Tag: finance

Future of Banking – 2034

On By ClintonIn Personal Finance, Uncategorized, Wealth Tech, Wealth TrendsLeave a comment

While 2034 sounds more like the setting for a Skynet take-over, It’s also just a short 10 years down the road and we all know how quickly things can change in a decade.

Looking in the finance sector, Banking in particular, I see a number of emerging changes that are set to reshape the environment – so let’s revisit in 10 years and see how close/far off I was.

  • Personalized Banking: Banks are increasingly using AI to analyse customer data, offering personalised financial advice and product recommendations and this will extend past products and into lifestyle. For instance, apps like Cleo and Plum use AI to help users manage their finances more effectively.
  • Banking as a Platform (BaaP): This model allows financial institutions to integrate services with third-party providers. A notable example is Starling Bank, which offers a marketplace allowing customers to access a variety of financial services through its app.
  • Blockchain for Secure Transactions: Blockchain technology is being explored for its potential to make transactions more secure and transparent. Ripple, a blockchain solution, is already being used by banks for cross-border payments.
  • Rise of Decentralized Finance (DeFi): DeFi represents a shift towards open, permissionless, and fully decentralized financial markets, which could redefine access to financial services and significantly reduce the number of intermediary businesses currently profiting on the legacy, inefficient systems of today.
  • Increased Focus on Cybersecurity: As digital banking expands, cybersecurity threats will become more sophisticated, requiring advanced solutions to protect customer data and financial assets. Banking has traditionally been at the forefront of security and could even extend their services in a digital asset world to protect more than just money, NFT Vault anyone?
  • Impact of Quantum Computing: Quantum computing has the potential to disrupt current encryption methods, challenging the security of financial transactions and data storage and so superior encryption technology is needed. Banking (and Defence) are well positioned to develop the leading edge Quantum Encryption standards and even productise this.

And entirely out of left field, this is my view of the most drastic change we might see:

Banks as Product Manufacturers.
As OpenData, AI and FinTech converge on the industry, I see the ability of banks to compete (fairly) in 10 years greatly diminished, and see profit focus forcing them to return to their roots in creating hyper-secure savings and lending products that are then distributed by other merchants (Apple, Amazon, FinTechs)

Okay, see you in 10 years.

Clinton

The Finance Super App : Increased Financial Literacy and Empowerment

On By ClintonIn Uncategorized, Wealth TechLeave a comment

Imagine a world where advanced financial, tax, and accounting advice is democratised through an app accessible to everyone. 

The distribution of this knowledge, which has traditionally been the purview of the uber-wealthy, could have profound impacts on how individuals manage their finances, make investment decisions, and plan for the future.

While there are many apps available treat each area of personal finance as a discrete vertical, they lose out on a full picture of an individual’s financial situation and without wich, they arent able to give personalised and meaningful guidence.

Here are my thoughts on the potential impacts an application like this could have on society’s growing wealth inequality:

Increased Financial Literacy and Empowerment

  • Broader financial education: Access to personalised advice could significantly improve financial literacy across all socioeconomic classes. Understanding financial basics, such as budgeting, saving, and the importance of credit scores, can empower individuals to make informed decisions.
  • Empowerment through knowledge: Knowledge is power, especially in finance. Equipping individuals with the same level of advice that the wealthy have access to could help level the playing field, allowing more people to build and preserve wealth.

Enhanced Wealth Building Opportunities

  • Investment participation: One of the keys to building wealth is investing. An app providing advanced investment advice could lower the entry barriers to the stock market, real estate, or other investment vehicles, traditionally seen as complex and risky without the right knowledge.
  • Tax optimization: Effective tax planning and understanding tax implications are crucial in wealth accumulation. Personalized tax advice can help individuals not only save money but also explore tax-efficient investment strategies.

Reduction of Wealth Inequality

  • Narrowing the advice gap: The uber-wealthy often benefit from sophisticated tax avoidance strategies and investment advice. Democratizing access to this information could narrow the wealth gap by providing everyone with tools to maximize their financial potential.
  • Promoting saving and investment: Encouraging a culture of saving and investment among wider sections of the population can contribute to a more equitable distribution of wealth over time.

Challenges and Considerations

  • Access and adoption: While the app could be universally available, differences in access to technology and the internet, as well as varying levels of digital literacy, could affect its effectiveness. Each demographic version of this app would need to be tailored for that region’s particular rules, regulations and societal financial literacy.
  • Customization vs. Generalization: The advice provided would need to be highly personalized to be truly effective, taking into account each individual’s financial situation, goals, and risk tolerance – it would be important to make sure the individual themselves have access to their full picture.
  • Regulatory and ethical considerations: Providing financial, tax, and accounting advice through an app would require navigating a complex web of regulations and ensuring the advice is ethically sound and in the best interest of the user.

Potential Societal Changes

  • Shift in societal norms: Over time, widespread access to financial advice could shift societal norms regarding money management, investment, and financial planning, making these discussions more mainstream and less taboo.
  • Economic empowerment of historically disadvantaged groups: By providing historically underserved or disadvantaged groups with high-quality financial advice, the app could play a role in economic empowerment and help break cycles of poverty.

Closing thoughts,

An app providing instant access to personalised and advanced financial, tax, and accounting advice could be a revolutionary tool in the fight against wealth inequality. By empowering individuals with knowledge and tools previously available only to the wealthy, such technology could help level the economic playing field and raising awareness of prevailing government policy. However, its success would depend on widespread accessibility, level of personalisation, and the ability to effectively navigate regulatory landscapes.