Technology and traditional banking have forged a rather complementary relationship since the 1990s when banking was defined by physical brick-and-mortar branch structures. In addition to the slow demise of tradition and regulation, wherein cash and checks were the central transaction currencies, a new generation of consumers have never seen a bank ledger and use digital methods for everything from money transfers and purchases, to depositing payroll checks. Here are a few texts that will help Informer readers navigate the new age of banking technology with ease.
The Digital Banking Revolution, by Luigi Wewege
Over the past decade, financial service innovations have contributed to a completely new way in which customers can bank, threatening the status quo of traditional retail banks, and redefining a banking model which has been in place for generations. These new technological advancements have facilitated the rapid emergence of digital banking firms and FinTech companies, leading to established banks being forced to swiftly increase their pace of digital adoption to stay relevant and stop mass client attrition to these agile financial start-ups. These threats come at an inopportune time for banks due to mature markets currently experiencing stagnant growth. This coupled with decreasing profit margins due to the competitive pricing of new entrants, and financial customer loyalty becoming ever increasingly more tenuous.
Bankruption: How Community Banking Can Survive Fintech, by John Waupsh
The discussion separates futurist thinking from today’s realities, and dispels common myths surrounding the U.S. community banking model in order to shed light on the real challenges facing community banking institutions. It follows with clear solutions, proven strategies, and insight from experts across banking and fintech. All arguments are backed by massive amounts of data, and the companion website provides presentation-ready visualizations to help you kickstart change within your team. In the U.S. and around the globe, fintech companies and non-banks alike are creating streams of banking services that are interesting, elegant, and refreshing—and they’re winning the hearts and minds of early adopters. Not a one-size-fits-all approach, this book offers many different tactics for community banks and credit unions to compete and flourish in the new world.
Bank 4.0: Banking Everywhere, Never at a Bank by Brett King
The future of banking is already here — are you ready? Bank 4.0 explores the radical transformation already taking place in banking and follows it to its logical conclusion. What will banking look like in 30 years? 50 years? The world’s best banks have been forced to adapt to changing consumer behaviors; regulators are rethinking friction, licensing and regulation; Fintech start-ups and tech giants are redefining how banking fits in the daily life of consumers. To survive, banks are having to develop new capabilities, new jobs and new skills. The future of banking is not just about new thinking around value stores, payment and credit utility — it’s embedded in voice-based smart assistants like Alexa and Siri and soon smart glasses which will guide you on daily spending and money decisions. The coming Bank 4.0 era is one where either your bank is embedded in your world via tech, or it no longer exists.
Doing Digital: Lessons from Leaders by Chris Skinner
There has been lots of discussion of digital and open banking, banking-as-a-service, banking platforms, FinTech and TechFin and more over the past decade. This all indicates that we are in a decade of rapid cycle change that presents huge challenges and huge opportunities. Billion-dollar unicorns appear rapidly, whilst internet giants achieve global domination. How are banks dealing with these changes and are any banks showing leadership? Well yes, a few are. With all the gloom merchants saying that traditional banking is doomed, a few banks have made radical moves to adapt and survive. Chris Skinner, world-leading commentator on banking and technology, has selected five of those banks—JPMorgan Chase (USA), BBVA and ING (Europe), and DBS and CMB (Asia)—to share their experiences. In detailed interviews, and with wide-ranging commentary, he has discovered the secrets of how not just adapt and survive, but how to thrive in this sea change of finance and technology.