March 25, 2019

Fintech Is Booming, While Posing New National Security Risks for the U.S.

By: Sam Dorshimer

New financial technology—so-called fintech—has rapidly become an important part of the financial industry, from mobile payment systems to cryptocurrencies. But it also represents a new area of national security vulnerability for the United States. The U.S. is a leader in fintech investment and development for now, but other countries are quickly catching up in key areas. U.S. policymakers should act to improve fintech regulations and coordinate a strategy in order to ensure that this kind of technology remains a strength, rather than a vulnerability, for the U.S.

There has been a huge investment boom in fintech in recent years, with an estimated $111 billion or more invested globally in 2018, according to research from KPMG. Fintech has seen more mainstream use, especially in countries like China, where mobile payments now outstrip any other country in the world—there were over $17 trillion in such payments in China in 2017—and where a range of fintech products are widely used, from peer-to-peer lending platforms to app-based insurance and investment products.

Read the full article in World Politics Review.

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