Financial institutions worldwide have been making significant strides towards digitalization, embracing mobile banking and other tech-driven business models.
However, when integrating blockchain technology into their operations, banks have displayed a certain level of hesitation, contrasting with the widespread interest in other industries.
This apprehension can be attributed to the limited number of blockchain use cases implemented on a large scale within the banking and finance sector, coupled with persistent regulatory obstacles that pose barriers to adoption.
Despite these challenges, financial institutions have begun cautiously embracing blockchain technology on a smaller scale. You can find comprehensive information about blockchain technology on Swissmoney.
This article explores how blockchain technology could impact the financial industry. Let’s proceed.
Payment Transfer
In finance, the potential of blockchain technology shines brightly when it comes to payment transfers. Trillions of dollars are lost in additional fees and sluggish transactions.
Consider a scenario where you’re in San Francisco and need to send money to London—both your bank and the receiving bank may charge a flat fee of $25, leaving a considerable dent in your funds.
Cryptocurrencies such as Ether and Bitcoin are built upon public blockchains that enable anyone to send and receive money swiftly and without transaction fees. This disruptive feature of blockchain in banking and finance can revolutionize how we transfer funds.
 As payments occur within a decentralized network, intermediaries do not need to verify transactions, eliminating delays and reducing costs.
By leveraging blockchain’s decentralized architecture, financial institutions can unlock the potential of instantaneous and inexpensive cross-border transactions.
The absence of intermediaries streamlines the payment transfer process, enhancing efficiency and bolstering financial inclusion on a global scale.
Security
Securities, encompassing debt, stocks, and commodities, have long been entangled in a complex web of intermediaries, exchanges, and custodian banks. Keeping track of ownership information involves connecting with multiple parties, resulting in a slow and error-prone process.
The challenges are made worse by an old-fashioned system of ownership based on paper, which can lead to mistakes and fraud.
Blockchain technology in banking is poised to revolutionize the securities landscape. Blockchain offers a transformative solution by establishing a decentralized database of digital and unique assets. By implementing a distributed ledger, assets can be tokenized, represented by off-chain tokens, simplifying their transfer.
The impact of impact on securities lies in the creation of tokenized securities, which carry the potential to bypass middlemen entirely and reduce asset exchange fees.
By leveraging blockchain’s decentralized nature, financial institutions can streamline buying and selling securities, eliminating the need for multiple intermediaries and reducing transactional complexities.
The transparent and immutable nature of blockchain ensures a more secure and efficient system, minimizing the risks of fraud and manipulation.
Tokenization enables fractional ownership and facilitates the seamless transfer of assets, revolutionizing the way securities are traded. By leveraging blockchain technology, financial institutions can unlock liquidity, enhance market accessibility, and foster greater efficiency in the securities ecosystem.
Settlement and clearance system
Delays and complexities in financial transactions have long plagued the traditional settlement and clearance systems. An average bank transfer can take about three days to settle, causing inconvenience for consumers and logistical challenges for banks.
The intricate process involves multiple intermediaries, from banks to custodial services, before the funds reach the intended recipient. However, the emergence of blockchain technology in banking offers a transformative solution.
The blockchain serves as a decentralized ledger, recording transactions transparently and publicly. This means that transactions can be settled directly on the public blockchain instead of relying on cumbersome custodial services.
This pivotal aspect of blockchain applications in banking revolutionizes the speed and simplicity of transactions.
By leveraging blockchain’s decentralized nature, financial institutions can streamline settlement and clearance processes. The transparency of the blockchain ensures that all participants have access to real-time transaction information, eliminating the need for intermediaries and reducing the time required for verification and settlement.
Blockchain technology allows financial transactions to occur more seamlessly and efficiently, benefiting consumers and banks.
Moreover, the decentralized nature of blockchain enhances the security and integrity of settlement and clearance systems. The immutable nature of the ledger reduces the risk of fraud and unauthorized alterations, instilling trust in the transaction process.
Loans and credit
The traditional lending landscape in banks relies heavily on credit reporting systems when underwriting loans. However, the advent of blockchain technology in consumer banking opens up new possibilities, particularly in the peer-to-peer lending sector, which has emerged as one of the most investment-friendly fintech domains.
Currently, when consumers apply for loans, banks assess the risk they face in the event of non-payment by scrutinizing credit scores, ownership status, and debt-to-income ratios. This evaluation heavily relies on centralized credit reporting systems, which can be adversarial to customers and limit their options.
Blockchain in banking introduces an alternative lending system that offers customers an efficient, cost-effective, and secure mode of providing personal loans. By leveraging a decentralized registry of payment history, blockchain technology simplifies the loan application process, empowering borrowers.
With blockchain, customers can participate in peer-to-peer lending platforms, bypassing the intermediaries typically involved in traditional lending.
This decentralized lending approach fosters financial inclusivity, allowing borrowers and lenders to connect directly, benefiting from reduced transaction costs and streamlined processes.
Enhances KYC process
One of the significant challenges banks face is the time-consuming and costly process of Know Your Customer (KYC) proceedings.
Banks can take up to three months to complete the entire KYC process, from photo verification to address proof checks and biometric verification. This delay not only inconveniences customers but also imposes substantial costs on banks.
However, integrating blockchain technology in retail banking offers a promising solution to streamline the KYC process. Banks can access the necessary KYC data more efficiently by storing customers’ information on the blockchain.
This technological advancement enables a secure and transparent platform where customer data can be stored, validated, and accessed in a decentralized manner.
With blockchain’s distributed ledger, customers’ KYC information can be securely recorded, making it easily accessible to authorized parties.
This eliminates the need for repetitive document submissions and redundant verification processes. Banks can efficiently retrieve and verify customer information, significantly reducing the time required for KYC proceedings.
Conclusion
Blockchain technology holds immense promise for the future of finance. From revolutionizing payment transfers and streamlining settlement systems to transforming securities trading and simplifying loans, the potential of blockchain in the financial sector is evident.
By leveraging its decentralized and transparent nature, financial institutions can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and foster greater financial inclusion.
