IS485 IS Project Experience (Research)- Fintech project examples

Project deliverable:

1. A research report covering 2-3 research questions
2. A working prototype
3. Presentation slides

Research Problems:

• Approach the faculty advisor
• Project selection should be mutually agreed

Item	Research Problem	Research Questions	Research Method
1	Microservices Architecture in Banking - In recent years, there is much written about microservices architecture. Even so, there is very little written about how microservices are used in the banking industry. A study is needed to understand microservices implementation in banking. Faculty Advisor: Prof Alan Megargel	Research Question 1: How do banks decide on the boundary context and granularity of microservices? Research Question 2: What kind of tool sets do banks use for building, testing, and deploying microservices? Research Question 3: What strategies to banks employ for migrating from monolithic systems to microservices?	Research Method: Data collection through surveys and interviews of bank staff, and existing case studies. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data collected. Results and Conclusions. Integrated Report: Write up an integrated report covering all 3 research questions. Integrated Demo: Demonstrate a fully functional microservice for a banking context, using the techniques and tools discovered.
2	Data Replication Across Microservice Instances - In a microservices architecture, as the demand (# of invocations) for a microservice increases, management tools elastically create replicated instances of the microservice. A study is needed to understand mechanisms for replicating the data underlying multiple instances of a microservice. Faculty Advisor: Prof Alan Megargel	Research Question 1: Can an in-memory-data-grid be used instead of a relational database, underlying replicated instances of a microservice? What is the feasibility of each, in a banking context? Research Question 2: What are the performance characteristics (eg; response time, replication time) of an in-memory-data-grid as compare to a relational database, as invoked across microservice instances? Research Question 3: How is transaction management done using an in-memory-data-grid as compared to a relational database, in order to avoid concurrency issues across microservice instances?	Research Method: Develop a microservice (banking context) which requires transaction management. Configure a microservice management tool to replicate instances of the microservice. Load test instances of the microservice across heavy loads, to generate data, for; a) in-memory-data-grid, and b) relational database. Analysis of the data generated from load testing. Results and Conclusions. Integrated Report: Write up an integrated report covering all 3 research questions. Relate each question within a banking context. Integrated Demo: Demonstrate a fully functional microservice for a banking context, using the techniques and tools discovered. Run the demo using; a) in-memory-data-grid, and b) relational database.
3	Maintaining Data Privacy Across Connected Blockchains - With an increasing number of commercial private blockchains being used on different platforms there is a problem on how to connect the blockchains and maintain data privacy. Faculty Advisor: Prof Paul Griffen	Research Question 1: How can current homogeneous blockchain interoperability platforms such as PolkaDot maintain data privacy be expanded for heterogeneous blockchain interoperability? Research Question 2: What are the key features for designing a heterogeneous blockchain interoperability platform? Research Question 3: What is the most efficient and effective protocol for a heterogeneous blockchain interoperability platform? A good starting point is zero-knowledge proofs such as zk-SNARKS and zkSTARKS?	Research Method: Review current homogeneous blockchain interoperability platforms such as PolkaDot. Interview industry partners (OneConnect) for the key features necessary for a heterogeneous blockchain interoperability platform. Analyze the gaps in the homogeneous blockchain interoperability platforms for the business needs for heterogeneous blockchain interoperability platform and propose a data exchange protocol. Results and Conclusions. Integrated Report: Write up an integrated report covering all 3 research questions. Integrated Demo: Demonstrate a proof-of-concept of the new heterogeneous interoperability protocol.
4	Comparing Decentralized Exchange (DEX) Protocols - With an increasing complexity in crypto-token exchanges as well as continuing security issues in centralised exchanges, there is a need to robustly compare decentralised exchange (DEX) protocols. Continuing on from a previous IS470 project (final report available on request) comparing 0x and Khyber, these and other DEX protocols can be investigated according to the DEX comparison framework in collaboration with the industry partner ICHX. Faculty Advisor: Prof Paul Griffen	Research Question 1: Which DEX protocol is the best fit for the business requirements of ICHX and why? Research Question 2: What are the shortcoming of the DEX protocols? Research Question 3: What are the best tools to compare DEX protocols?	Research Method: Interview and review the business requirements of ICHX. Analysis the pros and cons of the DEX protocols against the business requirements using the comparison framework. Results and Conclusions. Integrated Report: Write up an integrated report covering all 3 research questions. Integrated Demo: Demonstrate the test suite for the DEX comparison.
5	Quantum Computers for Consensus Algorithms - Blockchain consensus mechanism has limitation in speed, security and range. Quantum computers are now available that can be used to show potential improvements for blockchain consensus. This project is to continue work from an IS470 (final report available on request) and further explore the proof-of-concept developed on the IBM Q quantum computers using Qskit. In particular the apparent sensitivity of the quantum algorithm to non-consensus could be highly useful and can be characterised further. Faculty Advisor: Prof Paul Griffen	Research Question 1: What is the form of the behaviour of the sensitivity of the quantum algorithm to non-consensus? Research Question 2: Is there a full implementation of a quantum AND gate in any available quantum computer? Research Question 3: What are the best quantum computers for consensus algorithms?	Research Method: Execute the quantum code with varying non-coherence levels. Analysis the quantum algorithm data to characterise the sensitivity to non-coherence. Review industry needs for consensus sensitivity. Results and Conclusions. Integrated Report: Write up an integrated report covering all 3 research questions. Integrated Demo: Demonstrate the quantum algorithm’s characteristic at different sensitivity levels.
6	Quantum Computers for Financial Problems - Quantitative finance is always searching for new and better ways to model financial and economic behaviour. Quantum computers are now available that can be used to show potential improvements for certain types of financial problems such as risk (https://www.ibm.com/blogs/research/2019/03/quantum-risk-analysis/) and credit scoring using quantum neural networks. Working with the global IBM quantum finance team and an industry partner this project will further explore the application of quantum computers to finance problems. Faculty Advisor: Prof Paul Griffen	Research Question 1: What is the best methodology to map certain classes of financial problems to available quantum computers? Research Question 2: What advantages and disadvantages does a quantum computer exhibit compared to classical computer for finance problems? Research Question 3: What are the problems that quantum computers can best solve?	Research Method: Execute current quantum code available for finance problems. Analysis the efficiency of quantum algorithm to classical solutions. Review industry needs for the advantages of quantum finance. Results and Conclusions. Integrated Report: Write up an integrated report covering all 3 research questions. Integrated Demo: Demonstrate the (potential) advantage of quantum computers for quantum finance.
7	FinTech Incubation Models - There has been a surge of FinTechs globally with several key cities leading the way. At the same time many incubators have been set up to build these new businesses. Two emerging models have been observed ie; Accelerators and Venture Builders (Corporate related and Independent for profit VBs. Faculty Advisor: Prof Patrick Thng	Research Question 1: What are the various incubation models? What are their similarities and differences? Research Question 2: How is success defined from the two perspectives - incubators and incubates? Research Question 3: Which model is more successful and why?	Research Method: Data collection through surveys and interviews of FinTechs, Incubators and case studies. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data collected. Results and Conclusions. Integrated Report: Write up an integrated report covering all 3 research questions. Integrated Demo: Produce a video to illustrate the above findings and a research paper stating the above findings. The research paper has to have publishable quality in highly regarded journals.
8	FinTechs in ASEAN Countries - There has been a surge of FinTechs globally with several ASEAN cities participating actively. Compare Singapore, HK and choose one other ASEAN country in terms of the FinTech industry problems they are tackling. Faculty Advisor: Prof Patrick Thng	Research Question 1: What are the drivers or motivators to tackle those problems? Research Question 2: What support are the FinTechs getting from their governments, investors and universities? Research Question 3: What are the roadblocks for FinTechs in these 3 locations?	Research Method: Data collection through surveys and interviews of FinTechs, government agencies (eg; Central Banks etc.), FinTech Investors and case studies. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data collected. Results and Conclusions. Integrated Report: Write up an integrated report covering all 3 research questions. Integrated Demo: Produce a video to illustrate the above findings and a research paper stating the above findings. The research paper has to have publishable quality in highly regarded journals.