Undergraduate Innovators Earn Recognition at IFTA Awards for their Advanced “Fintech Compare” Banking App

A dynamic team of five students and recent graduates from the Department of Computer Science and the School of Business, led by Ayazhan Kadessova (BSc in Computer Science, Year 3), has been recognised as the Outstanding Financial Technologists of the Year - Star in the Making. They were awarded a Certificate of Merit at the IFTA FinTech and Innovation Awards 2022/2023 for their innovative banking app, “Fintech Compare”.

The team, known as “Fintech Foxes”, engineered the innovative “Fintech Compare” app, which integrates the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services with advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) plugins. This novel approach not only customises financing options for its users but also features an extensive marketplace within the application, specifically designed to serve the 480,000 non-permanent residents in Hong Kong. It effectively bridges the gap for those with limited financial history, facilitating hassle-free e-commerce transactions.

Ayazhan is enthusiastic about the potential impact of “Fintech Compare” that will have across the financial spectrum, improving consumer financial experiences, driving increased sales for banks and retailers, and improving cash flow dynamics. Additionally, the convenient payment options provided by “Fintech Compare” are set to enhance customer loyalty and engagement for banks in the long term. “I am excited about the transformative possibilities that this innovative solution brings to the financial industry,” she says.

The IFTA FinTech and Innovation Awards, hosted annually by the Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia (IFTA) since 2017, aims to honour the exceptional contributions and achievements of individuals and teams across various sectors who have significantly advanced the application applications and development of financial technology in their respective arena.