Finance and Assets

High-Tech and Highly Inclusive

December 15, 2018  • Institute Staff

In an era of credit breaches and blockchain mania, technology is often seen as a double-edged sword in the financial-services world. To lay out a comprehensive vision for how consumer research, innovation, and smart regulations can transform financial services—and better assist the 70 percent of Americans facing everyday monetary challenges—the Institute’s Financial Security Program joined Federal Reserve Bank of Boston CFO and 2018 Finance Leaders fellow Aparna Ramesh for an event to explore financial inclusion. Working with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the program examined income volatility, consumer debt, and financial technology product development in a series of panel discussions before an audience of regulators, bankers, and technologists. “It’s all about access,” Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said during his keynote address to the forum. “It’s about making sure everyone can participate in the thriving economy.” Federal Reserve Board of Governors member Lael Brainard agreed: “New technologies will be combined in ways that move the needle on financial inclusion”—and toward a future where regulatory innovation is not an oxymoron.