Innovation has caught up with the rigid and highly lucrative business models used by bankers and insurance companies worldwide for decades. Today these financial models are being challenged by a vast diversity of what is known as “fintech” innovations coming from all sides of the ballpark including, but not limited to, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, mobile payments, bitcoin, robo-advisers and more which offer a wide range of possibilities to consumers seeking credit card relief. .

However, the adoption of new financial technologies doesn’t necessarily mean that the business models of the financial industry will be disrupted, only that more options are available with which to create business transactions using new technologies. In the past, the financial institutions and their financial services have been unscathed by the evolution of technological innovations as was the case during the 90s with direct banks and digicash which never got off the ground. In part, this trend is due to the regulatory nature of traditional finance. Today, there are many options available to consumers looking for lower rates and debt relief.

The latest report published by the World Economic Forum may hold the key to the transformation of the financing industry after interviewing dozens of financial strategists and industry experts from international organizations who discussed the future of the financial sector with top fintech innovators. The results of this research suggest that the bigwigs of financial services might restructure their models and are looking into new ways of rethinking the fundamentals.

The following fintech effects may be the new game-changers in the financial sector:

1. Launching specialized products and services

In the past, innovators focused on replicating the entire banking system. However, these models could only be adopted by consumers who were high-flying new tech adopters or those high-efficiency conscious. This scenario has changed in recent times to allow customers’ needs and industry profitability to meet at a cross section where consumers from multiple devices can access the best and most valuable industry products by consumers from multiple devices. One perfect example of this shows how money transfers can be made across any boundaries in a matter of minutes, where it used to take several days and very high fees. The UK company Tansferwise, which has reached the US market as well, is an industry leader introducing an innovative network between banks that allows transfers to become more readily accessible and at a lower cost to consumers. Transferwise oversees the remittance of more than $600 million each month. In the US, the company Zelle is an example of a money remittance business model by which money transfers within the US can be made from any place using email accounts as its security exchange base through an app.

2. The automation process of commodities

Technical progress has made it possible to automate manual processes that have traditionally been very cost intensive and only available to industry magnate. New customer groups now have access to services once reserved for just a few. The automation of wealth management services has made this possible with robo-advisers for such companies as Wealthfront and Nutmeg who offer investment advice and strategies to reduce taxes through an online portal accessible to anyone who registers with the site. The outcome of this innovation has made it possible for the younger and less wealthy consumer to be informed and acquire knowledge about investment and tax minimization that was once only for the elite consumer with high stakes. Everyday regular consumers can receive the advice and support they need for credit relief and therefore increase their savings and credit efforts to an upper stratum eventually becoming eligible to enter the high-rollers’ game.

3. Big data strategies

Bankers and insurers make decisions based on consumers’ credit scores, driving records, and health conditions before lending money or opening a policy. However, mobile devices are now able to stream real-time data making it possible to access new data to support financial decision-making. For instance, the creditworthiness of a customer is now also based on the social media analyses made by companies like Friendly Score, which provide additional data about businesses and individuals. If a business receives much traffic, or visits to its website, likes on its FB page or has many great reviews, this is an indication that the company is well respected and perceived in the community and industry where it operates. This information may influence the decision-making process of lenders for customers seeking credit relief as they are deemed a lower risk by their outstanding social media presence.

To offer customers better prices and help policyholders make sound decisions, Oscar, a new type of health insurance provider offers its clients a free fitness tracker that rewards them for choosing a lower risk management lifestyle by choosing the treadmill over the couch with monetary incentives in the form of rebates for premium payments.

4. Low-capital-platform-based

By connecting buyers and sellers over a digital platform, companies like Uber and Airbnb have made exponential capital growth while their initial startup costs have been simply flat. Noticing this capital-efficient business model, financial innovators and top US marketplace lenders like the Lending Club and Prosper, have seen their consumer credit and loans originations more than double in the past two to three years. Impressively, the Lending Club alone issued $3.5 billion in loans in 2013, making it the fastest growing consumer lending platform in the marketplace. An estimated $1 trillion in consumer credit relief will be issued globally by 2015 according to Foundation Capital Analysts. What is more outstanding is that these companies have not put forth any of their capital to achieve this exponential growth. Their service provides a setting where lenders and consumers in search of better rates for credit relief meet with a wide range of financial institutions such as hedge funds looking to make investments.

A similar landscape is seen in the crowdfunding platforms that have topped the digital marketplace of possibilities for businesses looking for seed capital. In these platforms an array of investors and start-ups looking to match their goals allow the crowd to help them make the funding decisions that will, in turn, give investors a piece of the pie.

5. Collaboration between the old and new

Innovators are usually perceived as disruptors of an industry instead of complementary of it. However, this is not the case with fintech innovations. Fintech investors are seeing how they can compete with industry leaders in specific areas using different strategies while being backed up by the scale and infrastructure of traditional financial institutions. On their part, conventional financial institutions realize the advantage of collaborating with new technologies in their industry. New developments and research offer a broader perspective on how the two can work together for a better customer service experience and lower risks. An example of this synergistic relationship is ApplePay which became a top fintech innovation in recent times working with Visa and MasterCard through a payment network. Likewise, regional banks are joining forces with marketplace lenders to meet their customers’ needs when they can’t provide loans for them, and thus, lower the risk of losing customers to other financial institutions.

While fintech innovators are more than just industry disruptors, only time will tell how they will force the traditional banking and financial services industry to change. As a result, consumers will be the ones to benefit as their needs are met at a higher pace and their knowledge base and accessibility of services increases. However, the brand names we are accustomed to won’t necessarily disappear, especially when they embrace change and learn to collaborate with the intruders.

A portfolio solely consisting of shares, bonds and stock has the probability of generating low returns at higher risks. Commercial properties, however, have a potential to offer long-term returns as the market is more stable. Additionally, it diversifies your investment portfolio and opens up future possibilities of growth.

From a more professional aspect, commercial properties in Australia offer a better investment perspective. The cost of the building with minor customization work is initially higher but covers up the expenses through increasing returns. This is why you can observe an upward trend of people investing in commercial properties.

There are several ways one can invest in a commercial property including investing through Real Estate Investment Funds (REIT), which invests in public properties; or through private acquisition. Out of these options, private acquisition either through property syndicates or property trusts has seen prevalence in Australia. Choosing either one of the two is a matter of personal choice of the investor as both have different impacts on a portfolio.

But in the past few years, we have observed a huge growth in private equity as it gives investors more control. Besides that, people have realized that due to a growing need for commercial properties for rent, they have become a more viable investment option than residential properties. The points mentioned below are a few reasons why investors have been compelled to invest in commercial properties through private acquisitions:

High Returns

As mentioned previously, private acquisition in commercial properties yields higher returns on investment across the majority Australian cities. Since private investment gives investors the opportunity to do with their businesses as they please, most rent it out. This rent generates a higher returns than residential properties, making private acquisition of commercial properties a sound investment opportunity.

Portfolio Diversification

Putting all your money in just one industry or company might not be the most intelligent move, as it increases the risk of low returns. This means that if the industry or company fails, the stocks will lose their value and increase the chances of diminishing returns. Creating diversification in your portfolio by investing in commercial properties balances that risk. And since private equity eliminates the risk of a fluctuating stock market, it becomes an attractive alternative.

Low Risk

Private acquisitions, unlike publically traded REITs, are significantly correlated to the stock market. This means that if various economic factors change and fluctuate, it impacts the risks too. REITs have proven to be a volatile market with fluctuating return rates and indexes. Having private equity in a commercial property doesn’t involve this risk and increases the chances of high returns.

Active Ownership

While investing in public commercial properties might give you the chance to earn in returns, it limits how much active ownership you have in the business. On the other hand, private acquisition in commercial properties made through Stamford Capital Property Investment will give you the opportunity to hold a controlling stake in the business. You can do with the property as you wish to increase its value and maximize the returns.

From this, we learned that private acquisition in commercial properties have seen a prevalence in Australia as it gives investors a chance to add value to businesses and build a more sustainable portfolio.

When trading the financial market, and especially when indulging in CFD trading, you need to stay up-to-date with what is going on in the world of currency trading. With that said, you need to be careful as to where you extract your knowledge from. According to Miguel Wellington, one of the top financial advisors at Jones Mutual, some news websites may distribute false information about what is happening in the finance world. In turn, you use that information to decide what direction you want your trading venture to go. That can cause you to lose your hard-earned money, all because you didn’t do your homework properly. Now, how does one gather financial market trading knowledge in order to make more money?

Find your own trading method and stick to it

Every person is different and will see the financial market differently, although everyone wants to achieve the same thing from it – to make money. Many people think that trading the financial market is something one can learn how to do overnight. That is where the confusion comes in. Rookie traders feel that they should trade by gut and often; this is where huge losses occur. The secret to success lies in choosing a trading method that suits your individual needs – and then you need to stick to it. Many expert traders believe that the price action method of trading is the best way of making more profit. This entails keeping an eye on raw prices while focusing on high-probability price patterns that repeat themselves. However, it is up to each trader to choose the way they feel most comfortable trading.

Trade on higher time frames

For a beginner trader, this may seem like something that should not be done. After all, the lower times frame your chart is divided into, the more chances you have to make different trades. While this is true in one sense, it can cost you a lot of capital in the long run. Choosing to trade on higher time frames will give you more valuable information as the candlestick on your chart has had a full 24 hours to build up to where it stands now. With that in mind, you have a more solid notion as to where the market is heading and whether it will be profitable for you to make a trade or not.

Don’t watch your charts all day long

Yes, it’s something all traders struggle with. If you sit in front of your computer all day long while keeping a close eye on the market charts, you will jump at every spot where it looks like you might be making profit. You might also want to close a trade if you see the market is dipping a little. However, if you trade the daily chart, you only have to look at your charts once a day, decide whether to enter a trade and set your stop loss and take profit levels. Once that is done, you can either bite your nails while watching the charts all day long or close your computer with the confidence that your trading decision is made with a clear mind – thus ensuring you more profit.

Scared money is lost money

If you open a trading account and deposit a huge amount of funds into it, you might have a mini heart attack if you think of what is going to happen to your financial status if you were to lose it all on trading. Thus, if you feel comfortable with beginning your trading venture with only $100, you are making the right choice. You should never invest more money than you are comfortable losing, should things turn sour. Yes, you will make unprofitable trades at times but if you are in it for the long haul, don’t pour your entire saving account into your trading venture in one go.

With these money making-tips, you can give your financial market trading knowledge a huge boost, not to mention your trading profits! There is no harm in trying new things but when it comes to trading the financial market, you should rather trade with what you know rather than what you think you might know.

Private Banks have always been the leaders as far as offering credit products are concerned. This has however, changed in recent times, thanks to the emergence of Fintech companies. Popular surveys have indicated that Fintechs command a larger market share in the lending space, and this has occurred due to a lot of reasons. While we look at these reasons, we’ll go on to determine why Fintechs are a better option than traditional lenders for instant personal loans.

Turnaround time for loans from Fintechs vs turnaround times of banks

The equation is quite simple and straightforward actually. While traditional lenders take at least 7-8 business days to complete the processing and subsequent disbursal of your loan amount, Fintech companies boast ridiculously low turnaround times of 24-48 hours.

Eligibility Parameters – Fintechs vs Traditional Lenders

Traditional lenders generally have stringent eligibility parameters as far as the credit score, income and other parameters are concerned. For starters, applicants need to have a minimum credit score of 750 to qualify for a personal loan with a traditional lender. However, most Fintechs allow individuals with low credit scores to apply for loan, with the more popular ones such as Fintechs requiring scores of as low as 575 to become eligible. As far as the income parameter is concerned, top private banks require applicants to have minimum monthly income levels of at least Rs. 30,000 to qualify, while on the other hand, Fintechs allow for income levels starting at Rs. 20,000 per month.

Processing of application – Fintechs vs Traditional lenders

Fintechs are literally the reason why instant personal loans have evolved. Unlike traditional banks that haven’t shifted completely to paperless and digital processing, Fintechs have made the transition to a digital and paperless application, thereby saving a lot of time and resources. Moreover, applicants can get instant approval when the apply for a loan based on their credit assessment – which is performed by a credit assessment algorithm – allowing them to choose a different lender if they face rejection.

You must have considered a life insurance policy as something that only provides support in the event of a financial crisis. But you may not have considered its potential in the form of a long-term investment. Life insurance yields a great shield of safety around your household members in the event of an unforeseen wage loss e.g. accidents causing disabilities or death. The consideration of income loss for the future helps in determining the amount of compensation although the true worth of a human life can’t be measured in terms of money.

Under circumstances when the policyholder gets disabled or passes away, the family members achieve a guaranteed sum of money termed as the “sum assured”. Even with a term insurance plan, the policyholder needs to think of what he’ll achieve from this type of investment in case nothing unfortunate happens. Will he be able to meet the other inevitable expenses like that of bearing the cost of his children’s education, a world trip with his loved ones, and the marriage of his children?

Types of maturity benefit plans:

Term Life policies- Term insurance is a financial plan that reimburses extra premiums to the policyholder when the policy terms end and the insured survives through this period.

Endowment policies- The benefits of insurance and investment are combined under these plans. The money doesn’t yield great returns as it’s invested in debt funds. However, the risks can be managed more easily. The sum assured is actually not that high.

Unit-Linked policies- Compared to traditional forms of life insurance, the risk is much higher with this type of unit-linked products. The policyholder needs to bear some other associated charges, but he gains exposure to equity and obtains a fair growth of his money as against a higher return. These plans even allow money to be withdrawn partially that can be utilized for coping with the financial challenges whenever they surface. Death benefits are provided when the policyholder passes away within the tenure, but the guaranteed returns are provided when he survives before the policy period.

Maturity Benefit from life policies

Upon maturity of a policy, the benefits can be claimed by the policyholder. The completion of the plan tenure entitles the policyholder to receive a variable amount for ULIPs and other products linked with the market performance alongside the principal amount. However, for achieving the variable benefit, the policy needs to be concluded according to the pre-set terms. For traditional products, the owner will be entitled to receive the fixed amount only. The benefits that provided on maturity usually comprise of the sum of premiums that have been met during the entire policy tenure and the other return benefits stated in the paperwork.

The maturity benefits yield a sum of money that increases each year but is restricted to the overall premiums paid. That’s one reason why these plans are considered to be both a coverage benefit as well as an investment option. The corpus exhibits a uniform increase and the entire amount is paid out at the end of the maturity term.