CCAF Research Report "Distributed Ledger Technology Systems: A Conceptual Framework"

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School, the global leader in Fintech research, has published a document entitled “Distributed Ledger Technology Systems: A Conceptual Framework.”

The authors aim to provide a common framework and terminology for the fast emerging Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) industry also frequently referred to as Blockchain.  This can be helpful in dispelling the confusion that surrounds the DLT / Blockchain industry.

The report provides a list of the key characteristics of a DLT system, which must be capable of  ensuring:

RACONTEUR releases new report titled "UK Fintech"

UK Publisher of special interest content Raconteur.net releaded it report titled "UK Fintech" on 7 June 2016 online and with The Times print edition.

The report confirmed that the UK Fintech sector can be estimated tp be worth some £20 billion, and that the sector is now the UK’s fastest growing industry and London has become the fintech capital of the world.

A whole new wave of highly disruptive startups has forced established firms to rethink their business model and innovate before they are outpaced by emergent firms with greater agility. This report explores the blockchain revolution, and the innovative startups challenging financial services firms and inspiring collaboration between established firms and fintech newcomers.

KPMG and CB Insights publish research report "The Pulse of Fintech Q1 2016"

‘The Pulse of Fintech’ is a quarterly report created by KPMG Enterprise and KPMG Fintech in partnership with CB Insights was published in March 2016.  Given the significant interest in Fintech globally, and its ongoing evolution in terms of market drivers, technologies and potential use-cases, KPMG and CB Insights have partnered to publish the pulse of Fintech on VC investment globally.

The report is published quarterly and  highlights key Fintech deals, issues and challenges around the world, in addition to key trends and insights related to Fintech in key regions, including the North America, Asia and Europe.

Spark Labs Global Ventures published a research report titled "Fintech Industry Report 2016"

Spark Labs Global Ventures published a research report titled "Fintech Industry Report 2016 in May 2016.

Spark Labs propose that 3 Factors drive the emergence and growth of FinTech. 

There are three main factors from a consumer perspectives that led to the emergence of Fintech innovation and startups.

Life.SREDA releases its annual Fintech research report "Money of the Future.

Life.SREDA, a fintech-focused venture capital fund headquartered in Singapore, has released its annual fintech research report detailing the major fintech trends for 2016.

‘Money of the Future,’ co-authored by Life.SREDA, business school INSEAD, and consultancy firm Deloitte, examines the 15 main fintech trends to expect in 2016.

Download the full PDF report here.  

Life.Sreda website: http://lifesreda.com

PWC publishes research report titled 'Blurred Lines: How FinTech is shaping Financial Services'

PwC published its Global FinTech report, 'Blurred Lines: How FinTech is shaping Financial Services' on 15th March 2016. The report  assesses the rise of new technologies in the financial services sector, the potential impact of FinTech on market players and their attitudes regarding the latest technological developments. Additionally, if offers strategic responses to this ever-changing environment.

The report is based on a survey of 544 respondents, across 46 countries, comprising CEOs, Heads of Innovation, CIOs and top management involved in digital and technological transformation across the FS industry: Payments, Asset & Wealth Management, Banking and Insurance. The survey also encompasses other companies such as consultants, national supervisory and international financial institutions.

EY has produced a report that was commissioned by HM Treasury (UK) titled "UK FinTech On the cutting edge- An evaluation of the international FinTech sector".

EY has produced a report that was commissioned by HM Treasury (UK) with the objective to  compare the UK environment for FinTech against other leading FinTech hubs internationally.  The report is titled "UK FinTech On the cutting edge- An evaluation of the international FinTech sector".

Financial Technology – or FinTech – refers to the use of technology to provide financial services. Examples include payment services, alternative finance such as peer-to-peer platforms and digital currencies. Just as the UK is a leading financial services capital so we are also a leading FinTech capital. This report considers the UK environment for FinTech and compares it to the environment in other leading FinTech hubs (such as New York and California).
FinTech hubs are considered across four factors: access to skilled talent; investment in FinTech; government and regulatory policy; and demand.

Deloitte's short research paper "Cleared for Takeoff - Five megatrends that will change financial services"

Deloitte has published  a short research paper titled "Cleared for Takeoff - Five megatrends that will change financial services".   This research report follows on from work that Deloitte did with the World Economic Forum (WEF)  over approx 18 months to conduct a large study about the future of financial services. The purpose of the WEF project  was to understand how disruptive innovations were reshaping the business of financial services as it exists today.

This report  looked at how clusters of innovation are affecting business in five areas of financial services: primary accounts, payments, capital markets, investment management and insurance.

The Joint Committee of the three European Supervisory Authorities – EBA, EIOPA and Esma – has opened up a debate about the risks and benefits of robo-advisors in financial markets.

The Joint Committee of the three European Supervisory Authorities – EBA, EIOPA and Esma – has opened up a debate about the risks and benefits of robo-advisors in financial markets. 

The interest of regulatory authorities in the use of computer technology to provide automated investment advice to consumers comes as more banks pile into the market, sensing an opportunity to cut costs and take on a new generation of wealth management firms such as Wealthfront, Betterment, Personal Capital, and FutureAdvisor who are already luring away clients with the promise of no-frills, low cost, advisory services.

Steven Maijoor, chair of the joint committee, says: “Financial innovation is important and, at its best, contributes to economic growth. However, this can only be achieved and sustained where consumers have confidence in such innovations.

PWC produces report titled "Alternative Asset Management 2020: Fast Forward to Centre Stage"

To help alternative asset managers plan for the future, PWC has produced a research report titled "Alternative Asset Management 2020: Fast Forward to Centre Stage". The report explores the likely changes in the alternative asset management industry landscape over the coming years and identifies six key business imperatives for alternative asset managers. The report then examines how alternative fund managers can implement and prosper from each of these six imperatives.

Over the past several years, rapid developments in the global economic environment have pushed asset management to the forefront of social and economic change. An important part of this change – the need for increased and sustainable long-term investment returns – has propelled the alternative asset classes to centre stage. To help alternative asset managers plan for the future, we have considered the likely changes in the alternative asset management industry landscape over the coming years and identified six key business imperatives for alternative asset managers.

World Economic Forum (WEF) issue research report on Fintech sector - “The Future of Financial Services” on 30 June 2015.

The World Economic Forum (WEF), the Swiss-based corporate think-tank which runs the Davos summit of world leaders each January, issued a research report titled “the Future of Financial Services” on 30 June 2015.

The WEF report says major disruptions are in store for many once highly profitable financial services businesses and that the world's top banks and insurers are being forced to review their business models amid rapid inroads by nimble "fintech" start-ups, which are reshaping what consumers and businesses expect out of financial services.   The research study, based on 15 months of interviews and workshops with executives from financial institutions and fintech start-ups, joins a flood of recent reports showing technology is eroding the bulwarks of the financial services industry just as it did in areas such as travel and entertainment a decade ago. 

Accenture in association with Partnership Fund for New York City released a new research study titled “Fintech New York: Partnerships, Platforms and Open Innovation”

On 25 June 2015 Accenture in association with Partnership Fund for New York City released a new research study titled “Fintech New York: Partnerships, Platforms and Open Innovation”.

The research report stated that investments in fintech continued at a remarkable pace last year, nearly tripling in the United States in 2014.  The value of fintech investments in the United States soared to $9.89 billion in 2014, up from $3.39 billion in 2013.  This 191% increase dwarfs the increase in 2013, when fintech deal values in the United States climbed 68 percent. In New York, fintech deal values grew by 32% in 2014, to a new high of $768 million. 

The report notes that hot areas for fintech investment in 2014 included payments, lending, trading technologies and wealth management. Payments accounted for the largest number of fintech deals in the United States in 2014, 29%. In New York, however, the total number of fintech deals in payment companies has trended downward, from 33% of all fintech deals in 2012 to 21% in 2014. Lending was the second-biggest investment area for U.S. fintech investments in 2014, accounting for 16% of such investments.

Accenture research study: “The Future of Fintech and Banking: Digitally disrupted or reimagined?”

On 25 March 2015 Accenture released a research study titled “The Future of Fintech and Banking: Digitally disrupted or reimagined?”

The study confirms that global investment in financial-technology (fintech) ventures tripled from $4.05 billion in 2013 to $12.2 billion in 2014, with Europe being the fastest growing region in the world. The report also confirms that in 2014, fintech investment increased at more than three times the rate of overall venture capital investment. Further confirmed was that the US still captures the lion’s share of fintech investment, Europe experienced the highest growth rate, with an increase of 215% to $1.48 billion in 2014.

The UK and Ireland (UKI) accounted for more than two-fifths (42%) of the European total, as investment in the region rose from $264 million in 2013 to $623 million in 2014. In the rest of Europe, the regions that experienced the most significant levels of investment in 2014 were the Nordic countries ($345 million), the Netherlands ($306 million) and Germany ($82 million).

UK Government's Chief Scientific Officer issues report : FinTech Futures - the UK as a World Leader in Financial Technologies

In March 2015, the UK government’s chief scientific officer issued a report “FinTech Futures -The UK as a World Leader in Financial Technologies”.

The report has set out 10 recommendations designed to help achieve UK Chancellor George Osborne's stated aim of turning Britain into the world's fintech capital. During Summer 2014, Mr Osborne vowed to use the government's powers to help make the UK a hub for financial technology innovation and commissioned a report to investigate the enablers and barriers that will shape the UK fintech sector over the next 10 years. The report recommends the creation of a 'fintech advisory group' with representation from government, regulators, trade associations, academia and business. This body would coordinate strategy and provide a neutral forum for dialogue.

Raconeur.net: Bright Future for UK Fintech

Raconteur.net published a research report “Financial Services Technology 2015” in partnership with the Sunday Times on 8th February 2015.

The report can be downloaded here

Life.SREDA report: Money of the Future results of 2014 and trends for 2015

Life.SREDA released its annual research report on the Fintech sector at the Finnovate Europe Conference, London on 10 February 2015. The report provides an overview of fintech trends and major news during 2014. In addition the report presents an analysis of the important issues that are expected to impact on the fintech sector in 2015. The report includes a short section regarding the development of Fintech sector in Asia.

The report can be downloaded here.

Life.SREDA is a venture capital firm focusing on investments in FinTech mobile and Internet projects. Their strategy is determined by the deep understanding of the rapidly growing FinTech 2.0 industry and the narrow investment focus.

ECN Review of Crowdfunding Regulation 2014

The second edition of ECN Review of Crowdfunding Regulation 2014 was published in December 2014 by the European Crowdfunding Network. The Report covers the legal frameworks in 30 countries across Europe, the USA, Canada and Israel.
Details of how crowdfunding of all types is treated under national regulation across Europe and beyond can be found in the publication.

A PDF copy of the report can be downloaded here.

The report indicates that we are still far from a single European market for crowdfunding, and could even be further from it a single than last year due to what can only be described as uncoordinated regulatory actions on national levels. ECN believe that they are able to work with its network members and stakeholders to establish guidelines for best practices, but confirms that we need to be realistic about the effect of such guidelines in a highly fragmented European market.

Univsity of Cambridge and Nesta present research report “UNDERSTANDING ALTERNATIVE FINANCE - The UK Alternative Finance Industry Report 2014”

The University of Cambridge and Nesta, supported by ACCA and PWC, have undertaken an extensive research , which is the largest study of the UK alternative finance industry as at November 2014.

The research report is title “UNDERSTANDING ALTERNATIVE FINANCE - The UK Alternative Finance Industry Report 2014”.

The UK’s alternative finance market – which includes crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending and invoice trading – is set to reach nearly £2 billion by the end of 2014, and is expected to double in 2015, as businesses increasingly seek more efficient ways to raise funding.  Alternative finance covers a variety of new financing models which connect people seeking funds directly with funders, often through online platforms. The majority of these providers have been founded in the last five years. Regulation of parts of the industry was introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in April 2014, and in October the UK Treasury launched a consultation on a proposal for an ISA for peer-to-peer lending.

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) release a research report titled “Fintech – the UK’s unique environment for growth”

UKTI released a report titled “Fintech – the UK’s unique environment for growth” on 6th August 2014 to coincide with the launch of the new UK Fintech organisation Innovate Finance.

The report looks at the strengths of the UK’s Fintech sector and how overseas companies can benefit from setting up in the UK.

The full report can be viewed or downloaded here.
Fintech in the UK. The UK is a uniquely well-suited location for technology applied to financial services – Fintech. This fast-growing sector covers both: (1) Traditional Fintech (with larger incumbent technology firms supporting the financial services sector), and (2) Emergent Fintech (with small, innovative firms using new technology to bring financial services directly to consumers, often disrupting existing business models).

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has published a report that sets out the strengths of the UK’s fintech sector and the market opportunities for Fintech companies

The UKTI publication titled “Fintech: The UK’s Unique Environment for Growth” gives an overview of why the UK is a unique location for companies specialising in Fintech (Financial Technology).

UKTI publication suggests that the Fintech market in payments, platforms, software and data analytics is worth £20 billion to the UK annually. The research was commissioned by UKTI and carried out by EY (Ernst & Young). EY has for the first time mapped out the opportunities and strengths of the UK’s fintech sector by speaking to existing investors.  The UKTI report can be viewed / downloaded here.

The UKTI report was published to coincide with the launch of new UK Fintech industry trade body. 

Innovate Finance is a new UK industry organisation that aims to accelerate the UK’s leading position in the global financial services sector. It will support young or established technology-led financial services innovators.