Page 55 - CMA Journal (July-August 2025)
P. 55

Focus Section




             Personalized Financial Insights
             Over the years, the world has become a data-driven
             environment, and for fintech, data-driven insights and
             analytics enable tailored financial insight to be provided
             to each customer. Fintech platforms offer advice and
             recommendations by steadily monitoring an individual’s
             expenditures, financial goals, income streams, and
             analyzing them systematically. Such a high level of
             customization allows users to make more sustainable
             financial decisions by considering their personal
             situation, risk appetite, and future objectives. This creates
             a more active and aware consumer—someone who is
             financially sophisticated and able to navigate the
             increasingly convoluted world of finance.

             Improved Risk Assessment and Credit Scoring
             The fintech sector has also been revolutionized by data
             analytics with regard to risk assessment and credit
             scoring. Unlike traditional banks, which consider credit
             history as the central factor for borrowing, fintechs can   instantly recognize unusual patterns in transaction
             employ advanced analytics and a rich dataset of   processes, flag potentially suspicious activities, and
             alternative factors, including utility bills, mobile phone   intervene well before any fraudulent actions are
             usage, and even payment history from non-financial   executed. Such measures, conducted preemptively and
             institutions, to assess lending risk with higher accuracy   analyzed in terms of data, not only strengthen the safety
             (Awotunde et al., 2021). This novel technique has made   and security of users from incurring monetary losses but
             credit more accessible, allowing those who do not have a   also protect and uphold the reputation, stability, and
             long—or any—credit history to obtain financing. Fintech   trust of banks.
             disintermediation, by removing the middleman, lowers
             the barriers to entry, promotes financial inclusion, and   Financial Inclusion and Accessibility
             improves the accuracy of lending decisions.       In this changing world, analytics is forming the
                                                               cornerstone of the global move toward greater financial
             Algorithmic Trading and Data-Driven
                                                               inclusion, with many fintechs serving populations
             Investment Strategies                             excluded from the formal banking sector for a long time.
                                                               Fintech players create alternative credit histories based on
             Fintech intersects with data analytics, creating platforms
                                                               non-traditional data sources like mobile phone usage,
             that enable the fast adoption of algorithmic trading,
                                                               e-commerce activities, and digital footprints to design
             turning investing strategies on their head. With complex
                                                               specialized financial services specifically for the unbanked
             algorithms handling vast amounts of market data in
                                                               and underbanked. Fintech solutions aim to deliver
             real-time, trading is automated based on predictive
                                                               win-win business outcomes for the mainstream financial
             models. Using this data-driven method, investors can
                                                               system, while empowering marginalized people,
             quickly take positions and react to changing markets in
                                                               fostering local entrepreneurship, and contributing to
             real-time, which can help maximize returns without
                                                               broader economic growth and income sustainability.
             being influenced by human emotion.  Therefore, the
             integration of analytics into investment strategies is   Navigating Data Privacy Concerns
             reforming portfolio management and enhancing
             market efficiency.                                When it comes to security and privacy of individuals, data
                                                               privacy is paramount. Fintech firms need to protect
             Fraud Detection and Prevention                    consumer data using robust privacy measures and
             While financial fraud is a constant threat, it also continues   enduring trust policies, such as those outlined in the
             to progress in tandem with the digitalization wave. Data   Robson True Vault guidelines. The challenge is balancing
             analytics has emerged as an effective defense     the   delivery  of  services  while  focusing  on
             mechanism for fintechs and other companies operating   privacy-sensitive consumers. Robust data security,
             in the space. Using the latest real-time monitoring   resilient data stewardship policies, and ethical data
             systems combined with state-of-the-art anomaly    practices are essential for fintech firms to safeguard
             detection algorithms, fintech platforms can now   consumer information.
                                                             ICMA’s Chartered Management Accountant, Jul-Aug 2025  53
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