Marc RAKOTOMALALA

• FinTech
• Disruptive technologies - AI/ML, big data, IoT, blockchain, quantum computing

My primary research interest is in Financial technology (FinTech), as it has the potential to be a positive, game-changing force for boosting financial inclusion; mobile money and greater access to basic financial services have the capacity to improve the economic well-being of households. I look at financial inclusion and technology, and how cooperative efforts between policymakers, the private sector, and their broader communities can promote financial stability and inclusive growth through the deployment of fintech applications supported by cloud-computing, big data analytics, the Internet-of-Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain technologies, cryptocurrencies, and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC).
 

Recently, among technologies disrupting the finance industry, quantum computing is emerging from being theoretical to having real world applications; quantum hardware is becoming increasingly larger, of higher quality, and more accessible. This new technology for computation leverages the laws of quantum mechanics, potentially enables completely new territories of computing, and can improve combinatorics calculations. It may be transformative and disruptive in some industries, e.g. Banking & Finance and applications in portfolio optimization, credit scoring, derivatives pricing. I currently am involved in a research project, working with an industry partner, to investigate the potential quantum advantage for assessing loan applications from SMEs.