FUTURES OF FINANCE & BANKING

With the exponential growth of Asian economies, the consumption balance is shifting from the West towards the emerging markets in Asia.

A new wave of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services, which allow consumers to buy an item and pay later in interest-free instalments, have lately been shaking up the traditional credit card business. As a low-commitment, user-friendly and budget-focused alternative to credit cards, BNPLs are particularly favoured by tech-savvy Millennials and Generation Z, who are wary of credit cards.

As populations begin to demand businesses and governments to define their success in new metrics other than financial growth and economic prosperity, new routes for future economic systems are starting to take shape.

What role will Artificial Intelligence (AI) have in the workforce? How will economies and capitalism change in the future? In our webinar, Sitra’s Leading Foresight Analyst Mikko Dufva and Futures Platform’s Content Director Tuomo Kuosa discuss these themes and more.

The banking industry hasn't been as disrupted as other industries by emerging technologies. Indeed, the bank where you open your first account is likely the same you'll stay with for the rest of your life. But a few interesting things have begun happening. First, open banking regulation will allow new services to emerge. Second, automation is changing the face of retail banking. And, third, new players and services are reshaping the payment landscape.

Arguably the most significant driver of change in real estate is the tidal wave of urbanisation. This new wave of urbanisation is linked with many major changes, such as digitalisation, development of science and technology, changes in values and customer needs, sharing economy, experience economy, and innovation economy.

Bitcoin value increased more than 500% since the beginning of the year. This is tens of times more than the growth of any high-growth tech company on NASDAQ or the NYSE over the last year. Even better, if you invested $100 in Bitcoin in 2010, today you'd be a multimillionaire. This has gotten many people thinking: Are cryptocurrencies the future?

The Blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrency Bitcoin. It is one of the most discussed emerging technologies by the financial sector and seen as the next technological revolution by social and cultural visionaries. But is it hype, or a real technological change in progress?

Finding new friends and partners online is already very common, but have you considered searching for a roommate for co-living? Co-living match does not need to be made in heaven; when instead, an algorithm will sort it out while you share enough of your personal details on a co-living service, the number of which is growing.