Impacts of FinTech funding announcements on traditional banks: An event study analysis

This paper investigates how traditional banks' stock prices react to FinTech funding announcements, addressing a notable research gap. Using event study methodology with the MSCI index as a benchmark, we analyze stock price responses of European traditional banks from 2010 to 2019. Both parametric t-tests and non-parametric generalized sign tests are employed to assess the impact. Grounded in signaling theory, we hypothesize that FinTech funding events signal increased competition and strategic uncertainty, affecting investor perceptions of traditional banks. Our findings indicate that FinTech funding announcements significantly influence traditional bank stock prices, with digital lending FinTechs having a more substantial impact compared to digital capital raising and digital payment FinTechs. This study highlights the differentiated investor response to FinTech competition, providing insights into the strategic challenges and market dynamics between traditional financial institutions and FinTech startups. • Fintech funding announcements significantly influence the stock prices of traditional European banks from 2010 to 2019. • Funding events for digital lending fintechs have a more substantial negative impact on traditional bank stock prices compared to other fintech sectors. • Digital capital raising events show mixed effects, with both significant negative and positive CAARs, indicating complex market perceptions. • Digital payment fintech funding events often lead to positive market reactions, suggesting perceived synergies with traditional banking services.