Digital lending: Credit unions have been providing digital lending for some time now. However, the evolution of the Fintech ecosystem will change the lending landscape in the future as they are transforming the way consumers’ access loans around the world. New technologies and the fast-paced dynamics of consumer lending enable digital lending to offer members more than just paperless services. In response to consumer demands, FinTech companies have revved digital lending globally. According to industry reports, the worldwide digital lending platform market was worth USD 5.84 billion in 2021 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 25.9% between 2022 and 2030.
Key factors that have fuelled global digital lending’s exponential growth
1. Increased awareness
Most people now understand the dynamics of lending instruments; however, not too long ago, financial literacy was lacking among the general people due to a lack of exposure. The emergence of cheap and fast internet, slashed smartphone pricing, and the growth of digital lenders has expanded consumer awareness of digital lending products and services dramatically.
2. Technological innovation transforming digital lending
Advances in technology and digitization facilitate enhanced consumer experiences in the digital lending space, from streamlining the application process to ensuring a more secure infrastructure. Innovative methods such as data science and predictive analytics leverage a large set of consumer data to investigate the consumer’s creditworthiness, creating a clearer and more comprehensive picture that enables a more comprehensive risk analysis. AI-powered interactions provide flawless client onboarding and quicker response times in compliance management duties resulting in enhanced consumer experiences.
Robotic process automation (RPA) manages anomalies and swiftly processes loan initiation, documentation, comparisons, and authentications. Financial enterprises can rapidly reply to customer inquiries and transform them into ROI when modern technology such as robotic process automation (RPA) is integrated with the appropriate application programming interfaces (APIs). The use of cutting-edge technologies makes the digital lending process effective and uncomplicated, and it gives the consumer a sense of control over the entire process.
3. Encouraging Regulatory Ecosystem
Financial authorities are increasingly intervening to regulate the sector to foster and accelerate business innovation. For a seamless customer experience, with the assistance of a central KYC registry, digital lenders conduct compliance processes followed by a video-based customer identification procedure that allows regulated entities to conduct proper checks on customers and digitally execute loans. Through this Zero-touch process, loans are processed more quickly, which results in a better customer experience. The fintech industry must adopt these regulatory initiatives and integrate them into its operations for digital lending to succeed.
4. Financial inclusion
Digital lending is developing as a powerful force for reaching individuals who have hitherto been unable to access financial services. FinTech lenders are increasingly more dedicated to providing new products such as bank accounts, inexpensive loans, 24-hour access to comparison lending rates, information on processing fees or other charges, and catering to low-income, semi-urban, and rural consumers in unorganized industries. Fintech is rapidly transforming the economic environment by providing customers with a diverse range of financial goods at attractive pricing while also making financial institutions more competent.
5. Avant-garde operating models
Ingenious operating models have emerged as the most powerful cornerstone in driving digital transformation. Implementing such approaches by digital lenders, financial aggregators, and others have hastened the global growth of digital lending. Operating models like the Aggregator or Partnership model include digital lenders attracting users and funding them through banks’ partnerships. The Independent model approach entails lending directly to customers by acquiring debt and equity investments through organizations rather than partnering with traditional banking. The Peer-to-Peer (P2P) model of lending, also known as “social lending” or “crowd lending,” enables individuals to borrow money directly from each other, eliminating the need for financial institutions as middlemen. Finally, the Value + service and a core service are centered on major corporations. These models are developed as a “value add” or additional service to current customers.
New-age digital lenders are positioned to play an essential role in addressing the financial requirements of individuals and enterprises, challenging established financial services, and reaching those traditional financial institutions have previously excluded. The repercussions of the digital lending revolution are still being felt across all facets of consumer engagement, credit scoring, underwriting, regulation, management, and revenue. To be successful, digital lenders must leverage technology, human resources, and strategic relationships.
Also read: Gamification, a game-changer in education
