The Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CFTE) and the Budapest Institute of Banking (BIB) recently unveiled their new online specialisation on Payments in Digital Finance during the Singapore Fintech Festival. This specialisation aims to prepare finance professionals for the new payments era, as the cashless economy grows all over the world. The specialisation is taught by financial practitioners from the largest payments institutions such as the European Central Bank, the European Automated Clearing House Association, HSBC and more.

Payments have evolved throughout history, but they have always been present in our societies one way or another. From the barter system to the invention of the coin, the printing of the bill and the launch of credit cards – payments have changed and adjusted with customer demands and technological advancement.

In 2020, this is no different. Digital payments –fuelled by customer needs and enabled by the latest technology – have been on the rise. The use of cash in many economies is declining as we prepare for what could be ‘cashless economies’. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated this and shown that there is a growing customer preference for digital payments over traditional cash-based ones. The benefits of digital payments are considerable, in particular when we consider the power of digital payments for financial inclusion of certain groups previously underserved,  like women in developing countries.

This paints the perfect landscape for product innovation in payments. We are already seeing renowned companies like Paypal profit from leveraging this changing environment. With the pandemic now building momentum for digital payments, companies must be prepared to adopt and deploy them within their strategies.

CFTE is, therefore, very pleased to present its specialisation in “Payments in Digital Finance”, co-created with the Budapest Institute of Banking, and curated through feedback from hundreds of industry experts worldwide. Packed with the essential knowledge to deliver an understanding of all payments aspects, this specialisation will help professionals prepare for the next frontier in payment solutions..

Previous specialisations of CFTE have focused on important game changers of the industry, such as Fintech, Artificial Intelligence and Open Banking – the latter for which CFTE developed the world’s first online course. This new specialisation follows the trend as it aims to deliver a deeper understanding of payments through 6 individual subtopics that fall under the Payments in Finance theme. 

Our Payments in Digital Finance Specialisation is comprised of the following 6 courses – each taught by top industry experts: 

1. The Historical, Economic and Social Importance of Payments – by Jean-Michel Godeffroy
2. Payment’s Stack: Industry Fundamentals – by Fred Bär
3. The Global Regulatory Landscape of the Payments Sector – by Kim Ford
4. New Payment Technologies and Product Innovations – by Michael O’Loughlin
5. Payment Strategies and Business Model Innovations – by Ritesh Jain
6. The Rationale for a Payments Digital Transformation Program – by Fred Bär

From how payments developed through time to the transformation of the industry brought about by digital payments, CFTE’s experts have captured the development of the industry into an exhaustive curriculum that is certain to upskill learners across the finance sector, of all backgrounds. Whether you are embarking on a new journey or solidifying your role, this specialisation will provide insights from the perspective of established institutions from the likes of the European Central Bank, the European Automated Clearing House Association, HSBC and more.

Meet the senior lecturers, who alongside 20+ contributing experts, will be guiding each course: 

• Jean-Michel Godeffroy (President, JMG Consulting & Former Director General, European Central Bank)
• Fred Bar (Associate, Payments Advisory Group & Secretary General, European Automated Clearing House Association)
• Kim Ford (Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Fiserv)
• Michael O’Loughlin (Founder, o’loughlin.io)
• Ritesh Jain (Co-Founder Infynit & Former COO, HSBC)

The Payments in Digital Finance specialisation features insights, key fundamentals and real-life case studies brought by 20+ contributing finance and technology thought leaders and experts, highlighting how digital payments are reshaping the finance industry worldwide. A must-do for financial professionals to adapt to changing payment demands from customers and to innovate in order to drive your institutions forward in this new era of finance. Enrolment is now open.

“In a world that is moving to digital and instant everything, payments have become a very hot topic. The payments landscape is more fragmented than ever with many new forms of payments emerging at a rapid pace. For individuals and companies it is vital to stay abreast of these changes as they have an impact on their daily life and business models. The new CFTE payments in digital finance specialisation is the ideal place to get a fresh update of all major topics related to payments”.

Fabian Vandenreydt, Programme Director on this specialisation, commented.

“Nowadays we witness probably more disruption, change and innovation in almost all the domains of payments then in any other industry. To make sense of all the developments, you not only need to be familiar with the latest technologies applied, the regulatory landscape and the fast-changing business models. You also need to understand the basics and the history of payments, as well as the existing backbone structure of the industry.  This is how you gain an understanding and knowledge that will be future-proof for you.”

Gábor Dalnoki, also Programme Director, added to that.

Despite the current systematic uncertainties, CFTE’s mission remains the same: to upskill learners and ensure that they are well-positioned to embrace FinTech 2.0. This specialisation is a reflection of our commitment to this goal. If you’re interested in learning more, register your interest here, or alternatively contact us at: admissions@cfte.education 

Details on the Specialisation 

This is a self-paced, fully online specialisation. Upon the completion of each of the 6 courses, participants will achieve the complete specialisation and receive a certificate. Regular pricing is placed at £180 per course and £900 for the specialisation (prices include VAT). 

*Corporate deals are also available upon request. 

About CFTE: 

The Centre for Finance, Technology & Entrepreneurship (CFTE) is a global education platform that aims to equip financial professionals with the necessary skills to remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry. With offices in London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi, CFTE partners with Fortune 500 companies to build their knowledge in Financial Technology, whilst simultaneously supporting their digital transformation process. In a tech world, we bet on people. 

About BIB: 

The Budapest Institute of Banking’s vision is to become an internationally recognised financial education institution and market-leading financial education provider in their domestic market through their high-quality, modern, innovative and experienced-based learnings.

Previous communications

• CFTE joins the Central Bank of Hungary and the Budapest Institute of Banking for the World Fintech Festival in Budapest
• CFTE Co-Founder Tram Anh Nguyen joins the Advisory Board of EDHEC
• Huy Nguyen Trieu joins Mundi Ventures as a Venture Partner, strengthening CFTE’s positioning in the start-up ecosystem
• Serial intrapreneur François Blanc teaches new Intrapreneurship course aimed at finance professionals with CFTE
• CFTE co-founders named Singapore Fintech Festival Ambassadors 2020
• Fintech & Payments expert Anna Maj leads Conversational AI in Banking

CFTE next launches: 

Regtech and Compliance in Finance: Regulatory technology has the power to provide efficiency gains for compliance and reporting functions. It will radically change market structure and supervision. CFTE’s Regtech Online Course provides an in-depth guide to the subject and is crafted by Worldwide industry experts: Douglas Arner (Professor in Law, University of Hong Kong and Academic Board Member, CFTE) and Janos Barberis (Head of Entrepreneurship, CFTE).