Financial Regulation in Emerging Markets and the Rise of Fintech Companies

This course explores the developments that have fueled the emergence of fintech companies around the world. Following the changing regulatory environment, especially since the 1997 Asian and 2008 global financial crisis, governments have enacted far-reaching new financial regulations for safeguarding financial stability. However, banks and financial institutions have found it increasingly difficult to be profitable in these new regulatory environments. Technology is taking leaps forward in artificial intelligence and blockchain and this has created new opportunities for fintech entrepreneurs. This course discusses fintech regulation using case studies from China and South Africa. The course pays special attention to the socioeconomic environment in emerging markets, as well as to political risk as a major source of uncertainty for fintech entrepreneurs. Peer-to-peer lending and remittances are used as leading examples for growing fintech innovation in emerging markets

• Understand how global regulatory changes drive fintech innovations
• Identify the role of AI and blockchain in fintech emergence
• Analyze case studies on regulatory challenges in emerging markets

• Basic computer and internet skills
• Ability to read and understand course instructions in English