Theoretical Aspects of the Activities of Financial Intermediaries in Ukraine

Purpose. Analysis of modern approaches to defining the essence of financial intermediaries, highlighting their main functions and classifications. Methodology. The research is based on dialectics as a scientific and philosophical method of cognition, a systemic approach and an analytical method. When conducting the research, the methods of comparative analysis, system-structural, generalization, economic-statistical, abstract-logical, monographic, methods of analysis and synthesis were used. Results. Modern approaches to defining the essence of financial intermediation and its role in the financial market have been studied. It was determined that financial institutions that, in the course of their professional activity, either accumulate temporarily free funds of economic entities and use them to satisfy the demand for financial services of financial market participants, or provide services to the financial market, should be related to financial intermediaries. The views of modern scientists on the role of financial intermediaries are summarized. Among the main functions, the following are highlighted: redistribution and reduction of risks; provision of alternative ways of financing economic activities and consumer needs of citizens; accumulation of funds of business entities; achievement of effective investments by market participants; ensuring effective redistribution of capital: promoting the development of the financial market and its infrastructure; management of payment systems. Approaches to modern classification of financial intermediaries are considered.Attention is focused on the classification of financial intermediaries, according to the bank-oriented model of financial mediation in force in Ukraine. Practical significance. The results of the research consist in the possibility of practical use of the obtained conclusions to improve the activities of financial intermediaries in the financial market of Ukraine.