The fintech industry is rapidly evolving and disrupting traditional financial systems. In this article, we bring you the latest research insights to help you stay ahead of the curve and understand the future of financial technology. Enjoy researching!

Fraud Report: How fraudsters dupe shoppers using words (Payments, Cards & Mobile) 

With more than a third of online shoppers (35 percent) having been a target of fraud over the past year and more than 100,000 consumers in the UK alone falling victim to fraud since 2020, educating consumers about how to recognise fraud is an important part of fraud defence. Better-educated consumers keep themselves safe – and act as an effective first line of defence against criminal activity. Read more

Study finds Debit Issuers focused on digital payments (Payments, Cards & Mobile) 

The 2023 PULSE Debit Issuer Study, finds consumer demand for digital payments, mobile self-service capabilities and fraud management is commanding the attention of financial institutions.Following the volatility experienced during the pandemic, issuers reported slight growth in the total number of debit transactions, up 1% year-over-year (YoY) in 2022, while dollar volume increased 3%. “After two years of historic disruption in payments, 2022 was a year for the industry to catch its collective breath and ensure investments are truly meeting the needs of consumers,” said Steve Sievert, executive vice president of Marketing and Brand Management with PULSE. Read more

Global survey shows limited understanding of CBDC (Payments, Cards & Mobile) 

A global survey on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) released by the CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, examines the possible implications for capital markets and investment practitioners if central banks develop and launch digital versions of fiat currencies. The global survey of CFA Institute members found limited understanding of and support for CBDCs. A plurality of 42% of respondents believe that central banks should launch CBDCs, while 34% disagreed. Only 13% said they had a strong understanding of CBDCs. Read more

PE splurges on Europe’s undervalued software sector (PitchBook)

The appeal of high profit margins and low valuations is fueling private equity investment in European software companies, with this year’s total deal value on course to nearly match that of 2022. So far this year, €36.9 billion (roughly $40 billion) has been invested in European software companies across 415 deals despite a tough dealmaking environment. That is more than half the €64 billion invested across 870 deals last year. During the surge in software investment in 2021 and 2022, €146 billion was invested across 1,795 deals, according to PitchBook data. Read more

Allocator Solutions: Evaluating Persistence in Fund Performance (PitchBook)

LPs have a long-held, but controversial, expectation that a fund’s performance is likely to be similar to its predecessor fund’s performance. This has been backed by some academic studies, but more recent research on fund vintages newer than 2000 has shown that the correlation for so-called performance persistence is even less reliable now.In our latest Allocator Solutions report, PitchBook analysts test if our new Manager Scoring methodology can settle the debate. If it can, would the data on predecessor funds be available early enough for LPs to make their bets? Read more

How AI is fueling the fraud surge: Sift report (Fintech Nexus) 

Sift’s latest Digital Trust and Safety Index describes how artificial intelligence (AI) is fuelling a fraud surge that will challenge retailers and financial institutions. It’s behind a more-than-fourfold increase in the account hacking attempt rate in the first quarter of 2023 compared to all of 2022.You’re not alone if you feel subject to increased spam and scam attempts lately. Nearly 70% of American consumers have reported the same since November 2022. Read more

Embedded lending vs. BNPL: An investigation into the key variations (Fintech Nexus) 

With the cost of living skyrocketing and rising interest rates, consumers and businesses have been turning to brands that offer seamless, flexible payment and lending options. And as customers and businesses navigate this difficult financial time, there’s a rising star: embedded lending. But this lending is not only a short-term solution to see customers through recessions or difficult times. Rather, it’s a sustainable solution that helps people with financial planning, becoming a major factor in every transaction and providing financing accessibility when needed. Read more

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