Overview

The term Financial Technology (FinTech) brings together a very diverse range of innovations in financial services and related technology.

Topics may include (i) Payments, credit, deposit and capital raising e.g. peer-to-peer transfers, mobile banking, crowdfunding, credit and lending technology. (ii) Investment management technology e.g. retail investment platforms, robo-advice, high frequency trading. (iii) InsurTech i.e. insurance technology. (iv) Regulation, cyber risk and risk management. (v) Market support services e.g. distributed ledger technology and blockchain. (vi) Cryptocurrency and digital currencies. (vii) The role of BigTech firms in banking and finance.

Assessment Strategy

Threshold c- to c+ (50-59%): Satisfactory performance. No major omissions or inaccuracies in the deployment of information/skills. Some grasp of theoretical/conceptual/practical elements. Integration of theory/practice/information present intermittently in pursuit of the assessed work's objectives. Knowledge of key areas/principles only. Weaknesses in understanding of some areas. Limited evidence of background study. Answer inadequately focused on task and with some irrelevant material and poor structure. Arguments presented but lack coherence. Minor factual/computational errors. Lacking original interpretation.

Good B- to B+ (60-69%): Good performance. Most of the relevant information accurately deployed. Good grasp of theoretical/conceptual/practical elements. Good integration of theory/practice/information in pursuit of the assessed work's objectives. Evidence of the use of creative and reflective skills. Understands most but not all concepts/issues. Evidence of background study. Focused answer with good structure. Arguments presented coherently. Mostly free of factual errors. Some limited original interpretation. Well known links between topics are described. Problems addressed by existing methods/approaches. Good presentation with accurate communication

Excellent standard: 70+ An outstanding performance, exceptionally able. The relevant information accurately deployed. Excellent grasp of theoretical/conceptual/practice elements. Good integration of theory/practice/information in pursuit of the assessed work's objectives. Strong evidence of the use of creative and reflective skills.

Learning Outcomes

• Assess the reasons for international differences in the applications of financial technology and their regulation.

• Critically analyse the features and merits of the application of technology in credit and lending;

• Critically analyse the features and merits of the application of technology in investment management and in insurance;

• Critically analyse the features and merits of the application of technology in payments, cryptocurrencies, mobile banking and crowdfunding;

• Critically analyse the issues surrounding cyber risk and risk management in the context of FinTech.

• Demonstrate an awareness of the contexts which have led to successful applications of technology in financial markets and services;