Fintech and Digital Financial Services

Background

Technology is rapidly transforming financial systems around the world, creating new opportunities and new risks for the financial sector. The financial technology (Fintech) revolution started with
a wave of technological innovations that gathered pace in the 1990s. At the beginning, this transformation was generally viewed positively, hence the laissez-faire and the deregulatory approach adopted by most jurisdictions. However, post the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2007

– 2008, regulators started to be suspicious of financial technologies due to the role financial engineering played in fomenting the crisis. Nevertheless, technology has continued to advance at an even more rapid pace, culminating in the proliferation of Fintech companies and digital financial services across the globe.

Objective

This course will enable participants to:

1. Understand the key concepts, terminologies, and technologies in FinTech and digital financial services;
2. Explore the role of FinTech in driving innovation and transformation within the financial industry;
3. Examine the impact of digital platforms and mobile payments on financial inclusion and consumer behaviour;
4. Analyse the potential of blockchain technology for enhancing security, transparency, and efficiency in financial services;
5. Evaluate the applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in FinTech;
6. Identify the regulatory and ethical considerations associated with FinTech and digitalfinancial services;
7. Develop strategies for leveraging FinTech to create business opportunities and competitiveadvantages; and
8. Acquire practical skills in utilising FinTech tools, platforms, and APIs.

Content

The course will cover the following areas:

1. Introduction to FinTech and Digital Financial Services
2. Definition, scope, and evolution of FinTech
3. Digital transformation in the financial industry
4. Opportunities and challenges in FinTech