My review of the I DIBAF Blockchain Congress: a unique opportunity to learn

Primer préstamo corporativo blockchain en el mundo por BBVA e Indra

Taking part in a blockchain congress was definitely not a thing that I expected to do at some point of my life. Taking part as a lecturer was directly, unthinkable. However, last Wednesday I found myself in front of my laptop, ready to present the work I had been preparing with my team to an audience formed by more than 50 people. But instead of asking myself why was I there, I was truly satisfied to have the opportunity to share something I had been working on (with my teammates, of course) for more than a month.

The logical question now is: how did I get there? Well, everything started when Judit Mendoza, our Banking Management teacher, told us at the beginning of the semester that we would be taking part in a congress related to blockchain and its applications in different economic sectors, including banking and auditing. I would be lying if I told that I was excited at first: my knowledge about blockchain was near to zero and I had never taken part in such a big event before. However, everything changed when we started to work on it.

Preparing the academic paper for the congress was almost as thrilling as the congress itself. We chose the risks and benefits of the use of blockchain technology in the banking sector as our topic, and we set some online meetings to prepare the paper. At first it was quite challenging: none of us had written any academic essay before, and it is even more difficult when you must use a language which is not your native tongue. Besides, we had to search a lot of information about blockchain, as we wanted to understand how the technology worked.

Still, as we moved on, we started to enjoy the process. Searching for academic papers published by experts and choosing the right ones for our bibliography gave us a better insight into the fascinating world of scientific publications, and writing the paper was an experience which helped us not only to learn about the disruptive potential of the application of this technology in banking, but also to gain some skills that will definitely be essential for our academic and professional future.

The week before the congress we were already nervous, but also excited. We sent out teacher the final version of our paper and we even corrected the mistakes with the aid of Isabella, an American investigator from Chicago that came to Tenerife as part of the Fulbright programme. Everything was ready for the decisive moment.

We expounded the content of our paper in about seven minutes. I think it went well, or at least we were happy with the outcome. Also, I must admit that I felt rewarded when I answered the questions that some of the other participants asked us, because in that moment I realised about how much I had learned. And that’s the thing: we learned. We learned about blockchain, we learned about its applications in banking, we learned about how to search for academic papers, we learned about how to work efficiently and as a team… That’s why I enjoyed the congress and I appreciated it so much, as it was a unique opportunity to develop some skills that are necessary for our future.

However, the most interesting part were the other participants’ explanations, as they made me realise about the vast amount of possibilities that blockchain technology could offer not only to banking, but also to all kind of activities. We talked about auditing, accounting, and even some participants showed us the apps they created by using this disruptive technology. Personally, I think that the most interesting debate that came up during the congress was the one about if the implementation of blockchain technology could make some jobs redundant. That evidenced the need to adapt the way we work to the new technologies that are dramatically changing the way we live.

In the end, it was an amazing experience and I really hope there will be a second edition next year (hopefully in-person). I can only be thankful to all the participants and organisers for bringing up such an interesting event, even more considering the hard times we are currently living. Definitely, blockchain is the future!

Click here to watch all the videos of the Congress.

Banca cooperativa vs Banca comercial. Encuentro con los expertos

Link: https://youtu.be/ISWc1YSARPI

El 25 de noviembre de 2020 se celebró un encuentro virtual entre el alumnado de “Gestión Bancaria” del grado de Contabilidad y Finanzas de la ULL y dos expertos del sector bancario de nuestra provincia, titulado “Banca cooperativa vs Banca comercial”.

Por el lado del modelo de Banca cooperativa contamos con D. Carlos Alberto González Delgado, director de Estrategia de Cajasiete y Diplomado en Empresariales por la Universidad de La Laguna, asimismo cuenta con varios másteres. También es miembro del Consejo Social de la Universidad de La Laguna y subdirector de la Cátedra de Cajasiete Big Data, Open Data y Blockchain. Al mismo tiempo, forma parte de la Junta de Gobierno del Colegio de Titulares Mercantiles y empresariales y colabora con la sección de Marketing y Nuevas tecnologías.

Como experto del modelo de Banca comercial tuvimos a D. Jesús Carlos Álvarez, director de Área de CaixaBank en Santa Cruz de Tenerife y Licenciado en Empresariales por la Universidad de La Laguna, además de haber realizado diversos másteres. Actualmente lidera un equipo de 22 oficinas y más de 140 personas. Anteriormente, desempeñó la misma función en la Zona Sureste de Tenerife. Ha participado en la implantación y afianzamiento de nuevos roles y modelos de negocio que los nuevos tiempos imponen como oficinas Store, Gestores de Premier, Negocios y Emprendedores, etc.

En dicho encuentro tuvo lugar la exposición de ambos modelos de banca por parte de los profesionales, con el propósito de reforzar las posiciones de un alumnado que, posteriormente -el 1 de diciembre-, realizará un debate con temática homónima (ver debate en este enlace).

La propiedad de la Banca comercial reside en sus accionistas, mientras que en la Banca cooperativa les corresponde a los socios cooperativistas. Debido a esto, los órganos de gestión y dirección de las cooperativas de crédito son la asamblea general, el Consejo Rector y el Consejo Social, por el contrario, la dirección y gestión de la Banca comercial le pertenece al Consejo de Administración, el cual es nombrado por la Junta de Accionistas. Respecto al reparto de beneficios, los bancos buscan la rentabilidad y sus beneficios se reparten entre los accionistas, sin embargo, las cooperativas de crédito destinan sus beneficios a un Fondo de Reserva Obligatorio y a un Fondo de Educación y Promoción, dichos porcentajes son como mínimo del 50% y 10% respectivamente (basado en blog.ruralvia.com).

A término de las exposiciones el alumnado planteó las siguientes preguntas a los expertos:

  • ¿Creen que la transformación digital y el proceso de fusiones bancarias que estamos viviendo acabará con la desaparición total o mayoritaria de cualquier tipo de sucursal?

El director de Área de CaixaBank, D. Jesús Carlos Álvarez, opina que dicha transformación no hará que desaparezcan la totalidad de las sucursales pero que, sí se llevará a cabo la concentración de estas, debido a que España lleva un modelo de banca diferente al que existe en Europa, ya que se encuentran un mayor número de entidades locales y es normal que desaparezcan muchas de estas. Esta desaparición también viene precedida por el cambio de necesidades en la población española, la cual no demanda tantas oficinas bancarias sino parques de cajeros automáticos para realizar sus operaciones.

Por otra parte, el director de Estrategia de Cajasiete, D. Carlos Alberto González Delgado, opina también que el modelo de oficina seguirá existiendo, pero se va a transformar el número de oficinas y lo que se hace en ellas; es decir, se pasará de una banca transaccional a una banca de asesoramiento.

  • ¿Creen que la alta digitalización de la banca es un ejercicio de deshumanización del trato con el cliente y por ende puede generar desconfianza y que muchos clientes decidan elegir otras entidades que ofrecen un trato más personal?

D. Carlos Alberto González Delgado afirma que está de acuerdo en que la alta digitalización es un ejercicio de deshumanización del trato con el cliente. Aun así, afirma que las entidades financieras cuentan con un factor de confianza histórico, puesto que guardan el secreto bancario y el dinero de la población. Debido a esto, en Cajasiete están haciendo énfasis en la importancia del trato personal con el cliente.

El punto de vista de D. Jesús Carlos Álvarez coincide con el del experto de Cajasiete, dándole mucha importancia al trato personal con el cliente, contando para ello con servicios como el denominado InTouch, el cual conecta a clientes con gestores personales.

  • ¿Cómo se va a adaptar Cajasiete a los nuevos avances tecnológicos? ¿Plantea introducir nuevos elementos relacionados con la tecnología en su forma de hacer banca?

D. Carlos Alberto González Delgado indica que están trabajando arduamente en introducir nuevos elementos relacionados con la tecnología y en mejorar los que poseen, como por ejemplo que el alta se puede realizar de manera online, destinar más recursos transaccionales vía app o web, así como la posibilidad de transformar datos en información. Además de esto, poseen una oficina digitalizada donde la atención al cliente es únicamente por dicha vía y también lideran la atención por WhatsApp en el grupo Caja Rural a nivel nacional.

  • ¿Creen que, tras la crisis financiera, los clientes han aumentado su confianza en la
    Banca cooperativa con respecto a la Banca comercial?

D. Carlos Alberto González Delgado afirma que ellos han duplicado el tamaño de la entidad, lo que se traduce en una mayor confianza por parte de la población.

Por el contrario, en el caso de la Banca comercial, D. Jesús Carlos Álvarez comparte que ellos han tenido que trabajar en este ámbito para mantener la confianza que los clientes les depositaban.

Como conclusión, D. Carlos Alberto González Delgado considera que el modelo de Banca cooperativa se basa en la toma de decisiones con criterios de gestión de personas, sin perder el foco de que, si no obtienen recursos monetarios, no podrían seguir existiendo como entidad. Por otro lado, D. Jesús Carlos Álvarez concreta que ambos modelos deben convivir para atender las necesidades de la sociedad, algunas con un componente más financiero y otro más social. También indica que ambos modelos de negocio necesitan generar beneficios para poder garantizar el mejor servicio, con la mayor calidad, con cercanía y especialización para poder cubrir las necesidades de los clientes.

Para finalizar, gracias a todos por su participación, principalmente a los dos expertos por prestarnos su valioso tiempo y enriquecernos con su sabiduría.

Autor: Cristian Alonso Acosta

Banca cooperativa vs Banca comercial

Compartimos el debate virtual celebrado el 1 de diciembre de 2020 con título «Banca cooperativa vs Banca comercial». El alumnado de Gestión Bancaria se posiciona defendiendo uno de los modelos de negocio y expresa sus conclusiones, tras una breve etapa de documentación, reforzada con los argumentos aportados por los expertos Carlos Alberto Delgado (Director de Estrategia de Cajasiete) y Jesús Carlos Álvarez (Director de Área de Caixabank), en un encuentro que tuvo lugar la semana anterior (ver en este enlace).

Link: https://youtu.be/H3BgFfihNEQ

The impact of ZIRP (Zero Interest Rate Policy) on Banks

REFERENCES

COLLATERALIZED DEBT OBLIGATIONS

AUTHORS:

Aitor Díaz García.

Natalia Díaz Esquivel.

Yoheimi Mencía Mercado.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC RESOURCES.

PayPal explores crypto takeovers including Goldman-backed startup BitGo

Link: https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/paypal-explores-crypto-takeovers-including-goldman-backed-bitgo-bloomberg-2020-10-1029713851

Date: 10/27/2020

Media:  Markets Insider.

What happened? 

Paypal explores crypto takeovers including goldman-backed startup BitGo, report says.

Whom and where it affects?

Paypal is looking to acquire cryptocurrency firms including a Goldman-backed startup BitGo, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, expanding its recent entry into the digital currency market , and in the place where it affects cryptocurrency market.

What sort of public or private institutions are involved?

The institutions that participate  in this news are:

PayPal Holdings, Inc. and also Goldman Sachs, Galaxy Digital Ventures, Valor Equity Partners, Redpoint Ventures, DRW, Digital Currency Group and Founders Fund.

Why is it important for Banking and Finance?

The change to digital forms of currencies is inevitable, bringing with it great advantages such as efficiency, speed or resistance in the payment system and the ability of governments to disburse funds to citizens quickly.

What do you think will be the consequences in the foreseeable future?

PayPal just announced that its network would allow customers to buy, sell, and hold bitcoin and other digital coins. Beginning early 2021, customers would also be able to use cryptocurrencies for transactions at 26 million merchants through its platform.

Key words: Paypal, crypto-takeovers, bitcoin, Goldmand-backed, BitGo.

Fed plans new round of bank stress tests in response to Covid-19

Link:  https://www.thebanker.com/World/Americas/US/Fed-plans-new-round-of-bank-stress-tests-in-response-to-Covid-19

Date: 15th of October 2020

Media: The Banker

What happened?

Due to the ongoing uncertainty around the Covid-19 pandemic, the US Federal Reserve Board has announced another round of bank stress tests to see how large banks stand up against two scenarios featuring severe recessions.

Whom and where it affects?

Firstly, it affects US-based banks and financial institutions, especially those with large trading or processing operations, because their strength and solvency will be tested.

It also affects all creditors of those banks, as the results of the tests will give them insight into the banks’ capital strength under a tailored set of assumptions, given the ongoing coronavirus-related uncertainty.

Finally, it indirectly affects everyone, as the strength and health of the international banking system is something that has effects on our daily life.

What sort of public or private institutions are involved?

The most important institution involved in this piece of news is the US Federal Reserve, which is the central bank of that country and the competent authority for carrying out stress tests, which are now needed because of the fragile economic situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Also, private banks are important in the article because they will be subjected to those stress tests, what means that their resiliency is going to be evaluated by the FED.

Why is it important for Banking and Finance?

As we are facing a pandemic that is affecting all aspects of our lives, the strength of the international financial system is a fundamental key to prevent possible future crashes.

Therefore, it is important to evaluate the health of the most important financial institutions worldwide, especially private banks, because we need to know if they would be capable of resisting to an adverse economic scenario derived from the pandemic. Depending on the results of those tests, the confidence in the financial system will either increase or decrease.

What do you think will be the consequences in the foreseeable future?

If the results are positive and banks can demonstrate their solvency and strength despite the adverse financial situation, creditors and investors would be more willing to keep investing on them, and therefore, the economic situation might improve, as those investors would maintain their confidence in the system. That could also reduce the impact of the pandemic in the economy.

However, if banks fail those tests, the confidence in the banking system would plummet, and consequently depositors and investors might want to withdraw their money, what would lead to a bank failure that could easily extend to the rest of the institutions because of the adverse situation resulting from the pandemic.

Key words

Stress test, banks, FED, scenario, economy, pandemic.