China: Emergence of a Tech and Innovation Superpower

The debate about what city is the fintech capital of the world continues, as more players enter the market and more money is invested into the very active fintech ecosystem. Is the fintech capital London, New York, the Silicon Valley or elsewhere? Should the title go to the city with the most players, the greatest fintech investment or the largest number of users of challenger bank or bank challenger services?

My perspective on a possible candidate for the fintech capital definitely changed when I visited Shenzhen, China recently. From the advancement of smart city technologies, to the deployment and use of digital technologies for payments, energy management, operational efficiency and even daily tasks like shopping and eating out, I have never experienced so many modern advancements than during my short week in China.

As part two of my review of my tour of Shenzhen, I am joined today by Brett King, author of many best selling books on the future of banking and the host of the number one fintech podcast, Breaking Banks. Brett and the president of Provoke Management, Jay Kemp, joined me for a VIP tour of Huawei Technologies. With a history steeped in manufacturing, Huawei now is the hub of new technologies that impact every Chinese citizen, from the phones they use to the services they use. They also are an example of how the combination of data, advanced analytics, digital technologies and a culture of innovation and R&D can propel a company into the future.