Top Five Articles from January: Regtech, Fintech, and the War on Cash

1. The Mad Scientists of Monetary Policy: The War on Cash

Recently, there has been a global movement toward eliminating cash, Ron Rimkus, CFA, observes. It sounds strange, almost bizarre. Who exactly wants to eliminate cash? Why? What would we do without it? Rimkus explores these questions as well as the most critical one of all: Is it good for his mom?

2. Blockchain Technology: What Will Be Its Biggest Bang?

Though blockchain technology has enormous promise, it has yet to gain many entry points into the finance industry. So where is the technology most likely to be applied over the next five years? We asked CFA Institute Financial NewsBrief readers for their assessment. Larry Cao, CFA, analyzes the results.

3. Count on Low Expected Returns, Says Antti Ilmanen

“It is not only a low interest rate world, it is also a low expected return world on any long-only investment,” said Antti Ilmanen, in his presentation at the 2016 CFA Institute European Investment Conference. Low expected returns are going to anchor bad news for all of us for the rest of our working lifetimes, he said, and maybe beyond. Mark Harrison, CFA, provides his insights from the session.

4. Meditation Tips for Investment Professionals: How to Begin

Meditation is a mind practice that helps develop two skills critical for investors, says Jason Voss, CFA: metacognition, or the awareness of awareness itself; and top-down control, choosing what to think and when to think it. Why do we need these skills? Because as investors we must see the world for what it is, not what we prefer it to be. With that in mind, Voss offers some tips to help you get started as a meditator.

5. The Regtech Revolution: Compliance and Wealth Management in 2017

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) and other new technologies to regulatory compliance issues has a name: regtech, or regulatory technology. And it will be a key theme in wealth management in 2017, says April J. Rudin.

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All posts are the opinion of the author. As such, they should not be construed as investment advice, nor do the opinions expressed necessarily reflect the views of CFA Institute or the author’s employer.

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