The effects of Basel III capital and liquidity requirements on the growth of banking functions performed by nonbank financial institutions and fintech platforms in South Africa

We examine the effects of the implementation of the Basel III accord on the growth of non-bank financial institutions and fintech platforms in South Africa. Using a difference-in-difference estimation procedure, we find evidence of regulatory arbitrage, suggesting that the imposition of minimum capital requirements results in the growth of deposit-taking non-bank financial institutions. Our results are robust to alternative event windows and falsification tests. In contrast, country-level estimations show that tighter minimum capital restrictions constrain the growth of fintech platforms in South Africa, while innovation plays a crucial role in driving the growth and funding of fintech ventures in select African economies. Our results highlight the need for targeted policies that enable and sustain a vibrant fintech ecosystem.