Some of the biggest disruptions in financial services are coming from some of the least likely places. The challenger bank revolution, for one, is bringing new levels of competition to “old” finance.
The rise of challenger banks will be one of chief topics of our upcoming, all-digital FinovateAsia event next month. Helping drive that conversation will be Araminta Robertson of Mint Studios, a speaker, podcaster, and fintech writer who will moderate our Challenger Bank Power Panel on July 6th.
By way of introduction, we’ve invited Ms. Robertson to address another disruptive elephant in the financial services room: the rise of financial services offerings from popular technology companies with deep pockets and powerful brands.
Everyone working in the financial sector held their breath when Apple announced it was releasing a credit card.
People have been discussing for years when the Big Tech companies will enter the world of financial service. In 2019, it became true. Apple released a credit card in the U.S. that allows you to sign up through your phone, connects with all your Apple devices and offers 2% cashback on transactions. Customers can immediately start using their Apple Card and even use the balance to send money to friends and family members. On top of that, customers can track all their spending on their phone and aren’t charged any late fees, international fees or general accounts fees.
How fintechs can compete with Apple
Fintechs, specifically challenger banks, are going to have to find new ways to up their game. Although some may not need to compete directly with Apple just yet (the Apple Card is only available in the U.S.), fintechs should start looking at strategies that will prepare them for a much more ambitious market. This is because Apple will soon be setting the bar for the industry, and customers will be expecting the same level of privacy, customer experience and quality of features as they get with Big Tech products. Here are a few approaches fintechs can consider in order to stand out.
Take branding seriously
To start with, it’s unlikely people will buy an Apple phone just to use the Apple card. This means that the Apple card will be primarily be used by iPhone and Apple fans. The good news is there is a large segment of the population that does not use Apple products and services or iPhones – and many who don’t want to be associated with the brand or would never trust Apple with their money.
This means that fintechs still have a chance to create their own brand, community, and customer base and should, therefore, take branding seriously.
Not only can fintechs use branding to stand out more, but with the appropriate licenses, they can offer other financial features that a Big Tech cannot. The Apple card does not allow users to invest in the stock market, buy cryptocurrencies, or perform bank-related actions. This is because Apple does not have a banking license, and will likely never hold one: becoming a bank is expensive, cumbersome, and not very profitable for a Big Tech.
Ted Rossman from CreditCards.com says so himself: he thinks people will only sign up to the Apple card because they love Apple. At the moment, they don’t offer any features that you can’t find somewhere else. Although they may offer unique features in the future, fintechs can still use this opportunity to position themselves as a trustworthy banking solution that is 100% devoted to managing people’s money securely. Apple does not have the flexibility to adjust its branding to a more banking-friendly image.
Focus on the underserved
The issue with Apple and the Apple Card is that it excludes a large section of the population. In fact, Apple as a brand does not work well with “financial inclusion”; if their phone costs $500, they can hardly say they are proponents of financial inclusion.
This is an important point because many challenger banks and fintechs have financial inclusion and literacy as a core principle, and are focusing on helping the underserved – it’s what drives them to create accessible products, offer lower fees and build a community around financial education. Those fintechs that are consumer-focused and take financial inclusion seriously can use this as a competitive advantage to build a brand that takes into account the underbanked.
Apple will not become a brand that provides for the underserved anytime soon, so that’s a market that will always be open for fintechs.
Encourage localization
As mentioned above, Apple will raise the bar and set the standard worldwide. However, it also means that their products and features are more generalized and meet a broader spectrum of audiences.
This is where fintechs in different countries can gain a competitive advantage by partnering up with local businesses, offering location-specific services, and building a brand that is more regional. Spanish citizens will likely appreciate a neobank that partners with the local food delivery apps, offers a unique Spanish bank card, and a specific Spanish saving product. In addition, local fintechs may be able to take advantage of country-specific regulations that may favor local companies rather than international conglomerates.
Although Apple will be able to localize the more it grows, it will only be able to do so to a certain extent. In many cases, we may find that locals would rather use a product that serves them extremely well in their own country rather than one that works pretty well in several countries. Having said that, Apple aggregates tons of data every year and there is no telling what kind of features may attract locals as well.
Although Apple is one of the most innovative and forward-thinking Big Tech companies in the world, local fintechs still have a chance to build their own brand and community. If anything, this may propel fintechs to up their game and keep adapting their products to customer demand.
Araminta Robertson is a writer and content strategist at Mint Studios. She helps fintech companies from all around the world use content marketing to create a community, build trust, and acquire quality customers. She has worked with some of the fastest growing fintech startups in SE Asia and London, U.K., and regularly speaks at conferences and events.
Photo by Haris Irshad from Pexels