Besides all the harm, COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of technologies, gave a significant boost to the digitalization, spurred financial innovation, and encouraged people to try out online banking for the first time.
The pandemic undoubtedly created new opportunities and propelled banks to come up with creative ways to support the economy and keep business open. Across the globe, banks and new financial technology firms (Fintechs) have been exploring ways to keep up in this fast-changing environment by focusing on a more efficient and innovative business model. It's no surprise that in this transformational race, digital banking grew in popularity. This digital transformation has triggered growth across the world with a rapid and massive shift to digital banking in countries such as India and China.
According to the World Economic Forum, the development of digital banking infrastructure in India is worth a special mention. In India, banks have been proactively driving the digital agenda. They have invested in technology and customer awareness. As a result, significant volumes of funds have moved to digital banking. Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, attributes the 'higher levels of sustainable development and financial inclusion’ to growth in digital banking.
The digital banking landscape in China is also noteworthy. In just 5 years after the launch of the first online-only bank of China, WeBank, serves approximately 270 million clients, has no physical branches or outlets and grants loans through face recognition technology and big data credit ratings(1).
Customers experienced the ease of digital interaction with their bank and are using digital channels for banking with a much higher frequency. As the world of banking continues to go more digital, various technologies are necessary to powering transformation, such as big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, robotics process automation, chatbots, Application Programming Interface (APIs), and biometric identification.
With digitization and artificial intelligence, banks can access real-time data and analytics, reshape their services to the wants and needs of their clients at individual level and improve their experiences.
With this digital transformation, cyberattacks are also becoming more common, sophisticated, and posing increasing threat to the sector. One of the main ways criminals target banks is through their customers. They prey on the naivety and ignorance of those who do not grasp the dangers existing in this digital space, consequently tricking the customers into disclosing crucial banking information. Therefore, digital banks must provide the best services while protecting the bank and its customers from malicious attacks. This is done through regular evaluation of the banks’ operating environment to ensure that emerging risks are mitigated adequately and in a timely manner.
Digital banking will continue to grow across the world in the coming years. According to research, the global digital banking market size was valued at USD 803.8 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 1,610 billion by 2027(2). The number of people using digital channels is also growing, with the number forecasted to reach 2.5 billion in 2024(3).
Banking in the digital space brings potential benefits in terms of competition and inclusion but brings risks as well. In fact, digital banks and traditional banks face similar basic risks. So, the transition to digital banking leaves in place the primary regulatory mission, which is focusing on credit, liquidity and capital adequacy. But digital banks, in addition, must consider the extra aspects of doing business in a digital manner. Technology risks require a set of specific requirements.
From a central bank perspective, the challenges would be:
• finding the right balance between encouraging financial innovation and maintaining the safety and soundness of the financial system;
• ensuring a robust regulatory and supervisory framework to address risks specific to digital banks; and, in particular relevant for Curacao and Sint Maarten;
• access to non-digital financial services remains guaranteed for everyone to avoid vulnerable people becoming unbanked or socially excluded.
With this sense of understanding, it is clear that banks can no longer take a defensive approach against digital transformation, while central banks should be prepared to support the transformation process.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, CBCS with increased frequency fields inquiries and requests to establish digital banks. Market entry of digital banks is still in its early stages in Curaçao and Sint Maarten, but it is anticipated that this digital transformational trend continues as a result of the shift in customers preference from traditional to digital channels. Furthermore, players notice potential benefits of a digital bank in terms of competition and a mean to serve the financially excluded population.
1 Source: The World's Biggest List of Digital Banks (thefinancialbrand.com)
2 Source: Digital Banking Report Market Report.
3 Source: Source © Statista