FIN 436 Introduction to Fintech

The course provides an overview of the most recent technological advances that are radically changing the financial services industry. Technological breakthroughs offer new ways for people to save, invest, borrow, and transact. The course will focus on applying the fundamentals to different areas like risk modeling, banking, market microstructure, and cryptocurrencies. You will discover the impact of FinTech from multiple perspectives—investor, corporate, and consumer—and learn about the regulation behind it. We will analyze how new technologies create value in the financial industry, from reducing unit cost, increasing transparency, increasing competition, creating network effects, leveraging economies of scales, and lowering asymmetric information. We will also study the competitive landscape and the market opportunities and threats for incumbents and new entrants.