For many reasons, payment systems are subject to strong network effects; one of those is the necessity of interoperability among participants. This is often accomplished via standard-setting organizations. The goal of the Single European Payments Area (SEPA) is to establish modern cross-boarder...

We test whether output growth in European economic agglomeration regions depends on financial development. To this end we suggest a relative measure of the quality of financial institutions rather than the usual quantity proxy of financial development. In order to measure the quality of...

Financial Inclusion for inclusive growth is a topic of contemporary significance and relevance. This study besides establishing the growth enhancing role of bank-based financial intermediation through empirical evidence has also found that access to finance by the poor is a prerequisite for...

The analysis highlights the aspects of diversified market structures and of local, low-distance banking as advantageous for financial stability. Heterogeneity protects from uniform market behaviour. Local banking can better overcome the problem of asymmetric information, particular in SME...

We consider the drivers and implications of the growth of "BigTech" in finance - ie the financial services offerings of technology companies with established presence in the market for digital services. BigTech firms often start with payments. Thereafter, some expand into the provision of...

The relationship between financial innovators and regulators has been historically tense, with financial innovators taking advantage of loopholes and regulators desperately trying to keep pace with innovations while dealing with limited resources and long bureaucratic processes. Nonetheless, in...

This paper presents an analytical framework that describes the business model of banks. It draws on the classical theory of banking and the literature on digital transformation. It provides an explanation for existing trends and, by extending the theory of the banking firm, it illustrates how...

Publicly traded securities generally are held by investors in securities accounts with intermediaries such as stockbrokers and central securities depositories — intermediated securities. For many investors this is the only practical means of holding and dealing with securities. These...