What Is FinTech? A 1,200-Year Story Told in 30 Seconds

Imagine a 1,200-year story told in 30 seconds, all from a single top-down camera angle. “What Is FinTech?” is a visually inventive micro-film created by Kennesaw State University that traces the evolution of how humans pay for things. The message is simple and humorous: “Financial technology hasn’t always been efficient.” With each passing scene, we exaggerate the imperfections of payment systems throughout history.



Starting in 813 CE, we open on a barter marketplace, where traders haggle pelts for a handcrafted jar. Then on to the 1700s, where paper money enters the scene. In the 1950s, a diner cashier drops coins while making change. And in the 1990s, a frustrated skating-rink clerk fights with a stubborn credit card.



The entire story is told through a carefully choreographed overhead viewpoint, allowing viewers to float through time. This unique perspective gives the piece a playful tone while reinforcing the idea that financial technology has always been evolving, and that progress has never been perfect. Until now, when the video lands in the present day, with a clean, modern shot of a customer tapping their phone to pay, signaling a shift from the past to the future.



“Today, we can do better,” the narrator says. “Be a part of moving financial technology forward.” The message resolves with the reveal of Kennesaw State University’s Master of Science in Digital Financial Technologies. Georgia’s only FinTech degree.



“What Is FinTech?” resonates because it makes a complex concept unexpectedly simple. Instead of explaining digital payments with technical terminology, it shows the relatable truth: humans have always searched for a better way to pay. This video playfully celebrates that journey. And invites the next generation to shape what comes next.