Value of big data to finance: observations on an internet credit Service Company in China

Abstract Background his paper presents a case study on 100Credit, an Internet credit service provider in China. 100Credit began as an IT company specializing in e-commerce recommendation before getting into the credit rating business. The company makes use of Big Data on multiple aspects of individuals’ online activities to infer their potential credit risk. Methods Based on 100Credit’s business practices, this paper summarizes four aspects related to the value of Big Data in Internet credit services. Results 1) value from large data volume that provides access to more borrowers; 2) value from prediction correctness in reducing lenders’ operational cost; 3) value from the variety of services catering to different needs of lenders; and 4) value from information protection to sustain credit service businesses. Conclusion The paper also discusses the opportunities and challenges of Big Data-based credit risk analysis, which needs to be improved in future research and practice.