Before understanding what fintech courses are, it is important to understand the concept of fintech or financial technology. This article will give you a sneak peek into the world of fintech and its academics.
What is FinTech?
FinTech is a concept that binds technology with financial services providing users with a better option to manage their finances. It is a new term used to describe a company, a product, or a piece of technology where finance and science meet each other to develop a tool or a hybrid technology.
For example, a mobile app that allows a user to apply for and get a personal loan in less than 10 minutes can be called a fintech product. The company that produces and maintains that app will be called a fintech company. Examples of such companies in India are Paytm, Freecharge, Credr, PayZapp, and Indiabulls Dhani to name a few.
In India, the fintech industry has seen a massive boom in the last half a decade. In addition to over 2,000 fintech companies currently operating in the country, several reports suggest that the industry will only grow larger in the coming years.
This has naturally increased the popularity of fintech courses, making professionals in the finance and technology world to switch careers.
Fintech in simple words means the integration of technology and finance that has been introduced to leverage and improve the delivery of financial services. Fintech has recently gained huge popularity due to its ability to solve various problems related to traditional finance in terms of security and advancement in the field. It tends to provide consumer efficiency and a whole new developed system that can be utilized to enhance the daily operations of the finance sector. By using specialized software and algorithms, fintech has taken the industry by storm and has changed the landscape of the finance industry.
What are FinTech Courses?
As the name suggests, fintech courses are training programs that teach you the concepts of financial technology. Along with an introduction to the field, it will teach you concepts, tools, software, and several other topics in that field. This will help you achieve a career in fintech where you help companies develop fintech products. In some cases, fintech courses can also help you research and develop new products. With the industry booming, this is a great time for learners to learn more about fintech and contribute to the field.
Major Study Areas of FinTech Courses
When you take a fintech course, there are certain topics that you will focus on. These are common across most courses, which will act as a base for your future education.
- Digital finance – how digital mediums, the internet, and finance come together to ease the process (from offline banking to mobile banking through fingertips)
- Big Data and AI – These are integral parts of fintech because most of the technology is dependent on data gathering and insights based on them
- Blockchain – Another important element in fintech is blockchain, which deals with security
- Data security – A sub-topic, this will involve topics involving different security mechanisms like OAuth, two-step verification, one-time passwords (OTP), FIDO Alliance, etc.
- RegTech – Maybe a new term, but this is an essential topic which will help you understand how to pass regulations when you deal with financial products
Most fintech aspirants take a specialty course to increase the theoretical and practical knowledge on that topic. For example, a person hoping to land a job with Paytm would want to dig deeper into mobile-based payments and money transactions.
Some of the most common topics will be:
- FinTech in Banks
- Introduction to Alternative Finance
- Financial Innovation and its Brief History
- Marketplace Lending
- Cryptocurrency
- Cybersecurity
- Data is the New Oil
If you take a quick look at these topics, you will see that they are a mix of finance and technology. By the time you finish all the chapters of the fintech course that you take, you will have a good understanding of the crossover between those two.
Ever since the covid-19 pandemic hit the world, the finance sector and fintech, in particular, have been buzzing around in the form of technological advancements and their emerging roles. It stands to provide a competitive edge to the sector and thus can be considered to be an important fragment of the coming future.
Not to forget that not only in terms of economic development but also in terms of job perspectives and education, a fintech career seems to be a lucrative option. This is specific for the current generation and therefore many education institutions have paved the way to bridge the gap between the required skills and extensive financial technology courses in India, be it in the physical or the online mode.
Reasons to choose a fintech course
A fintech programme tends to prepare the aspirants for future-perspective roles that may entail huge demand and high-paying jobs in the coming decade.
Besides traditional know-how of finance, a fintech course attracts challenging and techno-strategic roles such as crypto, digital finance, AI, robotics, product automation, and specialization, etc. These roles have been emerging and adhere to the changing requirements of the clientele.
Let us see some of the major reasons why one must consider a fintech course:
Advanced Career Opportunities
With the emerging scope of finance in India, choosing a financial technology course is an efficient way to seek better career prospects in the country. A fintech course provides you with numerous opportunities that shall help you with the advancement of your career as well as be relevant with time.
High-salary
With a fintech course, one can update their skills and knowledge in the field of finance and thus a pathway to higher paying jobs in India. With the technological development in the field of finance, corporates are now seeking talents who can stay updated on the latest terminology and developments and thus can be an excellent way to find a route to a promising career.
Change of career
If you are someone who belongs to a different field but is now looking for a career change, a fintech course shall prove to be of high leverage for you to enter the field of finance. With the growing demand and different job roles that have secured a place in the field, you can safely place your bet in a fintech program if you wish to start afresh.
Growing Industry
Fintech is undoubtedly one of the most popular choices among the current finance students in India. This is because the finance sector is booming day by day and is expected to grow further in the coming years. The fintech market is worth billions across the world and thus provides a gateway to a fast-track career in India.
Engaging Curriculum
The fintech industry is at the epicenter of a revolution in India. With the introduction of digital learning and creative methods. It has created a dynamic learning environment. This is therefore highly appealing to today's generation and with the ease of learning through online programs and opportunities overseas, the field has the potential to create an efficient future for learners.
Let us now look at some of the best fintech courses available in India.
- CFTE – Fintech Foundation Course
- Fintech Prodegree – Imarticus Learning
- MBA Fintech – IILM University
- Advanced Programme in FinTech and Financial Blockchain (APFFB) – IIMC
- Masters in Fintech – BSE Institute Limited
The Fintech scene in India has seen expedient growth in past years, specifically after the pandemic. This has created a space for the country in the global market as one of the world’s largest fintech markets. India’s fintech market currently stands at about $50-$60 billion i.e. just behind the top countries like the USA, UK, and China. The industry as per the reports has the potential to stand at $150-160 billion by 2025.
Key takeaways
With this tremendous growth trajectory, the Indian fintech industry is certainly on the right track to be a newfound landscape for innovations, business models, and startups in the financial sphere. This booming industry has created a transition in the field and has set its way to create the required opportunities and development in the finance industry in India. It has now created a set way to exciting skills and boosts one’s career in finance in India.
