations, especially the process of digitalization of financial systems, which resulted in the development of FinTech lenders. These entities are active in various segments of the financial services market, including the area of consumer loans (FinTech lenders). The conducted research confirms the dynamic development of FinTech lending activity worldwide and indicates the leading position of Poland among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in terms of the volume of digital lending. A review of the source literature shows a small number of scientific studies devoted to identifying the reasons underlying the growing interest of consumers in the offer of FinTech lenders. The perceived research gap became the motivation to undertake research addressing this topic in relation to the Polish market of non-banking digital loan services. Purpose of the article: Determining the place and importance of trust and personal innovativeness for consumers’ decisions to use digital loan services offered by FinTech lenders in Poland. Research methods: Critical analysis of the source literature, descriptive and comparative analysis, diagnostic survey as well as simple statistical methods, i.e. analysis of the structure or Kendall’s Tau correlation analysis. The empirical data were collected in May 2022 using the CAWI (computer-assisted web interview) method. The research sample was representative and included 1,000 representatives of Polish population. Main findings: Among the factors determining the adoption decisions of FinTech lenders’ clients, two groups of constructs can be distinguished. The first one consists of classic prerequisites (e.g. perceived ease of use [PEU], perceived usefulness [PU]), identified for a wide range of entities offering financial services based on information technologies. The second group consists of the factors attributed mainly to FinTech lenders, among which the leading position is taken by expressed trust (T) and personal innovativeness (PI). The analyzes carried out in the article confirmed that the expressed trust and personal innovativeness represent the statistically significant factors influencing the decisions made by Poles related to using digital loan services offered by FinTech lenders. The influence of these constructs on the adopted attitudes is a function of their mutual relationship, based on the reciprocal reinforcement of these factors. The conducted research also resulted in developing the economic and demographic profile of a person using the services of FinTech lenders. It is a man, aged 25–34, a university graduate earning an income exceeding PLN 5,000 and residing in a city populated by over 500,000 residents.

Credit Availability for Minority Business Owners in an Evolving Credit Environment

Disparities in access to small business financing through loan denials and discouragement are estimated using Federal Reserve Small Business Credit Survey data from 2016 to 2020. Substantial differences in credit denial rates continue to exist despite the growth of fintech lenders, which prior research has shown to have expanded the set of small businesses receiving credit. The pandemic period brought many direct additional changes to the business and lending environment, but these results show no evidence of trends in credit access over this period. The Paycheck Protection Program loans represented unprecedented support for small businesses that was not dependent on the credit worthiness of businesses, but minority-owned businesses are estimated to have received a smaller fraction of the funds that they applied for from the program in its 2020 implementation.

Adoption factors in digital lending services offered by FinTech lenders

Research background: Traditional financial institutions are facing new competitors ? FinTech lenders. The development of these entities and their services depends on many factors, including the level of their acceptance and use by potential and/or current customers. This acceptance determines the ability to create desired financial results and defines the set of FinTech lenders? activities and also their environment aimed at shaping the offer which meets their consumers? expectations. The limited number of studies addressing the identification and assessment of the impact exerted by the adoption factors of lending services offered by FinTech lenders and the lack of such analyzes relating to these decisions made by consumers from Central and Eastern Europe argue for the need to conduct such research. Purpose of the article: Identify factors driving consumers? adoption of digital lending services offered by FinTech lenders in Poland. Methods: Critical analysis of the source literature, descriptive and comparative analysis, diagnostic survey, econometric methods (PCA, SEM used in the TAM). Empirical data come from the surveys carried out in May 2022 using the CAWI method and covering a representative sample of 1,000 Poles. Findings & value added: The study identified factors driving consumers? adoption of digital lending services, including perceived trust, risk, usefulness and financial health. It has been proven that the perceived ease of use and innovation do not represent the statistically significant constructs influencing the accepted adoption attitudes. The adopted research model shows a considerable power to explain the intention of using digital loans. The article is the first scientific study of this type discussing the identification of adoption factors for loan services offered by FinTech lenders operating on the Central and Eastern European market. The presented example of Poland being the leader in this dynamically developing market provides the background for conducting international comparative studies in the future.

Did FinTech Lenders Facilitate PPP Fraud?

ABSTRACTIn the $793 billion Paycheck Protection Program, we examine metrics related to potential misreporting including nonregistered businesses, multiple businesses at residential addresses, abnormally high implied compensation per employee, and large inconsistencies with jobs reported in another government program. These measures consistently concentrate in certain FinTech lenders and are cross‐verified by seven additional measures. FinTech market share increased significantly over time, and suspicious lending by FinTechs in 2021 is four times the level at the start of the program. Suspicious loans are being overwhelmingly forgiven at rates similar to other loans.

Local banking markets and barriers to entrepreneurship in minority and other areas

This empirical study investigates the linkages among entrepreneurship in the form of establishment entry, local banking markets, and broadband availability, focusing on minority areas in the US. Lack of access to banks and lack of competition in the market for small business loans can make it more difficult for an entrepreneur to overcome the liquidity constraint to starting a new business. Broadband internet access can facilitate startups directly by enhancing firm profitability and indirectly by stimulating competition in the loan market, lowering the cost of access to finance, and enabling access to financial capital from fintech lenders. The barriers to new business creation erected by local banking markets are hypothesized to be even higher in minority areas, given the greater difficulty minority entrepreneurs face in raising financial capital. The empirical results show that broadband availability, local bank density, and competition in small business loans all facilitate startups. Broadband lowers barriers for entrepreneurs as hypothesized through both the direct and indirect channels. Broadband availability attenuates the barriers from insufficient access to local banks and lack of competition in small business loans from banks. For some industries, higher bank density and greater loan competition facilitate startups more in minority areas than in mostly white areas. Given that minority areas have many fewer banks per capita and much less loan competition than mostly white counties, the results imply that minority areas face even higher barriers to entrepreneurship from insufficient local formal financial resources. The moderating effect of broadband on local financial constraints applies even more so to Black communities; thus while the barriers for Black entrepreneurs may be higher, access to broadband has a greater alleviating effect on those barriers. Business creation in Hispanic areas also faces obstacles from the local banking environment, but broadband does not appear to help reduce them, although it still has a positive direct effect on entry. Additional evidence shows that broadband helped small businesses in minority areas procure more bank loans. Broadband access can thus help entrepreneurs in general, Blacks in particular, and to a lesser extent Hispanics surmount the liquidity constraint to starting a business. The implications of the results are discussed with reference to current and proposed policy to promote broadband availability, usage, and digital equity.