A global study of 2,000 executives at firms across markets revealed plans to increase investment in embedded finance, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks, and decentralized finance in 2023, including cautious optimism towards cryptocurrency.
44% of financial services firms' executives across the globe say they will invest significantly in developing embedded finance products in 2023 as consumers demand more convenient ways to pay, bank and invest.
Nearly two-thirds (61%) of all non-financial services executives told FIS it will be strategically important to have a presence in the metaverse in the next three years.
ESG is top of mind for financial services firms globally, with 60% of executives saying they are developing new ESG products and services.
The inaugural 2023 Global Innovation Report asked c-suite and senior executives in financial services (banks, insurers, capital markets firms, and fintechs) and non-financial businesses (retail, restaurants, travel, gaming and digital content, and technology providers) globally about their key areas of financial investment in 2023.
According to the study, most executives across the globe say they expect a major or moderate impact from the following areas of fintech in the coming year: ESG (84%), embedded finance (84%), decentralized finance (DeFi) (82%), the metaverse (80%) and cryptocurrencies (77%).
These projections are largely mirrored by
'As the threat of a global economic slowdown looms and businesses look for ways to thrive through the downturn, it is evident that unleashing growth requires focus, top-down executive support, a culture of innovation, and collaboration to anticipate and shape to consumer demand,' said
The next generation of the Internet, referred to as Web3, centers around decentralized infrastructure like blockchain technology and includes innovations such as cryptocurrency, DeFi, and the metaverse. According to new FIS research, the
While nearly one-third (29%) of
Financial services firms cited a lack of ecosystem services to support crypto (29%), lack of interoperability between platforms (28%), and lack of clarity around regulations (26%) as key barriers to greater adoption within their organizations.
Non-financial services firms shared similar concerns, however, 24% noted lack of crypto services from banks and other financial services providers as a barrier.
Almost half of
There are concerns about DeFi, with 50% of financial services firms citing poor user experience as a barrier to adoption and 47% saying they need to better understand the risks involved before they will participate.
59% of financial services firms are actively researching potential opportunities in the metaverse, while 45% of non-financial businesses say it will be strategically important to have a presence in the metaverse in the next three years.
Embedded Finance to Empower
Embedded finance is when consumers have unique, tailored financial services delivered to them at their point of need by non-financial companies. Embedded payments are most familiar to consumers, enabling the speed and convenience of paying for goods and services in an app, with just a single click. New use cases across banking, lending and investing are emerging and the drive to deliver embedded financial services is on the rise in the
36% of financial services firms will invest significantly in developing embedded finance products within 12 months, according to the study.
Meanwhile, 59% of non-financial firms that see an impact from embedded finance on their business told FIS they will respond by increasing their tech or research and development budget this year.
ESG is Widely Seen as a Competitive Must-Have in the
ESG is the systematic consideration of environmental, social and governance factors alongside financial factors when making decisions about investments, business practices, and commercial relationships. If supported by the right technology, ESG can open new growth opportunities and competitiveness in the U.S. market.
56% financial services firms in the
60% of financial services firms told FIS they are developing new products and services.
To address difficulties in accessing and analyzing their own ESG data, 56% of financial services firms say they are investing in technology to improve reporting and disclosures, giving clients more transparency into ESG scores and/or providing more granular ESG ratings of assets and securities.
Methodology
All data is based on a survey of 2,000 executives from financial services firms (banks, insurers, capital markets firms and fintechs) and non-financial services businesses (merchants, corporates and technology providers) in nine countries (
About FIS
FIS is a leading provider of technology solutions for merchants, banks and capital markets firms globally. FIS employees are dedicated to advancing the way the world pays, banks and invests by applying FIS' scale, deep expertise and data-driven insights. FIS helps its clients use technology in innovative ways to solve business-critical challenges and deliver superior experiences for its customers. Headquartered in
To learn more, visit www.fisglobal.com. Follow FIS on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (@FISGlobal).
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