02173cas a2200289 a 4500 AALejournalIMF021660 230101c9999 xx r poo 0 0eng d 5.00 USD 9781513573823 1018-5941 BD-DhAAL BD-DhAAL Can Fintech Foster Competition in the Banking System in Latin America and the Caribbean?. Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, 2021. 1 online resource (40 pages) IMF Working Papers <strong>Off-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required <strong>On-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required Electronic access restricted to authorized BRAC University faculty, staff and students This paper revisits the competitive environment of the banking system in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and investigates the early impact of fintech development in the region thus far. Against the backdrop of high net interest margins (NIMs) and limited financial depth in the region, panel regressions broadly confirm results of existing literature on the association of NIMs with the changes in the financial sector structure, including market concentration, administrative costs, and foreign banks, although differences between domestic and foreign banks narrowed after the 2008-09 Global Financial Crisis. Difference-in-difference regressions and case studies on Brazil and Mexico suggest that fintech is associated with a reduction in NIMs and defensive responses by incumbent banks that benefit consumers. The case studies also shed light on regulatory approaches and prudential considerations in fostering financial innovation and banking sector competition. Mode of access: Internet Foreign Exchange imf Informal Economy imf Monetary Systems imf Standards imf Underground Econom imf IMF Working Papers; Working Paper ; No. 2021/114 Full text available on IMF http://elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/001/2021/114/001.2021.issue-114-en.xml IMF e-Library