Regulating Fintech In Asia

This book focuses on Fintech regulation in Asian, situating local developments in broader economic, regulatory and technological contexts. Over the last decade, Fintech – broadly defined as the use of new information technologies to help financial institutions and intermediaries compete in the marketplace – has disrupted the financial services sector. Like other 21st century technological developments, Fintech is a global phenomenon that plays out in local economic, political and regulatory contexts, and this dynamic interplay between global trends and local circumstances has created a complex and fast-changing landscape. Diverse stakeholders (most obviously incumbent financial service providers, tech start-ups and regulators) all pursue a competitive edge against a background of profound uncertainty about the future direction and possible effects of multiple emerging technologies. Compounding these difficulties are uncertainties surrounding regulatory responses. Policymakers often struggle to identify appropriate regulatory responses and increasingly turn to policy experimentation. Such issues add to the challenges for the various actors operating in the Fintech space. This situation is particularly fluid in Asia, since many jurisdictions are seeking to establish themselves as a regional hub for new financial services.

This book provides a thorough introduction and historical overview of the principles and practices of digital currency and fintech in Asia. It covers the theory of central bank digital currency and examines regulatory aspects, economic digitalization, financial inclusion, and the role of SMEs. Selected case studies offer in-depth insights into recent fintech developments in major economies, including Australia; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; the People's Republic of China; the Republic of Korea; and Thailand. The book also makes a valuable supplement for introductory courses on finance, governance, and economics, as it appeals to a broad range of readers, including university students, academics, finance practitioners, and policy makers.

This tool kit provides insights on how new fintech solutions, aided by strong policy and regulation, can support more inclusive growth and help economies recover from the pandemic. The rapid growth of fintech services in Asia and the Pacific can help countries leapfrog the challenges of traditional financial services infrastructure and dramatically increase access to financial services. An inclusive fintech ecosystem is important in supporting economic growth, greater equality, and lower poverty levels. This publication suggests how to provide an enabling policy and regulatory environment to promote responsible fintech innovation, while ensuring consumer protection and supporting inclusive economic development in the region.

This publication explores the use of regulatory technology (regtech) in finance. It discusses how to design an optimal architecture, alongside policy considerations for an integrated regtech and supervisory technology ecosystem. It highlights the interaction of industry use of technology in compliance and risk management; regulator and supervisor use of technology for supervision, monitoring, and enforcement; and use of technology to embed regulatory requirements and systems into financial infrastructure. The publication introduces key policy frameworks that enable ecosystem relationships at national, regional, and international levels, and showcases vital agile data management and standardization frameworks.

This comprehensive Research Handbook provides an in-depth analysis of the different financial law approaches, legal systems and trends throughout Asia. It considers how reforms following the crises have been critical for the development and growth of the region and explores a broad range of post-crisis financial regulatory issues. This timely book also examines how inconsistent and divergent approaches to financial market regulation are curtailing the region’s potential.

Provides a systematic and contextualized account of China's Fintech regulation.

Fintech developments are shaking up mandates within the existing regulatory architecture. It is not uncommon for financial sector agencies to have multiple policy objectives. Most often the policy objectives for these agencies reflect prudential, conduct and financial stability policy objectives. In some cases, financial sector agencies are also allocated responsibility for enhancing competition and innovation. When it comes to fintech, countries differ to some extent in the manner they balance the objectives of promoting the development of fintech and regulating it. Countries see fintech as a means of achieving multiple policy objectives sometimes with lesser or greater degrees of emphasis, such as accelerating development and spurring financial inclusion, while others may support innovation with the objective of promoting competition and efficiency in the provision of financial services. This difference in emphasis may impact institutional structures, including the allocation of staff resources. Conflicts of interest arising from dual roles are sometimes managed through legally established prioritization of objectives or establishment of separate internal reporting lines for supervision and development.