Fintech Startups Research Articles

Fintech: A Literature Review

This article analyzes the Fintech evolution. After describing the process of this phenomenon, some of the main definitions are provided both nationally and internationally. Finally, six main models of Fintech are analyzed.
 
 Through a systematic literature, 14 articles have been selected that deal with the phenomenon of Fintech.
 
 Six Fintech business models implemented by the ever growing number of Fintech startups have been identified, payment, wealth management, crowdfunding, loan, capital market and insurance services. Internationally, Fintech has already been defined by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank Group (WBG), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). On a national level, on the other hand, Fintech has been analyzed by various countries, USA, United Kingdom, Singapore, China, Switzerland, China, Australia and the European Union.
 
 Fintech refers to a broad set of innovations - observable in the financial field in a broad sense - which are made possible by the use of new technologies both in the offer of services to end users and in the internal production processes of financial operators as well as in the design of market enterprises, without thereby compromising new possible configurations of intersectoral activities.
 
 Fintech appears to be representative of innovative methods - based on technology - of carrying out activities directly or indirectly connected to financial services rather than being a pre-defined industrial sector. Following the logic of the digital economy, Fintech contributes to designing an open and continuous network of modular services for businesses, individuals and banking, financial and insurance intermediaries, becoming a powerful acceleration force for the integration policies of the financial services markets in the EU.

Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence in Banking: Systematic Literature Review

The primary aim of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to identify, assess and synthesize the extant evidence about the opportunities and challenges concerning the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the banking sector. From the SLR, it is evident that AI has several opportunities for the sector. There are many fin-tech start-ups that offer banking AI solutions, and banking regulators are fostering AI adoption through legislation and collaboration. Other opportunities include the following: personalized services, smart wallets, decision-making and problem-solving, customer satisfaction and loyalty, process automation (especially targeting repetitive tasks), transactional security and cybersecurity improvements, and promotion of digital financial inclusion. Nevertheless, the key banking industry stakeholders have to formulate appropriate strategies aimed at overcoming existing and prospect AI challenges. Among the AI challenges that should be prioritized we include the following: job loss and user acceptance concerns, privacy breaches, creativity and adaptability loss, restrictive implementation and operational requirements, digital divide, availability of vast quality data, AI-business strategy alignment, and loss of emotional “human touch”. However, existing studies are largely descriptive and based on secondary sources of data. This necessitates empirical studies to expand the existing body of knowledge regarding AI opportunities and challenges in the banking industry.

Fintech – stick or carrot – in innovating and transforming a financial ecosystem: toward a typology of comfort zoning

PurposeFintech is an “untilled field” in which the relation between Fintechs and incumbents is yet to be understood. This paper aims to explore this relationship and advance its theoretical and practical understanding. It further contributes toward Fintech paradigm and research domain emergence that both to date remain yet elusive.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopted a multiple-case study strategy for the purpose of theory building. Seven players from the Fintech ecosystem in Quebec (Canada) were selected, representing financial institutions, Fintech start-ups and Quebec’s financial cluster. Primary data was collected via in-depth interviews with ten respondents at the level of vice presidents, Managers, directors, chief executive officers and founders, and unobtrusive data – in the form of running records, mass-media news reports, presentations and proceedings from Fintech events. Data analysis was informed by grounded theory methods and techniques.FindingsGrounded in data, this paper puts forward a typology of “comfort zoning” and its four types: nimbling, imperiling, cocooning and discomforting.Research limitations/implicationsFollowing the tenets of the grounded theory, four criteria are used to evaluate the emergent theory: fit, relevance, workability and modifiability. It is expected the interpretation and adoption of comfort zoning typology will be challenged, modified and enhanced by Fintech researchers and practitioners.Practical implicationsThe comfort zoning typology would aid practitioners in their efforts to define and refine the domain of Fintech, problematize it and eventually enhance the relationship between Fintechs.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills an identified need to explore the relationship between Fintechs and incumbents and advance the theoretical and practical understanding of this relationship.

The determinants of debt financing: The case of fintech start-ups

The purpose of this paper is to explore determinants of the debt financing of FinTech start-ups. Using a new hand-collected multisource database that maps FinTech start-ups incorporated in the UK from 2010 to 2015, this study examines how the characteristics of FinTech start-ups affect the types of financing used in the first three years after incorporation. The novelty of this study consists in the identification and analysis of the determinants that enable FinTech start-ups to obtain long-term debt and hence to finance their growth. The analysis is primarily conducted via a Tobit regression model. This paper contributes to the literature since we still have limited understanding of the financing of FinTech firms, even if academic literature examining the financing of start-ups has expanded in the last few years. The results from the empirical analysis demonstrate that unregulated FinTech start-ups are more likely to be financed with long-term debt. Asset structure, owner characteristics and the specific FinTech activity influence the funding source. Moreover, FinTech start-ups backed by equity investors receive less long-term debt funding than their peers. A better understanding of the debt financing of FinTech start-ups provides managers with valuable insights into ways of managing their firms. Furthermore, our results have relevant implications for the employment, competition and innovation, given the role that start-ups generally play in the economy. The study is limited to a sample of FinTech start-ups incorporated in an advanced economy, and thus the generalization of the presented results to developing economies will require caution.

Financial Technology: Development of Innovative Fintech Start-Ups and Its Application in Banking System of Uzbekistan

In the context of globalization, labor migration, trade and capital movements, tourism, foreign investment, IT are affected by the economic growth rates of countries. Periodic disclosure of reforms in the new Uzbekistan, the beginning of socio-economic relations provided opportunities for modernization, technical and technological re-equipment of the industrial sector. In particular, the need for financial technology in commercial banks is important to conduct research in this area. The influence of fintech is beginning to be felt in the banking sector and capital markets. This article surveys its development and its impact on efficiency, banking market structure, strategies of incumbents and entrants, and financial stability.

The Role of FinTech Startups in Contemporary Society

Subject. This article discusses the socio-economic role and implication of FinTech startups in modern conditions. Objectives. The article aims to identify and characterize the main areas of influence of FinTech startups on social inequality and prove the need for their support by the State in connection with the growing influence of the FinTech industry in the global financial system. Methods. For the study, I used the methods of logical and statistical analyses, aggregation by attribute, and classification. Results. The article reveals the growing influence of the FinTech industry on the global financial system, and in the context of this it proves that the current stage of development of world finance is characterized by an upsurge in investor interest in FinTech startups. Through empirical analysis, the article identifies the main categories of positive externalities of FinTech startups, and it also offers universal recommendations for State support for FinTech startups. Conclusions. Today, FinTech startups are among the most dynamically developing companies in the financial market. According to the totality of characteristics, FinTech startups can become a tool for transforming the financial system at the State level. The FinTech development is reaching a new level, namely the supranational one, which has both advantages and disadvantages.

Digital innovation in wealth management landscape: the moderating role of robo advisors in behavioural biases and investment decision-making

PurposeInnovation is the way of life and we see various innovative techniques and methods being introduced in our daily life. This study aims to focus on digital innovation in the wealth management domain. This study examines the effect of usage of robo-advisory services in investment decision-making and behavioural biases, i.e. overconfidence and loss aversion. Such studies are more pronounced in developed countries and little has been studied about investor behaviour in association with advisory services in developing countries such as India.Design/methodology/approachOverconfidence and loss-aversion biases, investment decision-making and advisory services questions are measured using a five-point Likert scale. The number of respondents was 172 investors. A purposive sampling is used for gathering responses from investors. Structural equation modeling model was run using AMOS 22 version software package.FindingsThe authors found that behavioural biases positively and significantly influence the irrationalities of investment decision-making. The findings of this study also provide empirical evidence that the usage of robo-advisory services, by individual investors, is still incapable of mitigating behavioural biases, such as overconfidence bias and loss-aversion bias.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample size of this study could be a limiting factor. This study is limited only to two biases, while other behavioural biases affect the investment decision-making of the investors, which can be considered for future research along with the impact of robo-advisory services in different socio-cultural backgrounds.Practical implicationsThis study will assist fintech start-ups, banks, architecture of robo advisors, product owners and wealth management service providers improvise their products, platforms and offerings of these automated advisory services. This could help individual investors to mitigate their behavioural biases in investment decision-making.Social implicationsThis study is useful to society as the awareness of robo-advisory services is very less, at present, and there is a need to increase the usage of these services to extend the benefit of this to the lower stratum of society. These services would be useful to all investors who find it difficult to afford financial advisors and help them mitigate their behavioural biases for investment decision-making.Originality/valueThis study is the first of its type that establishes the linkage between behavioural biases, digital innovation in fintech, i.e. robo-advisory services and individual investor’s investment decision-making in individual investor of the Indian stock market.

Islamic banks financing of FinTech start-ups in Oman: An exploratory study

This study mainly aims to explore the current practice and prospects of FinTech start-ups financing in Oman, particularly the IFIs (Islamic Financial Institutions) financing practices and the challenges faced by these start-ups in obtaining it. The study applies qualitative methods in procedures of in-depth interviews with eight Islamic banks’ managers in Oman. The findings revealed that the financing of the FinTech start-ups in Oman still in the infant stage and below its potential. This might be due to the general lack of interest in this area by the Omani start-up businesses. This situation might be due to the lack of clear strategic vision of Omani financial institutions, including both Islamic and conventional financial institutions with regards the Fintech start-ups. The findings also showed that the start-ups in Oman prefer long term financial schemes, while the Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) generally prefer to offer short term financing on Musharakah and Ijarah contracts. Lastly, the findings showed that the IFIs are positive regarding the prospects of growth and success of FinTech in Oman. It is noteworthy that this is one of the early studies that addresses the FinTech start-ups financing from an Islamic perspective, and hence places the ground for the future studies to be conducted in this area.

Indonesian young consumers’ intention to donate using sharia fintech

Purpose: This research examines the effect of Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), Perceived Usefulness (PU), religiosity, and company image on intention to use Sharia fintech for donation among Indonesian young consumers. Methodology: This study used a quantitative method with data collection techniques using an online questionnaire. Respondents filled out the questionnaire based on the Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). The questionnaire was distributed and collected in less than one week, from 26th March 2021 to 29th March 2021. The ideal sample is five times higher than the number of indicators. The number of indicators is 20, so the ideal sample is 100 or more. This study has successfully collected 206 respondents. However, 13 respondents filled the same scale for all questions, so 193 is chosen as data analysis. The valid data were analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). Findings: This research shows the intention to use Sharia fintech to pay donations influenced by perceived usefulness (PU) and religiosity. In contrast, perceived ease of use (PEOU) and image are not positively related to the intention of using Sharia fintech for donation. Practical Implication: Religiosity and PU positively influence the interest in using Sharia fintech to pay donation. So, it is expected for fintech to comply with Sharia compliance and still comply with regulations from the OJK and DSN related to legality aspects. Furthermore, fintech startups and developers can build a more user-friendly application. Originality: This research is a replication-based model and is adapted from published research. The originality in this research is in the respondent who young generation. Intention to pay donation using fintech Sharia is the main focus to be researched. This primary focus has not been being researched beforehand.

THE EFFECT OF SERVICE QUALITY AND PERCEPTION OF FINANCING MARGINS ON FINANCING DECISIONS AND ITS IMPACT ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

The rise of digitalization of financial services has led to the emergence of many fintech (financial techology) start-ups. However, because fintech startups have several risks, the Bank remains the main option in selecting financing / credit service products for bankable people. This research was conducted at PT Bank Syariah Mandiri with a purposive sampling method. The data was collected by distributing questionnaires using a Likert scale. The analysis technique used is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to calculate the effect of each variable. The results of the study reveal that service quality has a positive and significant effect on the decision to request financing, the perception of the margin of financing has a positive and significant effect on the decision on financing application, the quality of service has no positive and insignificant effect on customer satisfaction, the perception of the size of the financing margin has a positive and significant effect on satisfaction. Customer, the decision to request financing has a positive and significant effect on customer satisfaction, service quality has a positive and significant effect on customer satisfaction, which is mediated by the decision on a financing request, the perception of the size of the financing margin has a positive and significant effect on the variable of customer satisfaction, which is mediated by the variable of financing request decision. Based on the result, banking services can increase financing margins that this is can relate with customer purchasing decision.

A Spanner in the Works: Category-Spanning Entrants and Audience Valuation of Incumbents

Previous work has examined how audiences evaluate category-spanning organizations, but little is known about how their entrance affects evaluations of other, proximate organizations. We posit that the emergence of category-spanning entrants signals the advent of an altered future state—and seeds doubt about incumbents’ prospects in a reordered industry-categorization scheme. We test this hypothesis by treating announcements of funding for startups as an information shock to investors evaluating incumbent financial service providers between 2010 and 2017—a period marked by atypical category combinations at FinTech startups. We find that announcements by startups that embodied unusual combinations of categories resulted in lower cumulative average returns for incumbents, both in absolute terms and in comparison with typical startups. Our theory and results contribute to research on categorization in markets and to theories of disruptive innovation and industry evolution.

Triggers and Obstacles to the Development of the FinTech Sector in Poland

The article aims to show the opportunities for the formation of new FinTech startups in Poland and further development of the sector, as well as to identify the most critical threats. The study offers the descriptive and deductive analysis based on the literature review. The empirical part relies on the data from external databases as well as the dataset collected in a survey run among the FinTechs in Poland in January 2020. The paper reveals that Poland is a fast-growing FinTech market which satisfies various requirements such as the number of secure Internet servers, mobile telephone subscriptions, the available labor force, as well as growing tertiary education enrolment. The crucial obstacles to the development of the sector is the uncertainty about the availability of skilled workers in the future and the lack of proper legal regulations.

Exploring Economic and Technological Determinants of FinTech Startups’ Success and Growth in the United Arab Emirates

In the last few years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a regional hub serving as an incubator of the FinTech ecosystem, where regulators began implementing policies to encourage the growth of Fintech ventures in 2017. However, detailed empirical evidence concerning the impact of various FinTech-level and ecosystem-specific factors as determinants of FinTech success and survival is yet to be discussed. This paper investigates the underlying factors influencing the success of UAE-based FinTech ventures. Several factors are included in the analysis, controlling for the hedonics of the FinTech, including the business model, availability of and access to finance, and business ecosystem framework. Data are pooled using a semi-structured questionnaire conducted with 32 FinTech founders. A qualitative analysis with an ordered logistic regression model was performed. The findings suggest that the availability of resources, in particular through venture capital, is vital to the success and survival of FinTechs as microbusinesses. However, financial barriers, the regulatory environment, and legal issues have a detrimental impact on facilitating the creation and growth of FinTech ventures. Furthermore, the business model dimensions “product/service offering” and “value proposition” tend to influence the success of these ventures. The empirical model’s findings will serve as a data-driven tool to help guide finance policymakers in their decisions on how to promote this new sector.

The Impact of Fintech Startups on Financial Institutions' Performance and Default Risk

We examine the impact of fintech start-ups on the performance and default risk of traditional financial institutions. We find a positive relationship between fintech start-up formations and incumbent institutions’ performance for the period 2005–2018 and a large sample of financial institutions from 87 countries. We further analyze the link between fintech start-up formations and the default risk of traditional financial institutions. Fintech start-up formations decrease stock return volatility of incumbent institutions and decrease the systemic risk exposure of financial institutions. The findings indicate that legislators and financial supervisory authorities should closely monitor the development of fintech start-ups, because fintechs not only have a positive effect on the financial sector’s performance but also can improve financial stability relative to the status quo.

Start-ups, Gender Disparities, and the Fintech Revolution in Latin America

This chapter considers the process of entrepreneurial activity to deploy financial technologies (fintech) through mandate-specific new companies in Latin America. We deal with important historical issues such as defining the term, establishing temporal and industrial activity boundaries, positioning this particular process within other organizational forms typical of the region, the role of women and other relevant issues such as the modernization of retail payments and personal lending. A central question is whether fintech start-ups have had a 'scissor' effect in the entrepreneurial process of Latin America: at the base of the pyramid (that is, reducing frictions to support overall entrepreneurial activity, increasing financial inclusion, etc.) and near the top (by creating new business leaders). As a result, this chapter provides an initial assessment of gender disparities and barriers enabling women entrepreneurs in the fintech ecosystem.

Financial technology in the Finnish banking sector and its impact on stakeholders in the wake of COVID-19

Financial Technology (FinTech, hereafter) has integrated with the banking sector. Despite its fast growth, FinTech is a relatively new and under-explored phenomenon in the academic and corporate spheres. The current study aims to explore, first, the role and relevance of FinTech in the commercial banking sector in Finland; and second, the changing dynamics of stakeholders of the banking industry in the light of FinTech. The above objectives have been studied in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary data has been collected through semi-structured interviews. A significant impact of FinTech has been observed in the following aspects of the banking sector: customers, strategy, risk management, investors, operations, competitiveness, and future growth. FinTech adoption has been contributed by the growth in the IT sector and innovations in the field of firm financing including crowdsourcing and peer-to-peer financing. Changing customers’ demands and behaviour have also facilitated FinTech adoption (Lee & Teo, 2015). Banks have been integrating FinTech into insurance services and this feature has become more profound ever since banks increased their cooperation with international insurance companies (Paschen, Wilson, & Ferreira, 2020). Similarly, there has been a significant increase in collaboration between banks and FinTech start-ups. Nonetheless, the unpredictable factors, such as the ongoing COVID-19, can influence the future innovation and adoption of FinTech.

The financial technologies transformation in the digital economy

The fourth industrial revolution is changing the technological face of the economy. Digital technologies are especially widespread in it. They affect all areas of the economy. These changes require in-depth research. The purpose of the article is to analyze financial technologies considered as a factor in the development of the financial sector in the digital economy. To achieve this goal, methods of institutional, retrospective and comparative analysis, modeling and forecasting were used. As a result of the research, theoretical approaches to the study of digital financial technologies have been systematized; perspective areas of their application are considered; the prerequisites, factors and risks of their application in the financial sector are determined. The main trend in the considered area is the intensification of competition between banks and IT companies, which makes it necessary for banks to change the traditional banking business model. Banks will transform into IT companies. And IT companies will penetrate deeper into the financial sector using fintech start-ups. It is expected that the convergence of these sectors of the economy will increase, which will lead to the formation of new integral industries based on digital and platform fintech technologies. Comprehensive support for the development of new digital financial technologies is needed. The tools of such support are support for the creation and implementation of digital financial innovations, stimulation of digital start-ups, support for companies in the implementation of digital financial technologies, the formation of a digital market, etc.

THE CONCEPT OF DIGITALIZATION AND USAGE IT SOLUTIONS IN FINANCIAL SECTOR

The era of Industry 4.0 has a great impact on the nature of finance and interaction between market participants. Industry 4.0 has already made a global contribution to improving and automating production through various physical and digital technologies. But one of the main questions today remains how companies can effectively use digital technologies in the financial sector. The paper considers the role of digitalization and the process of its implementation on real cases of companies around the world, as well as software used by companies. Based on the data received from Google Scholar and Statista, the demand for electronic document management, which became extremely popular during the Covid-19 pandemic, was confirmed as a solution and facilitation of the work remotely. The essence of the digitalization process study has been substantiated and the possibilities and prospects for the further development of this topic have been put forward. Further technological development and digitalization of financial services will be associated with the use of innovative financing methods and the development of FinTech startups that ensure the use of several online financial services directly to key market participants, excluding the participation of financial intermediaries. This could lead to a personalized system that will be used not only in the financial sector, but also in related sectors such as supply chain management and value chain creation.

Customers' adoption of financial services offered by banks and fintechs partnerships: evidence of a transitional economy

<abstract> In recent years, the number of fintech startups has increased substantially, especially those that offer financial services in areas considered as traditional advantage of commercial banks such as payment, deposit or lending services. This paper examines the cooperation in the provision of financial services between banks and Fintech from consumers' perspective, which is the customers' adoption of financial services offered by the partnership between banks and Fintechs. The study employs SEM utilizing data of 234 customers using financial services in Vietnam to identify the factors influence their behaviors and intention to use financial services offered by banks and fintechs partnerships. The findings indicate that perceived usefulness, brand image, user innovativeness and trust have positive effects on customers' attitude and consequently on their intention to use. However, there is no evidence regarding the impact of perceived ease of use and perceived risks on behavior and intention to use of customers. The findings also provide more evidence on the factors that influence the intention of customers' technology acceptance in the traditional Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). </abstract>

More than words: how press releases predict the performance of start-ups: evidence from the FinTech sector

This study analyses the predictive power of press releases for the performance of FinTech start-ups. Using quantitative content analysis, we investigate a sample of 1570 press releases, issued betw...