To measure firm-level fintech activities, consider the following proxies and their corresponding data sources:
Proxies
Investment in Fintech:Proxy: Total investment amounts in fintech ventures or projects. Data Source: Crunchbase, PitchBook, or CB Insights for venture capital data.
Product Offerings:Proxy: Number and types of fintech products/services launched (e.g., digital wallets, robo-advisors). Data Source: Company websites, press releases, and product announcements.
Partnerships and Collaborations:Proxy: Number of strategic partnerships with fintech firms or technology providers. Data Source: Press releases, industry reports, and news articles.
Customer Adoption Rates:Proxy: Growth in the user base for fintech products/services. Data Source: Company financial reports, investor presentations, or market research reports.
Patents Filed:Proxy: Number of patents related to fintech innovations. Data Source: Patent databases like the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or Google Patents.
Regulatory Filings:Proxy: Applications for fintech-related licenses or regulatory approvals. Data Source: Regulatory bodies (e.g., SEC, FCA) and firm filings.
Employee Count in Fintech Roles:Proxy: Number of employees in fintech-specific positions (e.g., data scientists, product managers). Data Source: LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or company reports.
Social Media Engagement:Proxy: Engagement metrics on fintech-related content (e.g., likes, shares, comments). Data Source: Social media analytics tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Sprout Social).
Common fintech proxies at the bank level include digital transaction volume, mobile banking adoption rates, investment in IT infrastructure, number of fintech partnerships, and the share of digitally originated loans or services in a bank’s portfolio.