What is the current state of fintech? Varun Mittal, founder of Fintech Nation, returns to Kopi Time after nearly 100 episodes to comment on the changes in the last four years. We discuss the depth and breadth of the sector, its profitability and investor returns across geographies, and the competition/collaboration relationship between banks and nonbank financial companies. We discuss fintech’s role in wealth planning and financial inclusion, the proliferation of payments solutions, and the state of development in the worlds of cryptos, stablecoins, and CBDCs. Discussions then move on to the impact of AI/GenAI on the financial sector and likely forthcoming regulation.  

What is the current state of fintech? Varun Mittal, founder of Fintech Nation, returns to Kopi Time after nearly 100 episodes to comment on the changes in the last four years. We discuss the depth and breadth of the sector, its profitability and investor returns across geographies, and the competition/collaboration relationship between banks and nonbank financial companies. We discuss fintech’s role in wealth planning and financial inclusion, the proliferation of payments solutions, and the state of development in the worlds of cryptos, stablecoins, and CBDCs. Discussions then move on to the impact of AI/GenAI on the financial sector and likely forthcoming regulation.

Kopi time is a podcast series on insights from markets and economies around the world, hosted by Taimur Baig, Ph.D., Chief Economist of DBS Bank Ltd.

Kopi time is a podcast series on insights from markets and economies around the world, hosted by Taimur Baig, Ph.D., Chief Economist of DBS Bank Ltd.

Kopi Time podcast with Taimur Baig

DBS Economics & Strategy

Kopi Time E139 - Fintech Zeitgeist with Varun Mittal

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/f6ad7490-363d-4f1f-8948-abf300412a6f/clips/c57cdae4-190a-4f2a-9ed2-b21e0067d0ea/transcript

We bring the year to an end with astute market strategist and Fed watcher Dr. Komal Sri-Kumar. Sri begins by taking stock of the US economy and markets, how they have been fuelled by fiscal stimulus and the Fed put. Sri is a strong critic of the Fed’s track record on price and financial stability, and he worries that inflation and market risks could be back on the horizon in 2025, even if they seem remote now. We talk about the balance sheet of US households, which look fine on aggregate, but Sri points out that those at the low-end of the income spectrum are struggling with high cost of living and debt service. On corporate balance sheet, Sri worries about commercial real estate and the proliferation of private equity and debt. We then take a look at the outlook for the dollar, gold, and EM assets. Sri sees a year of two halves; first the Trump trades and then the fading of the sugar rush. Expect a volatile 2025.

We bring the year to an end with astute market strategist and Fed watcher Dr. Komal Sri-Kumar. Sri begins by taking stock of the US economy and markets, how they have been fuelled by fiscal stimulus and the Fed put. Sri is a strong critic of the Fed&rsquo;s track record on price and financial stability, and he worries that inflation and market risks could be back on the horizon in 2025, even if they seem remote now. We talk about the balance sheet of US households, which look fine on aggregate, but Sri points out that those at the low-end of the income spectrum are struggling with high cost of living and debt service. On corporate balance sheet, Sri worries about commercial real estate and the proliferation of private equity and debt. We then take a look at the outlook for the dollar, gold, and EM assets. Sri sees a year of two halves; first the Trump trades and then the fading of the sugar rush. Expect a volatile 2025.

Kopi Time E144 - 2025 outlook with Dr. Komal Sri-Kumar

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/f6ad7490-363d-4f1f-8948-abf300412a6f/clips/b5b6252d-7891-4e77-89cd-b24c0068f35a/transcript

Are today’s policy challenges and market behaviour largely about post pandemic macro, or are they reflecting fiscal, monetary, and financial “dominance” that stem from two decades of interventions? Mustafa Chowdhury, a veteran of bond and credit market analysis, returns to Kopi Time to offer a nuanced but highly important perspective on the impact of policy distortion on market behaviour. Why did the long-end of the US yield curve sell-off after the September rate cut? Why haven’t banks reduced their duration exposure despite the regional bank crisis last year? Why are long-term mortgage rates so high and why aren’t short-term products available? And still, why is the housing market so strong? What about the perennial academic and policy debate on price levels versus differences, and how has that caused monetary policy errors? Given all this, what is the outlook for rates, FX, credit, and financial stability? This rich conversation offers excellent insights; a must listen for economists and market strategists.

Are today’s policy challenges and market behaviour largely about post pandemic macro, or are they reflecting fiscal, monetary, and financial “dominance” that stem from two decades of interventions? Mustafa Chowdhury, a veteran of bond and credit market analysis, returns to Kopi Time to offer a nuanced but highly important perspective on the impact of policy distortion on market behaviour. Why did the long-end of the US yield curve sell-off after the September rate cut? Why haven’t banks reduced their duration exposure despite the regional bank crisis last year? Why are long-term mortgage rates so high and why aren’t short-term products available? And still, why is the housing market so strong? What about the perennial academic and policy debate on price levels versus differences, and how has that caused monetary policy errors? Given all this, what is the outlook for rates, FX, credit, and financial stability? This rich conversation offers excellent insights; a must listen for economists and market strategists.

Kopi Time E143 - Markets and Policy Path Dependence with Mustafa Chowdhury

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/f6ad7490-363d-4f1f-8948-abf300412a6f/clips/a75c6e15-6915-410c-a4a8-b23a009a8d84/transcript

Gaurav Keerthi, Head of Advisory and Emerging Business at Ensign InfoSecurity, joins Kopi Time to provide a fascinating overview of the current state of affairs in cybersecurity. We begin with the intersection of geopolitics and cyberattacks. From state sponsored defensive and offensive teams to independent actors with a range of motives, the number of agents attacking the integrity of national power grids, airports, water supply, along with healthcare and education systems, has proliferated at an extraordinary pace in recent decades. In addition to nations, large companies and individuals face millions of attacks a day that are increasingly sophisticated. Even with a tiny fraction succeeding, cyber crimes have become an economy worth hundreds of billions of the dollars. Gaurav works through the processes behind building systems that are not 100% immune from cyberattacks, but capable of bouncing back in the event of an attack. With AI in play already, and quantum on track to disrupt cryptography, new waves to technology are making cyber defence more challenging, but the same tech is also being used to build tools and practices for higher degrees of surveillance and resilience. Gaurav’s views are more realistic than pessimistic, focused on risk management. A must listen.  

Gaurav Keerthi, Head of Advisory and Emerging Business at Ensign InfoSecurity, joins Kopi Time to provide a fascinating overview of the current state of affairs in cybersecurity. We begin with the intersection of geopolitics and cyberattacks. From state sponsored defensive and offensive teams to independent actors with a range of motives, the number of agents attacking the integrity of national power grids, airports, water supply, along with healthcare and education systems, has proliferated at an extraordinary pace in recent decades. In addition to nations, large companies and individuals face millions of attacks a day that are increasingly sophisticated. Even with a tiny fraction succeeding, cyber crimes have become an economy worth hundreds of billions of the dollars. Gaurav works through the processes behind building systems that are not 100% immune from cyberattacks, but capable of bouncing back in the event of an attack. With AI in play already, and quantum on track to disrupt cryptography, new waves to technology are making cyber defence more challenging, but the same tech is also being used to build tools and practices for higher degrees of surveillance and resilience. Gaurav’s views are more realistic than pessimistic, focused on risk management. A must listen.

Kopi Time E142 - Tech and security with Gaurav Keerthi

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/f6ad7490-363d-4f1f-8948-abf300412a6f/clips/eef53668-849c-4e65-b7ab-b235005fb907/transcript

Kopi Time E139 - Fintech Zeitgeist with Varun Mittal

In 1 playlist(s)

DBS Economics & Strategy

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips