This 
report provides a framework for regulators and policymakers seeking to improve the way they govern digital banks, with a focus on increasing financial inclusion. It draws on “in-depth secondary research and extensive consultation with [Alliance for Financial Inclusion] member countries and regulators in other jurisdictions, and other relevant analysis of
Search Results for: technology
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “A Digital Bookkeeping App to Improve Access to Finance,” Published by UN Capital Development Fund
Ghana-based financial technology firm Ozé and Ecobank, a Togo-based commercial bank that operates in 35 countries, partnered beginning in 2020 to expand usage of the Ozé Business App among young entrepreneurs in rural Ghana. The Ozé mobile phone app is designed to help users track
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Fintech Mambu Secures $265m in Equity Funding Round Led by EQT to Expand Core Banking Platform for Microfinance, Other Institutions
Mambu, a German software-as-a-service (SaaS) banking platform founded in 2011, recently raised EUR 235 million (USD 265 million) in Series E funding, valuing the firm at EUR 4.9 billion (USD 5.5 billion). EQT Growth, a Sweden-based private equity investor, led the funding round. EQT Growth is a first-time investor in Mambu and is joined by
MICROFINANCE EVENT: FinovateEurope; March 22-23, 2022; London, UK; Virtual Option Available
FinovateEurope is one of a series of conferences focusing on financial technology (fintech). The agenda for March 22 includes approximately 50 demonstrations of new products, and attendees may hear from 70 presenters on March 23. The speaker list includes Inma Martinez,
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Association of Ethiopian Microfinance Institutions (AEMFI) Biennial Microfinance Conference; January 25-28, 2022; Bahirdar, Ethiopia
The 11th edition of this conference is themed “Promoting Digital Finance and COVID-resilient Financial Services towards the Achievement of Financial Inclusion.” Researchers and practitioners will present their papers and experiences on topics such as client protection; debt moratoria; partnering with banks and financial technology (fintech) firms; governance; regulation; and funding renewable energy, clean water and sanitation. Sessions will also cover
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EasyCash Launches Mobile Payment, Wallet Solutions for Consumers, Merchants in Egypt
The Egyptian firm EasyCash recently launched its eponymous digital wallet and mobile payment solution for both Android and iOS devices. EasyCash partnered with Wallet Factory, a financial technology (fintech) firm based in Poland, to develop the mobile applications, which use
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ATB Secures $23m Loan Guarantee from DFC for Local-currency Lending to MSMEs in Tunisia
Arab Tunisian Bank (ATB) recently acquired a guarantee in the amount of USD 22.75 million from the government-backed US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to support its local-currency lending to “inland and hard-to-reach” micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Tunisia. The focus on inland areas is motivated by
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: DFC Approves $9m, 10-year Loan to Apollo Agriculture of Kenya
Kenya-based Apollo Agriculture, a technology company that works with small-scale farmers to boost their profits, recently agreed to borrow USD 9.5 million for up to 10 years from the government-backed US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Apollo provides the following services in Kenya,
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Sankalp Africa Summit; March 1-4, 2022; Nairobi, Kenya
In parallel with its sibling Sankalp events that have a global or Southeast Asian focus, this forum is intended to “leverage the knowledge and networks from entrepreneurs, investors, corporations and policymakers” to promote “development through entrepreneurship and innovation.” The theme for the ninth Sankalp Africa Summit is “mainstreaming impact” to create
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “COVID-19 and Fintechs in Bangladesh – Impact and Resilience;” by Samveet Sahoo, Anik Chowdhury; Published by MicroSave
Covering the period from January 2021 to June 2021, this paper is the second part of a study analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic – including associated regulatory changes – on financial technology firms (fintechs) in Bangladesh. The first phase of the study found an increase in
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Innovating Digital Financial Services for Posts,” Published by Universal Postal Union
Of the 5.4 billion adults worldwide, 1.5 billion access financial services through post offices. Postal services have large networks of branch locations that give them the potential to reach even more underserved populations. The extent of these branch networks is so wide because
SPECIAL REPORT: Networks in Nigeria, Latin America & Caribbean Boost Trajectory of Women Staff, Clients of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)
At a session titled “Professional Women’s Networks and Women’s Leadership in Financial Inclusion,” Mariana Martinez of FinEquity, a platform hosted by CGAP that promotes women’s financial inclusion, described the platform’s new Spanish-language arm, FinEquityALC. FinEquityALC focuses on Latin America and the Caribbean, serving as a pilot project that could lead to FinEquity establishing other regional projects. The goals of FinEquityALC are to improve public policy that impacts women’s financial inclusion as well as financial products and financial education that are targeted at women. Its 1,100 users span 250 institutions.
Barbara Magnoni of Andares and EA Consultants described how Andares connects
SPECIAL REPORT: PAYGo Firms Struggle Less with Nonpayment, More with Supply of Solar Products, Equity Funding Since Onset of Pandemic
Mariama Kamara of Smiling Through Light, a women-run provider of solar products in rural Sierra Leone, stayed in business during the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to emergency funding from the Shine Campaign. Demand is high for Smiling Through Light’s products, but the last shipment of solar appliances from the manufacturer took five months to arrive, causing a delay in paying staff. Only since the onset of the pandemic – and at the request of customers
SPECIAL REPORT: Sidian Bank Lends $4.5m for Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) to MSMEs in Kenya with Support from Aqua for All
During today’s case study presentation on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Loise Mwangi of Kenya’s Sidian Bank shared her institution’s success in providing pandemic-relief loans for WASH equipment. Sidian lent about half of the funds, which total the equivalent of USD 4.7 million, to small and medium-sized WASH re-sellers, and the other half to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: HDFC Bank to Lend $100m to Micro-, Small, Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in India – Half Led by Women – with Support from DFC, Mastercard, USAID
HDFC Bank, an affiliate of India’s Housing Development Finance Corporation, recently agreed to lend USD 100 million to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in India to support their usage of digital payments, including to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic. Half of the credit facility is
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Pro Mujer Launches Emprende Platform to Incubate Women-owned Microenterprises in Latin America
The US-based social enterprise Pro Mujer today launched the pilot phase of its Emprende platform, a Spanish-language resource for women running “subsistence” enterprises. Pro Mujer chose 600 women from 3,000 applicants to participate in the three-month pilot, which offers “pre-incubation” and incubation services in three categories:
Skills – Based on the idea of lifelong learning, Emprende offers learning opportunities, including via “edutainment,” with new content to be developed based on customer requests.
Collaboration – The platform includes a “collaborative hub,” with content partners such as the US-based technology firms Microsoft and Platsi. Platsi is a trilingual
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Creation, Norwest, IIFL Place $200m in Equity in Vastu Platform Offering Housing Loans via Alternative Credit Scoring in India
Two US-based firms, Creation Investments and Norwest Venture Partners, recently co-led a Series C financing round of USD 200 million for Vastu Housing Finance of India. Each investor committed USD 75 million to Vastu, with India’s IIFL Finance investing the remaining USD 50 million. Vastu plans to use the financing to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Agents for Impact Disburses $1.5m from IIV to FINCA Bank Kyrgyzstan for Microfinance
Agents for Impact (AFI), a Germany-based impact investing company, recently informed MicroCapital that it has issued USD 1.5 million to FINCA Bank Kyrgyzstan, a unit of US-based FINCA Impact Finance, on behalf of Germany-based Invest in Visions (IIV). FINCA Kyrgyzstan serves 155,000 customers – half women – with