FinTech
ICT-driven innovation in the financial sector
The FinTech project looks at ways to facilitate innovations that serve the common good while mitigating the risks they pose. The goal of the project is to design principles for risk regulation of FinTech innovations.
Background
Information technology has been transforming global finance at an increasing rate since the 1990s. New payment systems (such as PayPal) and crypto-currencies (such as Bitcoins) offer new ways of handling financial transactions. Crowdfunding platforms allow entrepreneurs to obtain loans directly from private investors. Robo-advisory offer individuals perfectly tailored investment portfolios. These developments fall under the label of ‘FinTech – Technologically driven Financial Services’, and often circumvent traditional financial institutions and practices.
FinTech is praised for its ability to provide better financial products and services, contribute to economic growth, allow economic actors to better manage their future risks, and increasing access to finance for the non-banked. FinTech is simultaneously criticized for the underlying risks it carries. The jury is still out as to its security and robustness, as well as to the level of protection it offers consumers and investors.
Team
Project affiliated Postdoctoral Researcher
School of Law
School of Economics
School of Governance
Regulation of Innovation
Fintech is one of the three research domains of Regulation of Innovation. This is a subsidiary theme of Resilient Societies, a multidisciplinary research theme of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance.