investment viewpoints

How FinTech aids financial inclusion

How FinTech aids financial inclusion
Jeroen van Oerle - Portfolio Manager

Jeroen van Oerle

Portfolio Manager
Christian Vondenbusch - Portfolio Manager

Christian Vondenbusch

Portfolio Manager

Digital technology plays a pivotal role in bolstering financial inclusion. This greater inclusion applies to both emerging and developed markets, underscoring how FinTech can enable a more inclusive society by broadening access to financial services.

There is a tremendous cost advantage to digitalising financial services, making financial inclusion a natural by-product of FinTech, in our opinion.

The implications of cost efficiency for emerging markets are important. Before FinTech it was not possible to serve most people in rural emerging markets because the costs were too high relative to the limited services rural populations would consume. FinTech changed the economics, however, and made it possible to service previously unserved people.

According to the World Bank, globally 69% of adults (3.8 billion people) had an account at a bank or mobile money provider in 2018. This is up from just 51% in 2011. The same report found increased mobile phone usage has contributed to a rise in the share of account owners sending or receiving payments digitally from 67% in 2014 to 76% percent globally in 2017. In the developing world it rose from 57% to 70%. However, 1.7 billion adults remain unbanked, despite two thirds of them owning a mobile phone.

 

Figure 1. Digital payments rising worldwide 

FinTech_aids-Digital-Payments_EN.jpg

Source: Global Findex database

 

India leads surge in new bank accounts

In South Asia, the share of adults with a bank account has risen by 23 percentage points since 2014, to 70%. Progress was driven by India, where a government policy to increase financial inclusion through biometric identification pushed the share with an account up to 80%.

For instance, more than 350 million Indian households obtained a bank account over just 5 years, thanks to a combination of software (AADHAAR) and hardware (finger print and iris scanner). In the past, it was impossible for banks to open branches in all areas. Now, FinTech enables local shops to provide banking services on behalf of banks.

Furthermore, the Indian government introduced the mandatory conversion of old banknotes into new notes. Only bank account holders registered in the AADHAAR system could exchange the notes. This further fuelled the growth of Indian bank accounts. The AADHAAR system increased financial inclusion (by as much as 600%) by drastically increasing the number of bank account holders.

 

Under-served US households

Financial inclusion is also a theme in developed countries where many customers are under-served. Such customers have a bank account, but receive inadequate service because of insufficient earnings or the value of their assets being too low. For instance, roughly a quarter of US households are either unbanked or underbanked.

 

Figure 2. A missing piece in the US

FinTech_aids-Missing-Piece-US_EN.jpg

Source: FDIC. 2017 American Banker. For illustrative purpose only.

 

FinTech, in the form of robo-advice1, for instance, can offer solutions in this realm.

Uber2, a US ride-sharing company, is offering financial inclusion to all their drivers, of which a substantial proportion is currently unbanked, in the form of prepaid cards, online wallets and lending. At the start of the day, the Uber driver can fill up on petrol with an amount that is loaned by UberMoney. The driver then pays back this borrowed amount via the Uber rides. At the end of the day, the driver can ask for the money made on that day to be deposited in the online wallet or on the prepaid card (with other companies, this payout is weekly or monthly). Uber does not facilitate all of these financial services on their own, hence they partner up with FinTech companies. One example of such a company that is enabling Uber to roll out these services is Green Dot.

Payments and insurance could present some barriers to inclusion, however, for people who do not own a phone. Lack of phone ownership means such people cannot participate in technological advances conferred by FinTech because they have a lighter or no digital footprint. This group of people is relatively large and represents a majority of payments for amounts below USD10 in the US.

People with no digital trace may also find it difficult to become insured. Insurers use automated risk models that are only able to generate a profile if the client has a digital footprint. They are unable to underwrite clients without a digital history.

As a result, some groups of people will not be serviced by digital finance. Their numbers stand in contrast to the significant number of people for whom new technology has substantially increased service.

New FinTech initiatives are considering how to include under- or un-serviced customers: the economics make sense from a business/profit model point of view.

 

A more inclusive society

We see FinTech as a key enabler of a more inclusive society. Digitisation is an overarching, irreversible trend and key enabler of FinTech. Digitisation is also vital to future economic growth and the Sustainability Revolution. But there must be the correct balance between decoupled digital growth, greater energy efficiency across harder-to-abate sectors enabled by the digital revolution, and a focus on the tech sector as a net-negative emissions generator. Digital growth must be managed sustainably.

The digital industry's energy usage is increasing by 4% a year, which runs counter to the objective of the Paris Agreement to decouple energy consumption from GDP growth. Digital devices and back-end infrastructure consume a vast amount of electricity. This adds up to a risk that the massive investments made in digital technology will ultimately lead to a net increase in the environmental footprint of the sector, even as the sector provides multiple solutions to decarbonise other industries

Efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact of digital technologies so that their innovative potential in service of a climate transition isn't tarnished by growing energy consumption. There is a balance that must be struck between the need to reduce emissions from the technology sector and the vitally important role digital technologies, and in particular FinTech, play in economic and social development — and in keeping the world connected in times of emergency. The end goal of this transformation is a CLIC economy (Circular, Lean, Inclusive and Clean). The CLIC economy leverages efficient production and consumption, and the sharing economy; reducing the wasteful accumulation of idle assets.

As it supports greater financial inclusion, we believe FinTech is one step towards this transformation.

 

sources.

1 Automated online investing
2 Any reference to a specific company or security does not constitute a recommendation to buy, sell, hold or directly invest in the company or securities. It should not be assumed that the recommendations made in the future will be profitable or will equal the performance of the securities discussed in this document
 

FinTech-Image-of-White-Paper-cover-for-web-page.jpg

Download whitepaper

Investing in the digitalisation of financial services provides noteworthy return potential, in our opinion. A large number of high quality companies exist in the FinTech universe and, given the right expertise in both financials and technology, it is possible to construct a diversified portfolio that reaps potential benefits.

 

 Click here to download the whitepaper

important information.

For professional investor use only
This document has been issued by Lombard Odier Funds (Europe) S.A. a Luxembourg based public limited company (SA), having its registered office at 291, route d’Arlon, 1150 Luxembourg, authorised and regulated by the CSSF as a Management Company within the meaning of EU Directive 2009/65/EC, as amended; and within the meaning of the EU Directive 2011/61/EU on Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFMD). The purpose of the Management Company is the creation, promotion, administration, management and the marketing of Luxembourg and foreign UCITS, alternative investment funds ("AIFs") and other regulated funds, collective investment vehicles or other investment vehicles, as well as the offering of portfolio management and investment advisory services.
Lombard Odier Investment Managers (“LOIM”) is a trade name.
This document is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or a recommendation to purchase or sell any security or service. It is not intended for distribution, publication, or use in any jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, or use would be unlawful. This material does not contain personalized recommendations or advice and is not intended to substitute any professional advice on investment in financial products. Before entering into any transaction, an investor should consider carefully the suitability of a transaction to his/her particular circumstances and, where necessary, obtain independent professional advice in respect of risks, as well as any legal, regulatory, credit, tax, and accounting consequences. This document is the property of LOIM and is addressed to its recipient exclusively for their personal use. It may not be reproduced (in whole or in part), transmitted, modified, or used for any other purpose without the prior written permission of LOIM. This material contains the opinions of LOIM, as at the date of issue.
Neither this document  nor any copy thereof may be sent, taken into, or distributed in the United States of America, any of its territories or possessions or areas subject to its jurisdiction, or to or for the benefit of a United States Person. For this purpose, the term "United States Person" shall mean any citizen, national or resident of the United States of America, partnership organized or existing in any state, territory or possession of the United States of America, a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, territory or possession thereof, or any estate or trust that is subject to United States Federal income tax regardless of the source of its income.
Source of the figures: Unless otherwise stated, figures are prepared by LOIM.
Although certain information has been obtained from public sources believed to be reliable, without independent verification, we cannot guarantee its accuracy or the completeness of all information available from public sources.
Views and opinions expressed are for informational purposes only and do not constitute a recommendation by LOIM to buy, sell or hold any security. Views and opinions are current as of the date of this presentation and may be subject to change. They should not be construed as investment advice.
No part of this material may be (i) copied, photocopied or duplicated in any form, by any means, or (ii) distributed to any person that is not an employee, officer, director, or authorised agent of the recipient, without Lombard Odier Funds (Europe) S.A prior consent. ©2020 Lombard Odier IM. All rights reserved.