THE IMPACT OF THE DIGITALIZATION PROCESS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE LENDING IN THE WORLD AND IN RUSSIA
Modern alternative lending is one of the largest segments of the financial technology industry (Fintech) in the world. This segment is represented by online platforms specializing in organizing the lending process. The purpose of the article is to identify the role of the digitalization of the global economy in the development of alternative lending in the world and in Russia. The article discusses approaches to a theoretical understanding of the digitalization process in the development of modern alternative lending, determining the role of digitalizationin the development of alternative lending in the world and in Russia, and analyzes the current problems of the development of alternative lending in Russia at the present stage. The research methods are the method of correlation analysis, the method of graphical analysis, and the comparison method. The article systematizes approaches to the definition of such concepts as «digitalization», «digital economy», «digital alternative lending», and the author’s definition was formulated for the concept of «digital economy». Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the dependence of the alternative lending industry on the digitalization level based on a sample of 35 countries. The novelty of the study is to identify the correlation between the indicator of the country’s digital competitiveness and the level of development of alternative lending in this country. It is concluded that the current state of the digital alternative lending market in Russia is characterized by stagnation, and the prospects for the development of alternative lending are largely related to the development of the country’s digital competitiveness. The research results are of practical importance, which consists in identifying the urgent problems of the development of alternative lending and possible ways to further stimulate the development of this field of activit.