What Is Finance?

Finance is a term for matters regarding the management, creation, and study of money and investments. Finance can be broadly divided into three categories:

  • Public finance
  • Corporate finance
  • Personal finance

There are many other specific categories, such as behavioral finance, which seeks to identify the cognitive (e.g., emotional, social, and psychological) reasons behind financial decisions.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Finance is a term broadly describing the study and system of money, investments, and other financial instruments.
  • Finance can be divided broadly into three distinct categories: public finance, corporate finance, and personal finance.
  • More recent subcategories of finance include social finance and behavioral finance.
  • The history of finance and financial activities dates back to the dawn of civilization. Banks and interest-bearing loans existed as early as 3000 BC. Coins were being circulated as early as 1000 BC.
  • While it has roots in scientific fields, such as statistics, economics, and mathematics, finance also includes non-scientific elements that liken it to an art.