Hong Kong facilitating BigTech’s push into banking

So far this year, Hong Kong’s Monetary Authority (HKMA) has issued virtual banking licenses 8 different groups, including BigTechs, as part of an initiative to promote financial innovation, enhance consumer experiences and increase financial inclusion. The entrance of BigTechs into the financial sector is expected to push established financial institutions into greater innovation, especially as nearly one third of consumers indicated their desire to explore BigTech financial products and services. At the same time, some are worried that the entrance of BigTechs into the financial sector could also push established financial institutions into assuming greater risk, while others are worried that giving BigTechs access to so much data could lead to them having a data monopoly that eventually harms consumers. Good or bad, BigTechs have begun their march into Hong Kong’s financial space, and the end results should show us a lot about how the financial sector will look in the not-too-distant future.

Source: www.businessinsider.com