Markets - Long Reads, News, Articles & Research: Finextra

Flexible and efficient SME lending as a growth enabler in 2025

Emma Lovell Chief Executive at LSB

Flexible and efficient SME lending as a growth enabler in 2025

Emma Lovell, chief executive of the LSB (Lending Standards Board), explains why with the £25 billion raise in employers’ National Insurance contributions looming – coupled with a tough economic environment – business owners’ wants and needs for SME lending are changing. What trends are reshaping this landscape in 2025, and how can banks and lender...

18 February 2025 /markets

Liam Xavier Media Producer at Finextra

How will tariffs affect fintech growth?

For a number of years now, we have been weathered by a series of destabilising events: Brexit, trade wars, cybersecurity breaches and global military conflicts. It’s an unsettling mix and the financial markets have needed to be permanently alert. This continues to be the case with the announcement that the new US President Donald Trump is ramping ...

13 February 2025 /markets

Davos 2025 roundup: AI, crypto, and the energy transition

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

Davos 2025 roundup: AI, crypto, and the energy transition

This year’s annual World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting set in the picturesque Alpine views of Davos, Switzerland, brought together international world leaders to discuss trade, global economy, climate change, and political tensions. There was a dark cloud hovering over the conference this year, encapsulating the geopolitical turmoil waging i...

29 January 2025 /markets

2025 capital markets trends and Finextra’s predictions for the new year

Madhvi Sonia Head of Content at Finextra

2025 capital markets trends and Finextra’s predictions for the new year

Launching soon, Finextra’s PREDICT 2025 channel will gather insights and ideas from the industry's top thought leaders, capturing how the financial services industry will tap into technology trends in 2025 and these predictions will be shared with our 700,000 monthly readers. From November 2024 to March 2025, Finextra will be hosting video intervi...

14 November 2024 /markets

A guide to finance for non-bank specialist lenders

Warren Mutch Head of Speciality Finance at Shawbrook

A guide to finance for non-bank specialist lenders

Securing capital from a speciality finance provider can accelerate the growth of a non-bank lender’s platform. Speciality finance can be a valuable tool for non-bank lenders that want to expand their franchises. Partnering with the right speciality finance lender – that can provide flexible, long-term capital and has a broad offering to support non...

01 November 2024 /markets

What will it take to grow and scale embedded finance in Africa?

Dickson Nsofor Chief Executive Officer at Kora

What will it take to grow and scale embedded finance in Africa?

This is an excerpt from the Future of Embedded Finance in Africa 2025 report. Embedded finance is changing the payment landscape in Africa. With it, non-financial businesses are offering specialised services to consumers across the continent. Now, there are BNPL platforms with virtual accounts customers can fund to pay for products and services. R...

10 October 2024 /markets

The UK’s renting and mortgage nightmare: Tools to combat crisis

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

The UK’s renting and mortgage nightmare: Tools to combat crisis

The current UK rental market is a disaster of epic proportions. The cost of living has spiked, the rental market is a jungle, and salaries have remained the same despite inflation and rising prices. Adding a cherry on top, wage growth is at its lowest in almost two years. Due to these dire circumstances, the UK public is clearly struggling. The a...

18 September 2024 /markets

Vietnam's fintech transformation: Driving a new approach to banking SMEs

Ilko Batakliev Head of Design at Techcombank

Vietnam's fintech transformation: Driving a new approach to banking SMEs

This article was co-authored by Leon Gauhman, co-founder and CPSO at digital product consultancy Elsewhen. The World Economic Forum predicts that 70% of new value created this decade will be based on digitally enabled technologies—and Vietnam's thriving, digitally literate, small business sector is an example of this trend in action. Powered by s...

09 September 2024 /markets

The future is now: Open Finance is here to stay

Dominique Dierks Senior Content Manager at Finextra

The future is now: Open Finance is here to stay

This year, open banking in the UK celebrated its sixth birthday and reached the milestone of 10 million customers. In today’s world of instant and cross-border payments, the era of Open Finance has well and truly arrived. Customer demands are changing, and data is becoming increasingly vital for financial institutions. Open Finance allows banks to...

05 September 2024 /markets

Scaling a fintech abroad: Five key considerations for successful expansion

Chloé Wade VP International Financial Services UK at IDA Ireland

Scaling a fintech abroad: Five key considerations for successful expansion

Internationalisation and expansion into wider markets is a critical part of the growth strategy for all multinationals, and fintechs are no exception to this. Leveraging extensive experience in supporting businesses to grow abroad, Chloé Wade, VP of International Financial Services UK at IDA Ireland explores five essential steps that fintechs shou...

23 August 2024 /markets

US election 2024: What will Trump VP pick J.D. Vance bring to fintech?

Madhvi Sonia Head of Content at Finextra

US election 2024: What will Trump VP pick J.D. Vance bring to fintech?

“AI poses a number of safety concerns and I fully admit that there are a number of issues I worry about as AI continues to develop. In particular, you could imagine a scenario where AI makes these chatbots much more efficient, much more believable, allows predators to prey on children more easily online. That is a real concern and something that I...

18 July 2024 /markets

Fintech market picks up as confidence grows

Antoinette Barnard Head Sales and Alliances B2B Services, Rabobank at Rabobank

Fintech market picks up as confidence grows

2023 was, according to some measures, far from a good year for the fintech sector in Europe. After a record-breaking post-pandemic period, 2023 saw a correction, leading to drops in valuations. The European fintech market experienced significant challenges due to factors outside of its control. The global economic environment was tumultuous, and ...

17 July 2024 /markets

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