We’re more than halfway through 2024 so there’s no better time for a trends temperature check to determine what we should be paying attention to throughout the second half of the year. Learning about the newest trends is crucial to understanding how your firm can better compete and ultimately succeed in the crowded fintech and banking arena.
Funding
Late last year, we were still in the metaphorical trenches of funding. As of mid-2024, fintech funding trends are mixed. For the most part, venture capital investment is still quite slow because of high interest rates and economic uncertainty. We may see a more positive shift after the U.S. election, as many investors have cited political uncertainty as a factor in delaying major strategic and investment initiatives.
There is, however, another aspect of the current funding scene. Startups in targeted subsectors that are leveraging generative AI in unique ways are still garnering attention and funding from investors, though not quite at the high levels we saw in 2021 and early 2022. These shifts have caused companies to focus on sustainable growth and profitability, rather than the aggressive growth-at-all-costs mentality that was common from 2010 to 2019.
Regulation
As expected, the regulatory landscape has tightened significantly so far this year. Regulators have intensified their scrutiny not only of financial institutions, but also of specific issues. In the U.K., the Basel III framework brought forth new regulations focusing on capital adequacy, liquidity, and operational risk. In the U.S., there has been increased scrutiny of banking-as-a-service partnerships. This has brought a pulse of new consent orders on a regular basis. On top of all of this, we’ve seen the CFPB take measures to further consumer protection, such as last week’s proposed interpretive ruling stating that some earned wage access tools should be considered loans.
Embedded finance and open banking
Predictably, the conversation around embedded finance and open banking has escalated in 2024 as consumers continue to seek digital experiences that offer seamless financial integration. Banks’ open banking initiatives have expanded, which is crucial given that the CFPB is expected to release the final ruling of Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform, which will stipulate rules surrounding rules governing personal financial data rights.
Generative AI
It will not come as a surprise that both the use and mentions of generative AI technology in fintech and banking has increased. The use of the technology experienced major expansion after the general release of ChatGPT in late 2022. Now that both banks and fintechs have been able to see and experience first-hand the potential of generative AI, there has been a large spike in demand for integrating the technology into existing operations to help improve efficiency, personalize customer interactions, and enhance risk management.
Photo by Tara Winstead
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