Happy Friday!
In this edition we have:
Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance Publishes First Global Report on Alternative Finance
Rush to digitisation will see fintech sector flourish post-Covid-19
The future of fintech in light of Covid-19
The big banks have a giant role to play in this crisis
Fintech tells government: 'We can help with coronavirus response'
Why SMEs need a ‘Nightingale lender’ and how to build one fast.
Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance Publishes First Global Report on Alternative Finance.
The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) - part of the University of Cambridge Judge Business School - has just published the single most comprehensive report on the evolution of alternative finance. The benchmarking report provides unique detail and insight into the changing landscape of Fintech and digital finance across the globe.
It is interesting to note that institutional money is gaining in importance. Overall, $162 billion of alternative finance volumes directly stem from funding provided by institutional investors such as banks, pension funds, mutual funds and family offices.
Rush to digitisation will see fintech sector flourish post-Covid-19.
As the fintech sector struggles through the COVID-19 economic fallout, a report from VC Finch Capital offers some light at the end of the tunnel, suggesting that the crisis could ultimately end up benefiting the industry by accelerating the rush to digitisation.
This acceleration will trigger a "Big Pocket" battle between incumbents and challengers to win the online customer, predicts Finch, which also expects the biggest winners to be consumer and SME lending platforms.
The future of fintech in light of Covid-19.
While the COVID-19 pandemic will certainly be challenging for fintech companies, particularly those in the earlier stages of their life cycle, prosperous times remain ahead post-crisis as the shift to Digital Only becomes the new norm and demand for AI, IoT and software in the financial services industry surges.
Here are FINCH Capital key predictions on how the fintech landscape is and will be impacted.
The big banks have a giant role to play in this crisis.
During the last financial crisis, banks were the problem. This time round, as the Coronavirus crisis unfolds, they look more like the solution. Rather than amplifying shocks to the system, as they did in 2007-08, the banks are now helping to absorb them.
Governments are leaning on the balance sheets of banks, rather than the other way around, while regulators are relaxing capital requirements to encourage banks to provide support to the economy. In some cases, banks are being requested to provide debt for largely government collateralised loans in troubled sectors — which leaves them vulnerable to the non-collateralised part.
Fintech tells government: 'We can help with Coronavirus response'.
Last month Chancellor Rishi Sunak launched the coronavirus business interruption loan (CBIL) scheme, which sees the government back £330bn ($406bn) of loans to businesses to help them through the shutdown. However, the CBIL scheme has been beset by criticism over lending terms and slow speed as many traditional UK banks have so far been overwhelmed by the volume of loan applications from small businesses
Several alternative finance providers have argued that opening up the scheme to non-bank lenders could help fix its problems. Online lenders - with their fast underwriting and wide reach – can support big banks in their mission to help small businesses at this crucial time.
Why SMEs need a ‘Nightingale lender’ and how to build one fast.
What if a global task force of fintech and digital technology businesses channeled the collaboration and urgency behind the COVID-19 hospitals, and built a dedicated digital SME fast lending solution from scratch?
This article sets out a blueprint for how it could be done.
Thank you for the attention!
Stay at home & save lives.
