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DIGITAL DISRUPTION IN FINANCIAL SERVICES

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In the digital disruption era, rapid change is the new normal. The Indian Financial Services Ecosystem is no different. The advent of mobile, cloud, big data, analytics and much else is only accelerating the process, which is further compounded by technologies like Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Anti-money laundering, 3D printing, robotics and more. While India’s financial sector has taken significant strides in digital adoption, the state of readiness is far from ideal. To brainstorm the challenges and the way forward for the industry, many discussions keep taking place to make people more concerned for the same. Banking and financial services are becoming more technology led and this helps the service industry to deliver better customer service and solutions. The BFSI segment is on the cusp of disruption because the entry barriers which existed earlier have been removed to a large extent by technology and digital disruption. This point laid focus on trends and challenges of...

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE v/s RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

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Real estate has been a popular source of investment for investors of all backgrounds and financial standings. It’s safe, secure, and offers the potential for great returns. Given the volatility of other markets in the current economy, the property arena is perhaps even more attractive than ever. Commercial investments hold many advantages over residential real estate. This is in addition to non-property related opportunities. Here are the most attractive elements that should pull you towards this marketplace. Profit Potential Revenue should be at the heart of all investment ventures, which is why commercial real estate is one of the greatest options on the market. As a long-term investment, commercial properties offer the potential for huge progress. Commercial property value reflects the rental costs too. So if the asset’s rental value increases 50%, it’s worth will follow suit. This means that the inflation will often outweigh that of other properties. Better still, the ...

CYBER SECURITY: THE REAL MENACE IN 2018!!!

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A big problem coming up in 2018 is cyber security. Cyber security in a layman language is protection of computer systems from the theft and damage to the hardware, software or information, as well as from disruption or misdirection of the services. The field is of growing importance due to increasing reliance on system and internet, wireless networks, smart devices etc. today is the stage wherein the criminals outpaces the company’s ability to defend themselves. There is a great possibility of devastating attacks in 2018. So, the question arises is ARE WE PROTECTING OURSELVES ADEQUATELY COMPARED TO OUR COMPETITORS? Looking at what has happened to UBER (allegations that they had covered up a breach),such situation is what none of the company wants to occur with them. A lot of companies have got to be realistic about what the likely threat is. A lot of companies place too much faith in technology and think ultimately the solution is going to be the technical one. A lot of commercial br...

REGULATION ON P2P LENDING

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Peer to peer (P2P) lending or crowd sourcing for loans, are a recent innovation where fintech companies pool funds from individuals and lend it to businesses, disintermediating banks.. The government has notified the Reserve Bank of India as the regulator for peer to peer lending platforms that have been classified as Non Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs). While this could increase the costs for online lenders through compliance requirements, most have welcomed the move stating that it gives them recognition. The P2P platforms, which do not take any credit risk on their own, use software and data analytics to gauge credit worthiness of borrowers. They are different from SEBI regulated collective investment schemes as the money raised is always in the form of debt. The P2P lenders have the potential to reach those borrowers which traditional lenders cannot trace. Also, these entities provide cheaper loans on the back of their lower operational costs. RBI regulations for lenders typical...

THE ZEN OF INVESTING

Investing is by no means a simple process; there are countless considerations that must be paid, and infinite risks along the way. But sometimes the best advice is extremely simple to digest. One undeniable truth of the time:  an era of institutional reliance is ending; an era of self-reliance has begun. Today, more and more of us are taking responsibility for our own retirement needs. In the process, savings and investment habits have been dramatically transformed. More and more people are investing in the stock market than ever before. More than one in three American families now invests in mutual funds – that’s more than 35 million households. Fund assets, at around $4.9 trillion, now exceed insured commercial bank deposits, which stand at $2.4 trillion. Back when most of us saved at a bank, bought whole life insurance, or had a defined benefit plan, the responsibility for investment decisions was in someone else’s hands. But that’s no longer true. By entering the less certa...