Financial sector companies directly maintain or play an important part in many of the essential services of the digital society. The companies ensure smooth, secure and efficient payment services and provide tools for e‑identification. Financial companies’ data systems look after an immense volume of information on all Finns – account balances, investments, earned pensions, and insurance premiums, only to name a few. Financial services have an important role in the development of the digital society.
Deeper look
The financial sector promotes
efficient and secure e-services
The financial sector is shaken by change as technology makes rapid advancements, customer expectations rise, and new service concepts emerge. Business models have to be adjusted accordingly.
Blockchain, mobile and cloud services, and Big Data are examples of changes which will create new requirements for customer service and technological progress in the financial sector. While new technological opportunities and new customer behaviour enable new service concepts, new service providers will also enter the market. They are not encumbered by the weight of old information systems or comprehensive service models, and their regulatory requirements are often not as strict as those of traditional banks and insurance companies.
Digitalisation has changed the operating environment of the financial sector permanently. Over the course of several years, financial companies have gradually automated their processes to increase efficiency, and have modified their data repositories to create new digital services based on the existing data. They have also utilised cloud services to minimise costs and facilitate faster changes.
The financial sector wants to cooperate in the implementation of a national information society strategy with the government and the other major sectors. Through cooperation, we can give a boost to the spread of digital services, and thus improve the competitiveness of Finland.
Electronic identification is the foundation of digital services. The national e-identification scheme is constantly being developed and improved cooperatively by the public and private sectors.
The aim of FFI’s digital agenda is to support the financial sector’s digital leap. We utilise digitalisation to gain efficiency, new service opportunities and a competitive advantage. We coordinate the reform of national or old technical standards and operating models, and act as a link between various stakeholder groups.
We keep a close eye on the operating environment and its developments.