The Role of Fintech in Unlocking Green Finance: Policy Insights for Developing Countries
by The ADB Institute
This working paper explores the technologies that disrupted the financial services industry and proposes three key re-applications to provide ‘greener’ finance. Firstly blockchain is highlighted as having potential to encourage sustainable production, in part by providing supply chain transparency that can track where goods came from. Furthermore, it proposes an opportunity to decentralise the energy market via blockchain, and additionally as a vessel to encourage greener investment via ‘green bonds’.
Making Money Smart: Empowering NDIS Participants with Blockchain Technologies
by CSIRO and Commonwealth Bank of Australia
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the country’s chief scientific governmental agency, CSIRO, conducted a trial that tokenised government funds and distributed them via smart contracts to participants as part of their disability pension. The report details the results and explores potential future use cases of the prototype app.
The Fintech Financing and Performance Report
by Clarus Investments
Analysing 66 fintech startups in the UK (representing nearly two thirds of the recent venture investment in fintech startups in the UK), this report dissects the profitability of certain sectors and business models. It compares reported profits to hype generated and valuations through the rounds, to highlight the fintech sub-sectors and companies that are, and are not, realising returns on investment.
Supply Chain Human Rights Risk Management: Blockchain and Emerging Technology
by DLA Piper
Identifying consumers’ growing demand for greater transparency in supply chains, this discussion paper explores the potential for blockchain disruption to ensure greater traceability. Corollary benefits including greater accountability, efficiencies and data analysis are discussed, as well as a dissection of the challenges preventing adoption.
2018 Webroot Threat Report Mid Year Update
by Webroot
Detailing the trends in cyberthreats, this report explores the evolving tactics used, including cryptomining which is hailed as the new number one threat. In more positive news, it also identifies trends, systems and collaborations that have helped combat these attacks.
Casting Light on Central Bank Digital Currency
by IMF Staff
This discussion note introduces conceptual framework for Central Bank Digital Currencies, and explores potential benefits and costs while overviewing pilot studies conducted around the world. Ultimately it finds anonymity, traceability, security and the attractiveness of alternatives as the most critical factors to potential adoption, imploring central banks to seriously consider greater research to keep up with the digitizing economies.
New Ecosystems in Wealth Management and How Clients Will Benefit
by PWC
This report welcomes the wealth management sector’s disruption by Fintech driven wealth-management platform-based ecosystems. Comparing the benefits realised by platform based services in other sectors, and the current technological lag in wealth management, this report identifies the opportunity for robo-advisory, AI and fintech in general to capture the market.
ASEAN Investment Report 2018: Foreign Direct Investment and the Digital Economy in ASEAN
by The ASEAN Secretariat & UNCTD
This report overviews the ASEAN region’s rapidly digitising economies, highlighting it as an investment destination of choice. It details investment trends, investment activities in particular key countries and highlights the fintech companies and business groups that are driving the digitalisation.
