Fintech to the Rescue or Predators in Disguise?

Craig McMahon ()
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Craig McMahon: Villanova University

Chapter Chapter 6 in Taming the Fringe, 2021, pp 185-211 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract It is not clear whether those locked out of the small-loan market are better off without a loan. Affordable credit remains out of reach for many low-income households. Lending small sums is expensive, risky and the product invites negative publicity and criticism. Technology might offer new opportunities to disrupt the high-cost credit sector. Whether fintech offers a long-term and financially viable alternative to fringe providers is unknown. Some consumer advocates think these companies are yet another form of predatory lending profiting off of poor and vulnerable households. Two questions remain unanswered: What does financial inclusion actually mean for the poor and is there a way to responsibly overcome the inherent tension in pricing risk for a market segment that has experienced financial difficulties before seeking credit.

Keywords: Fintech; Wage advance; Payday loans; Small loans; Financial inclusion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:psitcp:978-3-030-70615-9_6

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-70615-9_6

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