As the new year quickly approaches, the financial services sector grows impatient anticipating industry changes. Payment providers and banks show no signs of slowing down innovation. Cross border payments and other services will continue to be faster and more efficient. More banks are predicted to use banking-as-a-service platforms to revolutionize their cost structure and consumer experience.

As consumer demand for frictionless, on-demand payments grows, solutions like Interledger and distributed ledger technologies are likely to scale up. Also, consumer purchase behavior is predicted to drive solutions to cater to tourists and travelers without a card requirement. The global economy will continue to see wallet payments grow in the support of immediate and low-value payment transactions.

2020 presents an enormous opportunity for digital disruption to completely alter traditional models that have fueled banks and financial institutions’ operations for decades.

One of America’s largest banks has invested $15M in Indian fintech startup, ZestMoney. The Bangalore based company helps people to build their credit profile to become credit-worthy. Goldman Sachs's investment will help millions of people to secure loans and be financially viable.

Few people in India have credit cards, resulting in few people having traditional credit scores. The startup has entered several strategic partnerships and raised funds in order to effectively disburse credit and reach over 300 million users in the near future.

A man who purchased a pre-ordered meal in a Polish cafe posted his receipt on a bulletin board inside of the cafe for someone in need to use. To his surprise, that receipt went viral. With over 42K Facebook shares, a movement sparked that has inspired a surplus of prepaid meals available to people in need. The movement has reached 40+ restaurants who are participating, each with their own set of rules.

The concept is simple. A customer can buy their own lunch or dinner and then, they can decide on what they would like to buy for a person in need. Polish fintech startup, PanParagon, has made the initiative possible by providing the resources in order to successfully enable the goodwill.

In 2019, startups became certified banks and venture capitalists wrote checks to neobanks. The goal to bring the banking sector up to date with consumer standards has investors predicting major returns.

Banks are responding to the disruption by establishing competitive pricing and efficiency gains. Banks are also reassessing the benefits of investing in niche startups focused on the concept of unbundling banks.

Fintech startups excel in specialized offers that prioritize the consumer experience. Offering cheaper prices and better branding, fintech startups appear more desirable, but follow the same model that banks do. However, the unbundling of banks, the specialization of tasks, and innovation is a valuable lesson for future incumbent banks to inform their strategy and remain competitive in their industry.

There is a never-ending stream of venture capital flowing into the fintech space. While startups have dominated unfriendly user interfaces and experiences, there are departments and functionalities that are ripe for new players.

Opportunities for fintech disruption abound in unlikely places that require a second look such as commercial lending, risk management, small business banking, cloud computing, etc. As fintech continues to tap into new markets by merging new tricks with old tricks, increasingly diversified offerings offer transformative opportunities for company business models and outdated strategies.

While it is no secret that traditional banks and insurance companies are scrambling to adapt to the new competitive landscape, FintechOS has the end all be all solution for all stragglers. Offering automated technology for financial services to be consumerized much like a retail service, FintechOS has secured $14M to help incumbents perform like fintech startups do in today’s brave new world.

FintechOS is a Romanian startup that aims to serve industry laggards by providing remedy to lacking adaptation and innovation initiatives. Banks that partners with FintechOS are able to operate at accelerated rates like that of startups and prioritize personalized customer experiences to align with the consumer’s expectation.

Credit Karma is seeking to fulfill its innovation initiative by acquiring Haven Money. Haven Money is an app that provides automated savings and investing; targeted at socially conscious millennials. While the deal terms were not disclosed, this marks the company’s seventh acquisition.

In an effort to compete with neobanks, Credit Karma is working to understand it’s audience by investing in autonomous finances. The company plans to leverage Haven Money’s assets and technology in order to take create more added value for their clients. Credit Karma is building a holistic business model that covers everything from credit scores to personal savings.

The dynamic Fintech sector is exercising influence on the trade industry. Fintech has enabled trading to be brought to the masses by introducing efficient financial services to end-users and offering transparent trade solutions via online platforms.

Trade has become increasingly democratized due to the climate in which consumers experience a rapid flow of information and facilitated networks. FIntech has also introduced Robo-advisers to traders to better inform traders and create responsible trading habits. Technology has revolutionized trade execution and account management by eliminating the necessary third-party entity such as a traditional financial institution.

E-commerce sparked the rise of the fintech movement in Latin America. Digital payments were the most relevant segment that paved the way for the first wave of fintech startups to introduce emerging trends in the expanding ecosystem.

While food delivery and ride-hailing applications gain wide traction in Latin America, gig economy workers struggle to make ends meet. 70% of people in Latin America do not have a bank account. Platforms such as Uber Money, Cabify, and Zippi have created opportunities by providing financial services and personal loans to support the growing gig economy and its workers.

Another trend we have seen is in insurance. Abandoning traditional models, fintechs are working to revolutionize the ominous experience by digitizing the process with online channels. Insurtech has a huge opportunity to grow by introducing new products and efficient processes.

As big banks turn their attention to the economic sector and begin prioritizing modern initiatives, the old and the new are collaborating to improve cash flow for SMEs. While startups have been a hot topic among the fintech discussion, they’re beginning to partner with SME’s to help create new ways to increase efficiency.

Small business plays a major role and contribution to the American economy and small businesses are increasingly facing many financial challenges. While there is room for improvement, there is opportunity to introduce financial technology developments to help overcome internal obstacles and scale.

More and more innovative companies are invading the banking sector and revolutionizing financial services as we know them. Bank and financial options have evolved far beyond imaginable and as a result venture capitalists are breeding more success by investing in the early stage fintech unicorns.

Portag3 has secured $320 million to invest in fintech startups. Portag3 CEO Adam Felesky says, “In order to understand what it takes to succeed globally, you need to invest and work with the best of the best from around the world.” The venture capital firm is on a mission to build global champions from a Canadian base.

While big tech continues to invade the finance sector and dip their toes in financial services, venture-capital-backed fintech companies are expanding their bottom line and innovating beyond measure. Big banks are returning to the innovation game as the consumer becomes the focal point of all company approaches to adapt to the shifting landscape.

As investments increase and competition peaks, traditional models are increasingly shifting from product-centric approaches to a consumer-focused paradigm.

PayPal announced it’s largest acquisition to date of ‘Honey’, a coupon browser add-on and mobile application. Paypal bought Honey Science Corporation for $4 billion. The company is best known for its ability to make the shopping experience affordable and rewarding by helping consumers to find discounts. PayPal aims to add Honey’s technology extensions to its own product line.

While other tech companies are competing for consumer attention and real estate on the checkout page, Paypal is strategically getting a jumpstart on audience reach by joining customers in the beginning stages of their online shopping journey.

Uber recently announced a deeper push into the application’s financial services with the launch of ‘Uber Money’. The company is narrowing its focus to create more value and a wide range of services available for drivers and freelance, gig workers while single-handedly accounting for their customer’s needs to create customer loyalty.

Uber has pivoted its model and strategically positioned itself to capitalize on the trend regarding the gig economy. The new product is a means to create stability in the lives of the people who work for Uber and rely on gig work. The accommodation is aimed to alleviate pain points commonly experienced by employees.

Bank of America began hiring for blockchain jobs in recent months. This pivot in the companies business model is a clear indicator of the company’s plans to further transform its strategy by including technology and solidifies its commitment to innovative, efficient, and streamlined initiatives. Some of these roles include available positions such as enterprise payment technology senior architects and banking regulatory domain architects.

More businesses are investing in IoT to simplify operations and improve efficiency across the board, from supply chain management to consumer shopping experiences. Organizations are innovating to cultivate a ‘smart’ shopping experience. From the elimination of the purchasing line to the creation of personalized shelves, the retail experience has transformed.

In the supply chain: Zebra is a technology company that sells data services employing IoT to provide real-time updates and visibility of products in the warehouse to improve inventory management.

The ecosystem fostering digital commerce and payments has changed rapidly as a number of companies have collaborated to introduce new ways to make and track purchases. The disruption has caused room for opportunity to change the way consumers engage with and think about daily transactions by adding value to their experience.

Digital Banking Innovation: Crealogix Group is a company that works closely with banks adopting and pursuing digital transformation. Their clients who are ahead of the curve and embracing change are currently experiencing a difference in their customer service as their customers no longer seek personal contact. Customers today seek streamlined, digital platforms providing comprehensive visuals of their personal finances. Banks are anticipating their stakeholder preferences and customizing solutions to cater to their unique financial needs.

Facebook saw an opportunity in the cryptocurrency business and the social media giant launched Libra. Libra is essentially an unregulated transaction allowing users to send and/or receive money without the inconvenience of additional fees. As predicted, Facebook was prepared for the pushback from both government and finance leaders and had a list of corporate backers vouching for the new cryptocurrency. However, turmoil increases as the number of reputable backers who are choosing to abandon Libra proliferate. Despite the circumstances, Facebook is continuing to fight for the launch of Libra in an effort to ultimately leverage blockchain technology to innovate beyond the current way that money moves around.

While consumers are adapted to convenience and acceleration, traditional banks are meeting their user’s expectations and needs. The bank is incorporating AI technology into its mobile application to leverage machine capabilities and drive operational efficiency. Doing their due diligence, the bank is personalizing the customer experience and reaping the benefits.

With the newfound seamless banking experience, TD is looking to help advise and consult users with their spending and investments by anticipating their needs and financial statements. As digital engagements become the status quo, continuity across all channels becomes priority.

The new way of raising money shows no signs of slowing down in the near future. While innovation drives every market and every society, funding fuels innovation and development. In order to launch revolutionary ideas, crowdfunding connects startup companies with investors who see true meaning in application.

Crowdfunding has democratized industry barriers. Flipping many traditional models and disrupting them, many businesses are able to harness their full potential with the help of their investors.

While just about every industry is facing disruption, the financial sector has been slow to adopt an agile business model. However, as tech companies pose greater threats and begin invading the traditional bank space, institutions are slowly implementing the latest forms of technology to remain competitive in their market.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and Big Data appear are the biggest trends that are seen across the financial landscape in places ranging from personnel roles to customer service. The banking sector is increasingly investing in technology that provides improved transparency and efficiency to alleviate previous pain points associated with traditional transaction models.

Mastercard has announced the release and launch of their latest innovation — a new program called ‘Fintech Express’. The financial services company is embracing fintech and creating a platform to serve fintech disruptors and startups with the tools they need to scale.

The program promotes factors such as speed, scale, and performance to drive project success. Mastercard has an understanding of who their audience is and what the need and more importantly, an understanding of what the industry needs in order to accelerate innovation and transformation.