Alternative Investments in the Tech Era

Abstract

Technological innovations have brought significant changes to the financial sector, such as the ways we make investments and choose insurance plans. But the use of technology has given rise to new risks, and poses challenges to our existing legal framework. In certain cases, regulatory intervention is needed to protect the interests of investors, to guard against new risks. In other cases, however, either no further action is needed because the current legal framework can accommodate the innovations, or regulation might not be desirable as it could impede the development of technology. We must ensure that innovation is not stifled by regulation without compromising the interests of consumers. To understand how such a balance should be struck, the Centre for Banking & Finance Law of the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore organized a conference on 27 and 28 September 2019 on "Alternative Investments in the Tech Era". This issue, which arose from the conference, has lined up a series of articles that shed light on the changes and risks brought about by technology, and put forth suggestions regarding appropriate responses.