The benefits of using new technologies are greater in the payment segment and in that of loans to firms that operate in sectors and areas in which lending is riskier. The advantages of exploiting digital technologies tend to be greater for smaller banks, whose customers are mainly small firms.
Nowadays, a number of crowdfunding platforms put firms in direct contact with both retail and institutional investors, increasing access to funds. The use of distributed ledgers for trading shares of unlisted SMEs, which are currently being tested, reduces the costs of accessing capital markets.