The given research paper examines the characteristics of German private investors regarding the probability of using robo-advisory-services. The used data set was gathered for this purpose (N = 305) to address the research question by using a logistic regression approach. The presented logit regression model results indicate that the awareness of sustainable aspects make a significant difference in the probability of using a sustainable robo-service. Additionally, our findings show that being male and cost-aware are positively associated with the use of a sustainable robo-advisor. Furthermore, the probability of use is 1.53 times higher among young and experienced investors. The findings in this paper provide relevant research findings for banks, asset managers, FinTechs, policy makers and financial practitioners to increase the adoption rate of robo-advice by introducing a sustainable offering.

In the era of the digital revolution, organizations are surrounded by disruptive technologies and find themselves constantly in the middle of change processes. In recent years, blockchain technology has evolved tremendously, and in the future, it may fundamentally influence and change the finance and accounting domain of the early 21st century. Originally the blockchain technology was created only as technology to introduce the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, however by now the blockchain is considered by experts as a major innovation beyond its initial scope. In light of these changing circumstances, innovative opportunities, as well as new challenges, arise. This creates many questions and academic debates among researchers all over the globe as to which business models and functions in the financial sector may become obsolete or where to streamline and enhance processes through blockchain applications. The paper addresses the research question to what extent the blockchain technology is capable of changing well-known business processes and finance functions within companies. In doing so, it shows the opportunities and challenges, which are based on an extensive literature-review by the authors. The paper presents current use cases on market and finishes with an outlook on the future potential of blockchain.

According to a study by the German Federal Printing Office (2022), every European lives with 90 digital identities on average, and the trend is rising. The German government has launched the innovation competition “Digital Identities Showcase” to select and promote identity projects for data security and sovereignty. The funding amount is 50 million EUR to develop software, research practical use cases and implement them by 2024. Of course, this large sum presupposes acceptance for the use of such digital identities, especially against the backdrop of critical opinions from the media and society, as already outlined in a Canadian study. However, there is little academic research on blockchain technology, but almost no article on the use of digital identities based on blockchain technology. This paper conducts a quantitative study on the social acceptance of digital identities using a questionnaire-based survey with 324 German participants on the social acceptance of the use of digital identities. The result of the study is that social acceptance of the use of digital identities is significantly influenced by demographics, citizens’ experience with blockchain products, affinity with financial products and privacy concerns.

German banks are experiencing harsh times due to rising costs and declining profits. On the one hand, acquisition costs for new customers are increasing because of the rise of innovative FinTechs, which entered the market with one specific goal: disrupting the whole financial services industry by occupying parts of the value-chain. On the other hand, the Covid-19 pandemic as well as an overall low level of interest rates cause the traditional source of bank income to still drain. Consequently, traditional banks must rethink their strategies or their identity, so to speak, because they go beyond their traditional offering of products and services. Having said that, banks may create new sources of income to stabilize their economic situation and replenish profits. The given paper aims to research the opportunities of establishing an ecosystem model. In doing so, the paper contributes to the current literature debate and provides reference points for traditional banks to start. Firstly, a systematic literature-review introduces a selection of research works the author regards as significant. In the following step, quantitative data from an online survey with bank clients is analysed by means of descriptive statistics to show the perspective of Germans with regards to an ecosystem offering. The final research findings indicate that the surveyed retail banking clients express interest in the new offer, whereas non-financial products and services are of lower interest than their financial pendants.