Fintech Explained provides a rigorous, accessible introduction to the landscape of fintech. Michael R. King explains the customer focus, innovation strategy, business model, and valuation of leading fintechs in cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance (DeFi), crowdfunding and online lending, robo-advice and digital wealth management, payments and insurtech, digital banking, and bigtech. The book profiles the successes and failures of over thirty high-profile fintechs, combining insights from founders, early-stage investors, financial incumbents, and other stakeholders in this dynamic ecosystem. Combining clear descriptions and case studies with the latest findings from academic research, Fintech Explained provides a complete course for educating undergraduate and graduate students, executives, and interested professionals.
Table of Contents:
Section One: Fintech Toolbox
1. Foundations of Fintech
2. Fintech Economics, Strategies, and Business Models
3. Funding of Early-Stage Fintech Companies
4. The Valuation of Fintech Companies
Section Two: Fintech Products and Services
5. Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Cryptocurrencies
6. Ethereum and Decentralized Finance
7. Alternative Finance, Online Lending, and Crowdfunding
8. Digital Banking and the Response of Incumbents
9. Robo-advisors and Digital Wealth Management
10. Payments and Insurtech
11. Techfins and Bigtechs in Financial
Index
About the Author :
Michael R. King is an associate professor and Lansdowne Chair in Finance at the University of Victoria. He is the co-founder of Canada’s first fintech research centre, the Scotiabank Digital Banking Lab.
Review :
"This is the most comprehensive book on fintech that I have ever read! Whether you are a neophyte or a seasoned veteran, the book has something for you. With practical examples of known fintechs and extrapolating lessons, this is truly an educational and entertaining journey."
--Peter Misek, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Framework Venture Partners
" Fintech Explained is a thrilling exploration of how fintech is revolutionizing the financial services industry, with a unique focus on entrepreneurship and disruption. Any student or professional looking for a comprehensive grounding in fintech business strategy and applications should start here."
--Darrell Duffie, Adams Distinguished Professor of Management and Professor of Finance, Stanford Graduate School of Business
"Michael King succeeds in making the complex topic of fintech accessible and highly relevant for the next generation of financial professionals. This book is a must-have asset regardless of your viewpoint, be it investor, entrepreneur, or future leader. As the president of one of Canada's largest and most successful bigtech fintechs, I can personally attest to the power of King's insights."
--Dubie Cunningham, President, Banking Group, Zafin
" Fintech Explained brilliantly deciphers the complex fintech landscape, making it accessible to everyone. King's astute observations and innovative thinking make this book a beacon for anyone looking to understand and leverage the disruptive power of fintech. It's an unparalleled guide in an era of rapid change, and essential reading for anyone interested in the future of finance."
--Craig Asano, Founder and CEO, National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada
"Fintech companies are transforming the financial industry by offering a diverse range of financial services and products, including payment solutions, financial advice, loans, and digital currencies, using cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. Fintech Explained serves as an invaluable resource to understand this evolution, presenting a clear, pedagogical, and systematic account of this process, drawing upon the latest academic research. I highly recommend this textbook to instructors seeking to develop a course on Fintech 3.0, students eager to enhance their knowledge of the fintech industry, and professionals aiming to stay abreast of the fintech revolution."
--Will Cong, Rudd Family Professor of Management and Professor of Finance, SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University
"Few people know fintech as well as Michael King. Fintech Explained provides a comprehensive overview, complete with many colourful examples, of the fintech trends that are driving disruptive change today."
--Andrew Graham, Co-founder and CEO, Borrowell
"The most impressive feature of Michael King's Fintech Explained is its breadth of scope. While so many others focus -often exclusively - on digital assets, blockchain technology, dominant players in the cryptocurrency realm, and DeFi, this book goes well beyond. Fintech, we learn, is just as much about robo-advising, online lending and crowdfunding platforms, insurtech, and bigtech financial services. Michael's analytical strengths shine through as he deconstructs the business models and economic foundations underlying the value propositions in fintech world. And all of it is done in an accessible, everyday language that ensures it is worthy for all eager to build up their fintech bona fides."
--Andrew Karolyi, Charles Field Knight Dean and Professor of Finance, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University
" Fintech Explained provides an incisive peek into the technological forces and dynamic innovators currently reshaping every corner of the financial system. From brokerage to bitcoin, the text provides a comprehensive and easy-to-understand view of the problems fintech innovators (whether incumbent or entrepreneur) are seeking to fix and the hurdles they must overcome to achieve those goals."
--R. Jesse McWaters, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Regulatory Advocacy, Mastercard
"Michael King is a leading academic expert in the exciting field of technology in the world of finance. In his book Fintech Explained, the reader will learn about the current and future trends that these forces will bring to industry, profound change which will largely benefit customers. However, change is always difficult and some may get left behind unless we take steps to avoid this. King provides insights on how the entire society can benefit."
--Richard Nesbitt, Adjunct Professor and Executive-in-Residence, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
"This is exactly the book I've been seeking for my students! Fintech Explained fills an important gap in financial education by unravelling the complexities of fintech. Drawing on extensive interactions with key stakeholders, including founders, VCs, angel investors, and influencers, the book offers a rigorous and meticulously crafted analysis supported by Michael King's deep experience in the financial services industry and solid academic research. I appreciate how the author captures the multidisciplinary nature of fintech, providing a holistic view of the field. The text not only offers a clear and expert explanation of various fintech verticals, complemented by a multitude of case studies, but also delves into fundamental aspects such as monetization strategies, funding, and valuation of fintech companies. This book has the potential to establish itself as the go-to textbook and become an indispensable resource for students, professors, and practitioners alike."
--Maria Pacurar, Associate Professor of Finance, Dalhousie University
"Michael R. King's book offers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of how financial technology companies are revolutionizing the customer experience in the financial services industry. Through real-world case studies, clear descriptions, and the latest academic research, King highlights the transformative power of fintech, showcasing how it provides cheaper, faster, and more convenient financial products and services. This pedagogical guide is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the dynamic and evolving world of fintech."
--Raghavendra Rau, Sir Evelyn de Rothschild Professor of Finance, University of Cambridge
"Michael King leverages his deep experience in investment and central banking, as well as his international academic background as a finance professor, to offer a masterful handbook on fintech. Using the dual lens of disruptive innovation and financial intermediation theory, King unpacks 30+ real cases of fintech businesses, ranging from crypto protocols to niche lending startups and from globally established unicorns to bigtech's attempts at competing with traditional banks. It's concise and crystal-clear, and yet somehow manages to be exhaustive."
--Jean-Philippe Vergne, Associate Professor of Strategy, UCL School of Management
" Fintech Explained is the ideal introductory companion for all things fintech. It provides a solid educational resource for students and educators as well as a point of entry to professionals who are keen to understand further the applications and strategic impact of technology in financial services."
--Markos Zachariadis, Chair in Financial Technology & Information Systems, University of Manchester; Member of the World Economic Forum's Council on the Future of Resilient Financial Systems
"Fintech companies are transforming the financial industry by offering a diverse range of financial services and products, including payment solutions, financial advice, loans, and digital currencies, using cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. Fintech Explained serves as an invaluable resource to understand this evolution, presenting a clear, pedagogical, and systematic account of this process, drawing upon the latest academic research. I highly recommend this textbook to instructors seeking to develop a course on Fintech 3.0, students eager to enhance their knowledge of the fintech industry, and professionals aiming to stay abreast of the fintech revolution."--Thierry Foucault, HEC Foundation Chaired Professor, HEC Paris
