Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance

Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance
Name	Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance
Established	2015
Founder	Nigel F. A. Submission
Type	Research centre
Location	Cambridge, England
Affiliation	University of Cambridge

Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance is a research institute based within Cambridge, England focused on market studies of alternative finance, digital assets, peer‑to‑peer lending, crowdfunding and fintech. It produces empirical surveys, datasets and policy analysis used by regulators, multilateral organisations and industry stakeholders. The centre engages with academic networks, financial institutions and technology firms across Asia, Europe, North America and Africa.

History

The centre was established amid a surge of interest in digital finance following events such as the rise of Bitcoin, the launch of Ethereum, and the global growth of peer‑to‑peer platforms exemplified by LendingClub and Zopa. Early staff drew on experience from institutions including University of Cambridge, Judge Business School, Oxford Internet Institute, London School of Economics, and Imperial College London. Its formation responded to policy debates involving bodies like the Financial Conduct Authority, Bank of England, European Commission, World Bank Group, and International Monetary Fund. The centre has evolved alongside milestones such as the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, the G20 Buenos Aires Summit, and legislative developments including the Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation process in European Union institutions.

Research and Publications

The centre publishes reports on topics ranging from crowdfunding models tracked against platforms like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and Patreon to digital currencies compared to Ripple, Litecoin, and Monero. Its authors cite methodologies from scholars affiliated with Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Oxford, Princeton University, and Yale University. Publications inform regulatory guidance issued by entities such as the Financial Stability Board, Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development, International Accounting Standards Board, Bank for International Settlements, and national regulators including the Securities and Exchange Commission. The centre’s analytical frameworks intersect with case studies involving Ant Group, Square, PayPal, Revolut, and TransferWise. Peer‑reviewed output appears alongside contributions to edited volumes published by Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and Routledge.

Surveys and Data Projects

Major projects include global benchmarking surveys that map markets in regions covered by organisations such as the Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, Inter‑American Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and European Investment Bank. Data collection parallels other initiatives like the Global Findex database, the World Bank Doing Business reports, and fintech indices produced by Deloitte, PwC, and KPMG. Survey instruments measure activity in market segments associated with crowdfunding, marketplace lending, invoice trading, equity crowdfunding, and cryptocurrency exchanges including Binance and Coinbase. The centre collaborates on datasets that interface with repositories maintained by OECD, IMF, World Economic Forum, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance Research Portal and national statistical offices such as Office for National Statistics.

Governance and Funding

Governance arrangements have involved academic directors linked to departments at University of Cambridge and advisory boards including members from European Central Bank, Bank of England, UK Treasury, and international agencies such as United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Funding sources reported include competitive grants from organisations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, European Commission Horizon 2020, and corporate sponsorships from firms including Mastercard, Visa, HSBC, Barclays, and Standard Chartered. Project grants have also come from philanthropic entities such as Omidyar Network and research councils like the Economic and Social Research Council. Ethical oversight has referenced protocols used by Wellcome Trust and institutional review boards affiliated with Cambridge University Hospitals.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The centre has partnered with universities and think tanks including Columbia University, New York University, National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University, Peking University, University of Cape Town, University of Nairobi, INSEAD, Bocconi University, IE Business School, Brookings Institution, Chatham House, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Collaboration extends to industry consortia and standard‑setting bodies such as International Organization for Standardization, IEEE, R3, Hyperledger, and market infrastructures including London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. Joint events have involved conferences with Singularity University, Money20/20, Consensus, and policy dialogues hosted by G20 and B20 forums.

Impact and Criticism

The centre’s outputs have influenced policy papers by HM Treasury, European Commission, and Financial Action Task Force, shaping approaches to regulation for platforms like Kickstarter and token models associated with Initial Coin Offerings. Academic impact is reflected in citations in journals such as Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, MIS Quarterly, and Journal of Monetary Economics. Criticism has come from scholars and commentators linked to Cambridge Analytica‑era debates and critiques by authors affiliated with Goldman Sachs‑related research or activist groups like Public Citizen and Consumer Reports over industry funding and potential conflicts of interest. Debates have referenced high‑profile incidents including the Mt. Gox collapse and policy responses to events like the 2018 cryptocurrency market crash.

Category:Research institutes