A Systematic Literature Review of Bank-fintech Collaboration

With the advent of new technologies and the changing behavior of customers, the global banking industry needs to take on the challenges of innovation in its processes. Changes in technology, regulatory requirements, and the crisis in the economy along with changing the expectations of customers are the requirements for a substantial change in the banking system. Using digital technologies, fintech companies have offered innovative services to enhance customer satisfaction, in some cases proving more efficient than banks. The bank-fintech collaboration, which comes in various forms, relies on the capabilities of each institution and the cooperation’s benefits for each of them. Such collaboration has attracted the researchers' attention to the extent that a considerable number of papers have focused on fintechs despite its novelty. This study aims to review the existing scientific papers and their achievements regarding bank-fintech collaboration. This study focuses on the necessity, drivers and benefits, risks, obstacles, and types of bank-fintech collaboration in scientific papers.

The present research is conducted based on the systematic literature review method. For this purpose, the related literature was systematically reviewed over a period of 7 months. At first, after specifying the subject of study, the research question was developed in accordance with the research design. Then the research protocol was designed and an appropriate mental model was designed accordingly. Subsequently, inclusion and exclusion criteria were determined. Accordingly, the comprehensive and systematic search began within the literature and 986 studies were considered. After classification, screening, and measurement of their quality (methodological assessment based on PRISMA Statement), 41 studies were finally examined in depth (through a detailed review of their abstracts, introduction, methodology, and results) and the required data were collected. Then, in the last step, the obtained data were classified, codified (using the open coding method through Excel software), synthesized, and finally summarized.

Based on the obtained results, all the factors that affect the cooperation between banks and fintech companies can be classified into four main categories of both parties’ characteristics, relational features, collaboration requirements, and macro issues. Each category also includes a number of subcategories and codes. A total of four categories, 11 sub-categories, and 43 codes make up the factors that play a role in the formation of cooperation between banks and fintech companies. According to the diversity of detected factors, it can be concluded that the formation of cooperation between banks and fintech companies is a complex process and must be considered a multi-dimensional concept.

Finally, a schematic Model was developed to explain how effective factors affect cooperation formation. According to the diversity of the detected factors, it can be concluded that the formation of cooperation among banks and fintech companies is a multi-dimensional and complex process.