Introduction to Financial Technology (FinTech) and digital transformation: Definition, scope and evolution; FinTech ecosystem; Challenges in traditional finance, including cost, speed, access, and trust; Emerging technologies in FinTech, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain. Digital and FinTech platforms; System architecture; Applications in payments, lending, banking, insurance, and investment services.
Financial innovation regulations. Legal and regulatory frameworks governing financial services. Regulations regarding technology-driven products such as digital payments, lending, digital banking, and crypto/digital assets. Regulations addressing consumer protection, market stability, and systemic risks while continuing to encourage innovation. Saudi Financial Regulatory Framework.
Introduction to machine learning techniques; Applications of machine learning in financial analysis and decision-making. Modelling financial data; Forecasting market variables; Trading and risk management strategies; Practical implementation using real financial datasets; Applying machine learning tools to return prediction, credit scoring, portfolio construction, and fraud detection; Management of large volumes of textual data from sources like newspapers, disclosures, Fed communications, and social media.
Introduction to behavioral finance. Behavioral biases. Investor sentiment. Social influence in financial decision-making. Investor behavior in online trading environments. Herding. Information diffusion. Cryptocurrencies. Algorithmic trading. AI and big data in behavioral finance. Asset pricing. Investment decisions. Forecasting returns.
Emerging technologies, business models, and regulatory issues transforming financial services. Digital payments, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, AI in finance, robo-advisory, crowdfunding, open banking, financial data analytics, and cybersecurity risks. FinTech applications, and their impact on banks, markets, and financial inclusion. Ethical, legal, and strategic challenges. Trends analysis and assessment of the future of tech-driven finance.