Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services

Financial Post | Geoff Zochodne | March 27, 2019

powerstruggle fintech - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial servicesInnovation Nation: Canada is lagging its global peers in adopting new financial technologies and more co-operation between established banks and startup fintechs would help

The federal government put the word out last July: it needed someone to study the landscape for financial technology companies, or fintechs, and figure out how they were getting along with the big banks and other financial institutions.

Sue Britton’s firm, Toronto-based Fintech Growth Syndicate Inc., won the contract for the study. In January, the group said it turned in a 240-page report, the first of its kind in Canada, that used only publicly available data sourced from more than 60 different websites.

What it found, among other things, was that there were approximately 1,000 fintechs across Canada offering services or products related to crowdfunding, insurance, wealth management, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, capital markets, lending and payments.

The majority of those companies were startups, founded in the years following 2012, and employed less than 99 people each, though combined they had more than 30,000 people. Perhaps more eye-catching was the estimated value of fintech startups in Canada: $30.5 billion.

What the study did not find, however, was 1,000 partnerships with financial institutions: Canada’s Big Five banks may have been increasing their engagement with fintechs, but “the majority of their efforts” were still on building their own products and digital experiences. They were also busy trying to update their “bowl of spaghetti” technologies and systems, some of which may be decades old.

See:  Competition Bureau weighs in on fintech: urgent action required

As a result, one of Canada’s biggest industries is innovating at a relatively tame pace, the country is lagging its peers in adopting new financial technologies and consumers of all types may be paying more for services than they should. The financial industry’s existing business models could eventually come under pressure as well.

“To the extent that we could find publicly available information, we were able to show that, yes, there are some fintechs that are partnering with financial institutions,” Britton said. “But certainly the majority of those partnerships are on the financial institutions’ terms. They’re not groundbreaking new business models … It’s not going to make the marketplace more competitive, because it’s going to, in fact, if anything, grow the business for the incumbent.”

Retaining the status quo may be all well and good for big banks and insurance companies for now. It may even be good for their customers — and most financial consumers have a connection to a big bank or insurer — who may be enjoying a smoother user experience or a new platform at their current institution of choice.

But legacy financial companies face a bit of a conflict of interest when it comes to innovation. After all, they have earnings targets to hit, shareholders to keep happy and thousands of employees and existing systems already in place to meet those goals. Why risk cannibalizing such profitable businesses or, moreover, give the vaunted stability of Canada’s financial industry a jolt?

Yet the incumbents could wake up one day to find their lunches being eaten by big-tech firms such as Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc., which are already offering a payments solution, some more aggressively than others.

“What our big banks aren’t doing is moving as quickly as other parts of the world, innovating their business models, extending financial services to more small businesses or reducing their fees,” Fintech Growth Syndicate said. “Perhaps, as Abraham Lincoln famously said, ‘give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe,’ they are still sharpening the axe.”

See:  Advancing Competition in a Changing Marketplace

It’s also possible that no one is even swinging an axe in the financial sector, despite the federal government’s efforts to push the innovation envelope in various industries.

Competition Bureau research “points to low levels of financial technology adoption in Canada relative to other countries, and limited consumer engagement driven, in part, by frictions associated with shopping around and switching,” according to a document published in February by the interim commissioner of competition. “These factors are symptoms of a market that is not functioning to its full potential.”

Britton believes the major banks and insurers face the innovator’s dilemma, first outlined in a 1997 book by Harvard professor Clayton Christensen: An incumbent with a big base of existing customers and shareholders demanding good returns is unlikely to welcome a company that could disrupt its own business.

On the other hand, “You don’t want to wake up one day and be Blockbuster,” she said.

Nobody, of course, wants to be compared to a bankrupt video-store chain, which is why the financial sector is certainly aware that the big-tech companies are making inroads into their business.

Royal Bank of Canada chief executive Dave McKay reportedly noted in mid-March that he was increasingly concerned with the prospect of Facebook Inc., Amazon.com, Apple, Netflix Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google (the FANG companies) getting into banking.

“They are getting between us and the moments of truth of our customers, and currently what they do with that is they sell that insight back to us in the form of search and advertising and other perspectives, and they earn a certain amount of economic rent,” he said, according to Bloomberg.

RBC and the other big financial institutions know they need to up their game, something that was noted by Luge Capital, a Canadian venture fund focused on fintech and artificial intelligence, when it did its own scan of the fintech landscape for a report published last October.

See:  Open Banking: What’s Really at Stake

Luge Capital, which has been backed by institutions such as the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Sun Life Financial Inc., found the climate for possible partnerships between startups and big banks or insurers had improved.

“Large incumbents have customers, well-established brands and vaults of financial resources,” the report said. “As a venture capital fund with large financial institutions backers, such as Sunlife, Desjardins, CDPQ and La Capital and Le Fonds FTQ, we see first hand their desire to partner with early stage innovators.”

The biggest banks may still have the “vast majority” of the market share in financial services, but there has been a shift recently, said Karim Gillani, general partner at Luge Capital.

“In the last three to five years, there’s been a widespread recognition amongst the FIs (financial institutions) that they need to work with the early stage or smaller fintech companies in order to enhance their service offering for their customers,” he said.

Gillani said there was value in financial institutions exploring new ways of “offering functionality,” such as robo-advisers as a form of wealth management, something several banks have already done.

“It’s a demonstration of how banks are shifting their view from the traditional wealth-management experience to something that’s more automated and driven by technology so that it becomes appealing to a different segment of the population,” he said.

The federal government might open another door for the fintechs to get to the market. Ottawa is currently considering the idea of open banking, which is supposed to give people more control of their data and make it more portable.

See:  Canada’s financial upstarts are lining up behind open banking, but bigger players may need convincing

The competition commissioner, in a submission made in response to a government consultation paper that outlined the benefits and concerns of open banking, said the framework could allow consumers to shop around and compare prices, potentially stirring up competition by lowering search costs.

“Banks would be forced to compete harder for consumers, and consumers would have access to a broader range of services, if the benefits of technology could be more fully exploited through open banking,” the submission stated.

Yet bringing third parties into Canada’s financial system — renowned for its stability — has raised some concern for at least one federal regulator, who pointed out that such decentralization “magnifies non-financial risks and diffuses accountability.”

Continue to the full article --> here

 

 


NCFA Jan 2018 resize - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

Latest news - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial servicesFF Logo 400 v3 - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial servicescommunity social impact - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
FFCON23 Fintech Funding Deal Flow - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services

Share for a Chance to Win FREE #FFCON23 Virtual Event Tickets!!


As a part of the lead-up to this exciting event, NCFA will be holding a social media contest for the chance to win FREE tickets to attend. In order to be entered to win, all you’ll need to do is share any of our event posts or create one of your own through your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn personal or company page, tag @NCFACanada, and use #FFCON23. Winners will be contacted prior to the event. We look forward to seeing you there!

FFCON23 Share on Social for Chance to Win Free Tickets  - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services

Support NCFA by Following us on Twitter!







NCFA Sign up for our newsletter - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services




SEC | Release | March 23, 2024 The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy continues to urge investors to be cautious if considering an investment involving crypto asset securities. Risk notice to investors: Investments in crypto asset securities can be exceptionally volatile and speculative, and the platforms where investors buy, sell, borrow, or lend these securities may lack important protections for investors.  The risk of loss for individual investors who participate in transactions involving crypto assets, including crypto asset securities, remains significant.  The only money you should put at risk with any speculative investment is money you can afford to lose entirely. Those offering crypto asset investments or services may not be complying with applicable law, including federal securities laws.  Under the federal securities laws, a company may not offer or sell securities unless the offering is registered with the SEC or an exemption to registration is available.  Similarly, the law requires parties such as securities broker-dealers, investment advisers, alternative trading systems (ATS), and exchanges to register with the SEC, a state regulator, and/or a self-regulatory organization (SRO), such as FINRA.  Moreover, entities and platforms involved in lending or staking crypto assets may be subject to the federal securities ...
Read More
Unsplash Maxim Hopman download trend - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
Reuters | March 22, 2023 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has threatened to sue Coinbase Global Inc over some of the crypto exchange's products, turning up the heat on the largely unregulated sector. The potential enforcement actions would be tied to aspects of Coinbase's spot market as well as its Earn, Prime and Wallet products, the company said. Shares of Coinbase dropped nearly 13% to $67.33 in extended trading after the company said on Wednesday that the regulator had issued it a Wells notice - a formal declaration that SEC staff intend to recommend an enforcement action. Coinbase said its services continued to operate as usual after the notice was issued. See:  Coinbase Begins ‘Wallet as a Service’ Enabling Companies to Integrate Into Their Own Apps A Wells notice does not always result in charges or signal that the recipient has violated any law.  A Wells notice is typically one of the final steps before the SEC formally issues charges. It generally lays out the framework of the regulatory argument and offers the potentially accused an opportunity to rebut the SEC’s claims. Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal said in a blog post: Although we don’t take this ...
Read More
Wells notice coinbase - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
Guest Post | March 23, 2023 After entering college, people's lives change dramatically. On the positive side, they meet new people, make friends, and experience new emotions. However, they are now adults who must live on campus, pay for college, and become financially independent from their families. In addition to this, they have to attend lectures, prepare homework, participate in college activities, etc. It's a lot of stress, pressure, and sleepless nights. To lighten their workload and speed up the process of doing homework, some students use artificial intelligence-based online tools such as GPT Chat. Others hire assignment writing services, pay the required amount, and receive their papers on time. Both options can help with homework, but which option is better? Let's discuss this further. Are Assignment Writing Services Legal? There are currently no specific laws in the United States that prevent students from hiring assignment writing services or using AI tools for academic purposes. Thus, students can count on the help of assignment writers, especially when they provide a detailed plagiarism report to prove the originality of the work. The problem is finding a reliable service that has a team of experts who write an authentic copy from scratch ...
Read More
Unsplash D koi ChatGPT4 1 - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
CoinDesk | Nikhilesh De, Oliver Knight | March 22, 2023 Sushi DAO and Head Chef Jared Grey were served with a subpoena by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the decentralized autonomous organization revealed Tuesday. Grey proposed creating a "Sushi DAO Legal Defense Fund" in a forum post, saying it would "cover legal costs for core contributors." The proposal recommends making $3 million in tether (USDT) available for core contributors, with another $1 million worth of USDT available in case the initial $3 million are used up. The sushi token dropped 5.5% on the news. One of the initial comments on the forum post asked how the DAO known as Sushi was subpoenaed, with the user saying they did not receive it despite being a member of the DAO. "We’re cooperating with the SEC. We do not intend to comment publicly on ongoing investigations or other legal matters," the forum post said. Continue to the full article --> here The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to ...
Read More
Sushi - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
March 22, 2023 Regarding legal matters: it's always better to be safe than sorry. While there are many situations where a person may try to navigate legal issues on their own - there are instances wherein hiring a lawyer is an absolute must. Here are the top six situations when hiring a lawyer is essential. Criminal Charges If you are facing criminal charges, hiring a lawyer right away is essential. An attorney can help protect your rights, build a strong defense, and negotiate with prosecutors. When choosing a lawyer, it's critical to find someone with experience in your case's specific area of law. You'll also want to ensure that the lawyer has a good track record and a reputation for being a strong advocate for their clients. The seasoned legal practitioners behind https://colbylegal.com/ recommend that you opt for a lawyer who is responsive and attentive to your needs, as well as someone who will keep you informed throughout the legal process. This way, you can make better decisions about your case and feel confident that you're getting the best representation. Personal Injury Claims Hiring a personal injury lawyer is necessary if you sustained injuries due to an accident caused by ...
Read More
Pixabay advogadoaguilar lawyer at work - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
Exploding Topics | Josh Howarth | Jan 20, 2023 The fintech space is making fast strides across many financial sectors, including consumer and B2B.  Fintech investment and consumer adoption are clearly on the rise. But to what extent? And where is this industry headed?  This list has you covered with a wide range of key, up-to-date financial technology (fintech) statistics. Fintech Industry Size: The fintech industry is worth approximately $180 billion (Deloitte) Global fintech industry revenue has nearly doubled since 2017 (Deloitte) There are currently over 26,000 fintech startups worldwide. This figure has grown dramatically over the past few years (up from only around 12,000 fintech startups in 2019). See:  KPMG: Canadian Fintech Investment Drops in 2022, Mentality Shift to ‘Sensible’ Growth Investment: Fintech industry investment has increased 3.5x since 2015 (KPMG) In 2012, investment in fintech totaled $4 billion.  By the end of 2021, fintech investment reached $210 billion. Venture capital distributions by sector funding: #1 Capital markets $8.07 billion #2 Payments $6.03 billion #3 Wealth management $5.43 billion #4 Digital lending $3.97 billion #5 SMB $3.36 billion #6 Banking $3.27 billion #7 Real estate $2.42 billion #8 Insurance $2.30 billion Adoption: 90% of Chinese citizens use fintech banking, ...
Read More
VC funding by fintech sector - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
March 21, 2023 If you don't plan, you're planning to fail, as the old business adage goes. It's a cliché, but those who are really committed to their achievement, especially traders, should treat those words as if they were carved in stone. If you ask every successful trader, the answer will likely be the same: you must strictly adhere to a predetermined strategy, or you will be doomed to failure. You're in the minority if you already have a detailed trading or investment strategy that will help your portfolio, and congratulations on that. Creating a viable strategy or technique for trading the financial markets is a lengthy process that requires much study and investigation. While there are no guarantees, you have removed a substantial obstacle. For those of you who haven’t done it yet, here is a comprehensive guide on how to do so in order to get solid results and improve your portfolio. Have a Clear Understand of the Market A solid understanding of the market you are going to trade on is vital for establishing a smart trading strategy. Being well-versed in the field of trading will equip you to comfortably deal with the abundance of data present ...
Read More
Pixabay 3844328 stock trading - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
March 20, 2023 Bitcoin has become incredibly popular in Canada over the past decade. Celebrities keep tweeting about it. Casinos are now accepting it for payments while tech-savvy Canadians are buying it as an investment. In the online casino space, almost every website has bonuses for crypto users. Some of them also feature games created on the blockchain. What’s this commotion all about? How is Bitcoin benefiting online casinos in Canada? Fast and Secure Payments Slow, unsecured payments kill hundreds of businesses every year according to the Harvard Business Review. That’s why many new casinos are embracing crypto at such a fast pace. Bitcoin processes transactions in an average of 10 minutes. If you use an alternative coin like XRP, you can send money around the world in seconds. It doesn’t matter if you’re sending $10 or $1 billion worth of crypto—the blockchain system is lightning fast. It’s also secure. Bitcoin addresses are encrypted using cryptography. This means no one can decipher the data. Secondly, they’re stored on the blockchain, which is decentralized and impossible to hack. Although most crypto casinos accept bitcoin for deposits, some of them also accept Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash. Visit Bitcoincasinocanada.com to find the ...
Read More
Unsplash Traxer bitcoin - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
CFPB | Mar 15, 2023 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a request for information on “data brokers,” “an umbrella term to describe firms that collect, aggregate, sell, resell, license, or otherwise share consumers’ personal information with other parties. See:  Davos: Cooperation in a Fragmented World: In Data We Trust The CFPB is looking to better understand the “scope and breadth of data brokers’ business practices and the impact of those practices on the marketplace and peoples’ daily lives,” especially in relation to credit reporting and the requirements and intentions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Continue to view the announcement --> here Download the 13 page PDF RIF --> here The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech ...
Read More
Pixabay TheHilaryClark on mobile - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services
Reuters | Stefania Spezzati, Oliver Hirt and John O'Donnell | Mar 19, 2023 Move follows Swiss rescue of Credit Suisse and signals depth of concern over the global financial system Some of the world’s largest central banks came together on Sunday to stop a banking crisis from spreading as Swiss authorities persuaded UBS Group AG to buy rival Credit Suisse Group AG in a historic deal. UBS will pay 3 billion Swiss francs (US$3.23 billion) for 167-year-old Credit Suisse and assume up to US$5.4 billion in losses in a deal backed by a massive Swiss guarantee and expected to close by the end of 2023. Soon after the announcement late on March 19, the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Bank of Canada, European Central Bank and other major central banks came out with statements to reassure markets that have been walloped by a banking crisis that started with the collapse of two regional U.S. banks earlier this month.  The Fed said it had joined with central banks in Canada, England, Japan, the EU and Switzerland in a coordinated action to enhance market liquidity. The banks said they would start offering daily loans in dollars to their banks to avert stress in ...
Read More
Unsplash John McArthur global currencies - Inside the power struggle between big banks and fintechs to modernize financial services

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

14 − 1 =