World finance long point

 


The fintech industry has undergone significant changes in recent years, particularly in the wake of the global pandemic. You might recall the fintech boom of the early 2020s. Those days of skyrocketing user adoption and seemingly limitless growth are behind us, according to Cenk Kahraman. “The days of easy growth in digital payments are over,” he observes. “We have seen a saturation in card penetration and a slowdown in the shift from cash to digital payments.”

This slowdown is, paradoxically, an encouraging sign. It is forcing companies to innovate beyond basic payment processing. “Five years ago, you could launch a digital wallet and watch the users pour in,” Kahraman recalls. “Today? You need to offer something truly unique.”

This gradual approach to a plateau in growth marks a crucial turning point for the industry. As Kahraman explains, “We are no longer just processing financial transactions. Today, every payment is a data transaction, rich with insights and opportunities.” This shift has forced payment companies to look beyond their traditional roles and explore new avenues for growth.

The rise of value-added services has become a key strategy for fintech comp



It is no longer the case that a successful company is necessarily a profitable one, as many firms are happy for profits to be simply a pipe dream, a long-term ambition 


Uber, Netflix and Tesla are three hugely successful companies, ones that have disrupted their respective industries by implementing new technologies and innovative business models. But they have something else in common: they are all billions of dollars in debt.

Although these companies have cultivated enthusiastic followings and encouraged investors to part with huge sums of money, it is not yet clear whether they possess a long-term profitable business plan. Quarterly losses are not only commonplace, they are often eye-wateringly large. Yet these businesses seem able to subvert reality; though profits are low or even non-existent, growth rates are rising rapidly. As long as customer numbers are increasing, there is an expectation that profits will follow. At least, that’s what investors are hoping.

The difficulty lies in the fact that many of these companies are operating in uncharted territory. The ride-sharing, online streaming and electric car industries are all in their infancy. There is no winning



Developments in digital communications and the proliferation of mobile devices have significantly altered the world of trading and have opened it up to a new generation  


Trading is a profession with a long history, but modern technology has caused it to experience profound changes. This is particularly the case when it comes to day trading, which has seen a significant demographic shift.


Recent has shown that 18-to-34-year-olds now account for 65 percent of all online traders in the UK, a figure that has increased year-on-year since 2015


Recent research from BrokerNotes has shown that 18-to-34-year-olds now account for 65 percent of all online traders in the UK, a figure that has increased year-on-year since 2015. At the same time, the proportion of traders over the age of 45 has dropped, marking a clear shift towards a younger demographic.

Another interesting shift is that women are gradually becoming better represented in the industry, with statistics showing that one in 10 of all traders are female. This change cannot come fast enough, especially considering recent research by behavioural economists, who have found that men’s hyperactive trading makes them statis


Beyond survival

Banks are brandishing their sustainability credentials in a bid to cement their reputations as industry leaders

Sustainable is not a word that could have been used to describe too many banks before the financial crisis. However, fast-forward to the present and, as banks across the globe look to position themselves for the future, it would appear the issue has moved up everybody’s list of priorities.

Sustainability is far more than a means of skirting a potential collapse or of winning back disenfranchised customers. What’s more, it also goes beyond mere products, and applies just as easily to the culture of banking itself.



Sustainability need not come at the expense of profitability


The World Finance Sustainable Banking Awards offer an insight into the extent to which the issue of sustainability has penetrated the banking industry, and how sustainable products and services can not only boost the credibility of financial institutions but their profitability as well.


According to a recent Roland Berger report, “no matter whether they are shopping, buying a home, or investing money, more and more consumers want their decisions to contribute to making