Beneath the resilient surface of the global economy lie structural challenges that could threaten its stability. We examine what could unfold in the unlikely—but not impossible—event of a global economic collapse.

Population growth rates are stagnating in many countries around the world, but the economics of a declining population is still uncharted territory for modern economic theory. How will our growth-based economic systems fare when the population declines?

It may seem like there’s more technological innovation than ever today, but more innovation doesn’t necessarily mean more economic growth.

A new wave of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services, which allow consumers to buy an item and pay later in interest-free instalments, have lately been shaking up the traditional credit card business. As a low-commitment, user-friendly and budget-focused alternative to credit cards, BNPLs are particularly favoured by tech-savvy Millennials and Generation Z, who are wary of credit cards.

The banking industry hasn't been as disrupted as other industries by emerging technologies. Indeed, the bank where you open your first account is likely the same you'll stay with for the rest of your life. But a few interesting things have begun happening. First, open banking regulation will allow new services to emerge. Second, automation is changing the face of retail banking. And, third, new players and services are reshaping the payment landscape.

The Blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrency Bitcoin. It is one of the most discussed emerging technologies by the financial sector and seen as the next technological revolution by social and cultural visionaries. But is it hype, or a real technological change in progress?