Beren Attoe ; A Newcomer’s POV to Fintech

Hello there! I’m Beren Attoe, and I want to present a new fintech column for readers to enjoy; a newcomer’s column. Taking all my fresh-faced experiences, as well as my misconceptions and blunders, then presenting them to you. And, with any luck, I’ll land a few nerdy jokes amidst all of that.

Fintech is a fascinating field that people, those in our day-to-day lives, do not talk about. Or, at least, they do not talk about it consciously. Go to anyone you know and ask them if they were taught anything about financial management or financial technology. Especially in school.

Chances are, no. They weren’t.

So, firstly, how would I define Fintech? Looking at the components, we can safely reason that Fintech is the use of technology within the financial world. In fact, if you’ve used any kind of device or system to handle your money, that’s Fintech; you just might not have realized it. Thus, developments in Fintech are developments to streamline, modernize, and improve how you might handle your money in less physical, less face-to-face ways.

My experience with the financial world was limited. I, like many people in the world, had come into contact with Fintech but never realized it. It’s a hidden layer to our lives. Yet, as with many people in the current and younger generation, I’ve been surrounded by technology for most of my life. In fact, we’re very aware of both parts – finance and technology – but people aren’t as aware of the combination.

This is indicative of the era we’re living in. A digital, “COVID normal” age, where trends such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency (which saw their beginnings at earlier points) are seeing a boom in interest and development. As a newcomer, the aforementioned trends are what excite me the most. A bonafide ‘tech junkie’, as it were, I already looked forward to the advent of A.I technology and radical ideas such as uniting currency under a single, digital identity. This gives me the chance to really deep dive into it and express my findings to a wider audience.

And, just as Comic-Con serves as a hub for all nerd-related news, Fintech still sees events as a major source for the latest and greatest developments in the field. Even amidst our remote lifestyles! Events such as MoneyFest are a delight to watch. A variety of talks from a collection of enthusiastic professionals, all presented in a manner that never leaves you bored and always keeps information accessible.

At the time of writing this, MoneyFest finished a few weeks ago. As I reflect upon the talks there, at least the many that I had the pleasure of listening to, I’m left with a feeling of wanting more. To wax poetic for a moment, it’s a feeling of yearning, and a feeling of excitement, that ignites my desires as a journalist.

I’ve made only one step so far. That much is evident. But, now, there’s a wider world I want to explore. How can we further integrate Fintech into our lives? How can we bring greater awareness for the sake of smarter financial decisions? How might cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence change the world of Fintech? There are a lot of questions I have, yet they’re only the tip of the iceberg.

And with some time, some research, and some passion, I’ll hopefully be able to answer those questions. Not just to inform myself, but to inform others as well.

My goal is to pave the road for widespread understanding of the field.