Fintech

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Surviving (and thriving) in the Age of Real-Time Payments 

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Ten years ago, a payment between two banks could take 1–3 business days. Today, in many countries, money moves in 10 seconds or less, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Systems like UPI in India, Pix in Brazil, FedNow in the USA, and SEPA Instant in Europe have made real-time payments the new normal. 

Why Real-Time Payments Change Everything for Liquidity 

  • No more “float” In the old batch world, banks knew exactly when money would leave and arrive. They could use the 1–2-day float to earn interest or invest short-term. That float is now gone. 
  • 24/7/365 outflows Customers can now move money on Friday night, Saturday morning, or Christmas Day. Your liquidity has to be ready at 3 a.m. on a public holiday. 
  • Instant visibility = instant reactions When a large corporate pulls ₹500 crore at 11:55 p.m., you see it immediately — and so do your regulators and rating agencies. 
  • Higher intraday swings Studies show that intraday payment volumes can be 5–10 times higher than end-of-day net positions in real-time regimes. 

The New Rules of Liquidity Management 

Here are the practical steps successful banks and fintechs are taking today: 

1. Move from “End-of-Day” to “Real-Time” Treasury 

Old way: Look at balances once a day at 6 p.m. 

New way: Monitor positions continuously (every 5–15 minutes or even second-by-second). 

Tools that help: 

  • Real-time dashboards 
  • Treasury management systems (TMS) connected directly to the Real-Time Payments rails 
  • API-based position keeping 

2. Build Bigger and Smarter Buffers 

You need more high-quality liquid assets (HQLA) than before because: 

  • Outflows are unpredictable in timing 
  • Central bank standing facilities may be closed on weekends/holidays 

Many banks have increased their intraday liquidity buffers by 50–100% after moving to real-time. 

3. Pre-fund Nostro Accounts Strategically 

In cross-border real-time (e.g., SWIFT GPI, Ripple, or upcoming systems), you often need to pre-fund accounts in multiple currencies and time zones. Smart banks: 

  • Use AI to predict daily and hourly funding needs per currency 
  • Keep “just-enough” instead of “as-much-as-possible” 

4. Use Intraday Liquidity Tools from the Central Bank 

Many central banks now offer: 

  • Intraday credit (sometimes collateralized, sometimes uncollateralized) 
  • Open repo facilities 24/7 Make sure your operations and collateral teams are ready to use them instantly. 

5. Automate Liquidity Transfers 

Top performers use: 

  • Standing instructions and rules engines that move money automatically when balances cross thresholds 
  • “Liquidity bridges” between payment systems (e.g., RTGS, Fast payments, CBDC when it comes) 

6. Stress Test for the New Reality 

Old stress scenarios (“What if 5 big corporates leave at day-end?”) are not enough. New questions: 

  • What if 30% of salary credits hit at 00:01 on the 1st of the month? 
  • What if a viral social Real-Time Payments campaign moves ₹1000 crore in 30 minutes? 

7. Turn Liquidity into a Product 

Some forward-thinking banks are now offering “Instant Liquidity as a Service” to corporate clients and fintech partners — charging a small fee for guaranteed 24/7 availability. 

The Winners and the Strugglers 

Winners are: 

  • Banks that invested early in real-time treasury platforms 
  • Neobanks that were “born” in real-time and never had legacy batch thinking 
  • Fintechs that partner with banks for funding while offering better customer experience 

Strugglers are: 

  • Banks still running end-of-day Excel sheets 
  • Institutions that treat real-time payments as “just another payment rail” instead of a fundamental business model change 

Final Thought 

Real-time payments are not a technological upgrade. They are a complete rewrite of how money, risk, and customer expectations work. 

The banks and fintech’s that treat liquidity management as a 24/7, data-driven, automated capability will win the next decade. 

Those that keep managing collateral and limits with end-of-day spreadsheets, emails, and manual approvals will slowly (or suddenly) run out of cash—or breach their regulatory limits—at the worst possible moment. 

This is exactly why leading institutions are now moving to a single platform that: 

  • Tracks collateral pledges, haircuts, and eligibility in real time 
  • Monitors intraday limits across payment systems, currencies, and counterparties (including central bank intraday credit) 
  • Automatically blocks or warns before a payment would breach LCR, NSFR, or internal risk limits 
  • Optimizes collateral usage across intraday liquidity facilities, repo markets, and clearing systems 24/7 
  • Gives treasury, risk, and operations one live truth instead of 15 different reports 

 
Building or upgrading a real-time enterprise collateral & limit management system? We at SmitApps Technologies help banks and fast-growing fintech’s do exactly that—live, automated, and regulator-ready.  
 
Drop us email at [email protected]   if you’d like to see it in action. 

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How AI Is Redefining Wealth Management Software Development

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AI and ML in Wealth Management

 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally transforming wealth management; a sector traditionally rooted in human expertise and personalized advice. What started a few years ago as simple robotic process automation has, by 2025, grown into something far more powerful: generative AI and advanced machine learning that genuinely think alongside advisors, spot opportunities faster, and free people up to do what humans still do best – build trust. 

Coding that used to take weeks is getting finished in days, thanks to AI assistants that write, test, and document code almost as quickly as a senior developer can describe what’s needed.  
 
As firms like JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley deploy AI tools such as LLM Suite and Debrief, the industry is witnessing productivity gains of 25-40% and faster time-to-market for tailored solutions.  
 
As a full-stack BFSI and Fintech App development company, we at SmitApps Technolgies specialize in integrating AI and ML into secure, compliant financial applications. We help wealth managers move beyond simple automation by developing: 

  • AI-powered portfolio management solutions. 
  • Modern KYC/AML compliance systems. 
  • Intuitive wealth management platforms. 
     

Key Ways AI Is Redefining Wealth Management Software Development 

AI influences software development in wealth management at multiple levels: from building the tools themselves to embedding AI capabilities into end-user applications. Here’s a breakdown: 

Area of Impact Description Examples & Benefits 
Accelerated Development Cycles AI-powered code copilots and GenAI automate coding, debugging, testing, and documentation, shortening development timelines by 15-30% and improving consistency across teams. Tools like those from Cognition AI enable automated software creation, reducing manual effort in building compliance modules or portfolio optimizers. Productivity uplifts of 20% in tech teams are common, allowing faster iteration on client-facing apps. 
Embedded Predictive Analytics ML algorithms are integrated during development to enable real-time forecasting of market trends, client churn, or risks, using vast datasets for proactive insights. Platforms now predict customer churn with advanced algorithms, allowing preemptive retention strategies. This redefines software from static tools to dynamic advisors, boosting client retention by up to 20%. 
Personalization at Scale GenAI customizes user interfaces and advice engines during development, analyzing unstructured data (e.g., client emails) for hyper-personalized experiences. EY’s SARGE tool extracts investment guidelines from contracts via NLP, streamlining compliance in software builds. This leads to 30-40% advisor productivity gains by automating routine personalization tasks. 
Automation of Compliance & Operations AI automates regulatory checks and operational workflows in software, reducing errors and enabling scalable deployment. JPMorgan’s LLM Suite handles analyst-level research and compliance tasks, transforming software from rule-based to adaptive systems. This cut costs 25-40% of the operational base. 
Enhanced Client Engagement Tools Development now focuses on AI-driven chatbots and virtual advisors, using emotional AI to interpret client sentiment and suggest actions. Salesforce-integrated AI improves self-service portals, with behavioral finance modules helping avoid impulsive decisions during volatility. 

These advancements are driven by a tipping point in GenAI accuracy and scalability, enabling firms to handle both structured (e.g., market data) and unstructured (e.g., news sentiment) inputs seamlessly. 

Real-World Use Cases 

  1. Portfolio Management & Alpha Generation: AI models like those from BNY Pershing analyze historical data and real-time feeds to optimize portfolios, automating rebalancing and risk assessment. This has led to tools that provide real-time advice, blurring lines between human and machine capabilities. 
     
  1. Client Onboarding & Retention: GenAI streamlines KYC processes and predicts churn, as seen in IntellectAI’s solutions that flag at-risk clients early. Development costs for such features range from $40,000-$400,000, but ROI comes from higher retention. 
     
  1. Fraud Detection & Risk Management: AWS Marketplace AI solutions integrate reinforcement learning to detect anomalies, enhancing software security without slowing development. 
     
  1. Advisor Productivity Boost: Morgan Stanley’s Debrief uses GenAI for customized client insights, freeing advisors for high-value interactions and accelerating product development by 25-35%. 
     

Recent discussions on X highlight this shift: Startups like Cognition are raising billions for AI coding tools tailored to financial software, signaling enterprise demand for automated development in wealth tech. Meanwhile, firms like Lumida Wealth note AI’s “Sputnik moment” in displacing routine tasks while augmenting complex ones. 

Challenges and Considerations 

Despite the promise, AI adoption in software development faces hurdles: 

  • Regulatory & Ethical Risks: Stricter privacy laws and bias in models require robust governance, as emphasized in ThoughtLab’s research. 
     
  • Data Security: Integrating AI demands secure data pipelines, with firms prioritizing encryption and compliance during builds. 
     
  • Talent Shifts: Younger developers may face competition from AI tools, but upskilling in AI orchestration is key, per Stanford studies shared on X. 
     
  • Integration Barriers: Legacy systems slow rollout; pilot projects and sandbox testing are recommended. 

Firms should start with proof-of-concepts, focusing on high-impact areas like alpha generation, as ranked by EY’s 2023 survey. 

Future Outlook 

By 2026, AI will likely drive agentic systems—autonomous agents handling end-to-end workflows—potentially reshaping 25-40% of asset management costs. Expect deeper integration with blockchain for fractional assets and cloud-based SaaS for scalability.  
 
As Oliver Wyman notes, this “tipping point” will prioritize ethical AI frameworks to sustain trust. Wealth managers who embed AI early will not only cut costs but also unlock new revenue from personalized, scalable services.  
 
This next wave requires a development partner you can trust. SmitApps Technologies is perfectly positioned to guide your firm into the future, designing and implementing secure, groundbreaking AI applications that will boost your services and help your affluent clients grow their wealth. 
 
To learn more about how SmitApps Technologies can accelerate your wealth management software development using AI and ML, contact us at: 

[email protected] 

5

Credit Limits vs. Collateral: A Quick Guide

Posted on by Admin
Credit-Limits-vs-collateral

We often hear terms like credit limit and collateral when talking about loans, credit cards, or lines of credit, but what do they really mean for your financial future? 

While both are fundamental components of borrowing, they play very different roles in the lender-borrower relationship. Confusing one for the other can lead to poor financial decisions, affect your credit score, or even put your assets at risk. 

This article is your Quick Guide to understanding the distinct functions of Credit Limits and Collateral.  

Understanding Credit Limits 

Credit limits represent the maximum borrowing amount extended to a client based on their creditworthiness, assessed through factors such as credit scores, income stability, and repayment history. These are typically unsecured, relying on the borrower’s ability to repay without asset backing. In practice, they offer flexibility for revolving credit products like credit cards and lines of credit, enabling quick access to funds. 

However, in the current environment, where delinquencies in credit card and auto loans are projected to increase due to weakening consumer balance sheets, banks are tightening these limits to curb exposure. This trend aligns with broader credit market outlooks, where lower spreads and Federal Reserve easing may temper returns but heighten the need for vigilant monitoring. 

The Role of Collateral 

Collateral, in contrast, involves pledging tangible or intangible assets—such as real estate, inventory, or receivables—to secure a loan. This approach reduces lender risk by providing a recoverable asset in case of default, often allowing for higher borrowing amounts and lower interest rates. 

Amid economic resilience, driven by a strong consumer and labor market, asset-based credit (ABC) is powering ahead. Private credit and debt markets are witnessing momentum, with M&A rebounding and syndicated loans hitting records. Yet, sectors like commercial real estate face pressures from fiscal risks and rising rates, underscoring the importance of robust collateral valuation. 

Key Comparisons and Strategic Considerations 

  • Risk Mitigation: Credit limits expose lenders to higher default risks in volatile times, while collateral offers a safety net, though it requires ongoing asset monitoring. 
  • Flexibility vs. Security: Limits suit short-term, unsecured needs but can be adjusted dynamically; collateral supports larger, long-term financing but involves legal and appraisal complexities. 
  • Market Alignment: With policy uncertainties and evolving market structures, a hybrid approach—blending limits for agile consumer lending with collateral for corporate exposures—can enhance portfolio resilience. Regulatory shifts in capital requirements further influence credit supply, favoring collateralized structures in tighter environments. 

In summary, as BFSI institutions adapt to stable yet uncertain credit outlook, prioritizing collateral in high-risk segments while maintaining prudent credit limits will be key to sustainable growth.  
 
What strategies are you employing to balance these in your operations?