Amazon, a US-based retailer and technology company, recently broadened the services it offers in India to include auto insurance sold via the Amazon Pay digital wallet and gold investment products sold through SafeGold, a service of Digital Gold India that allows its users to buy and sell gold online. Amazon launched Amazon Pay in India in 2016
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MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Symbiotics Launches $6.7m Bond for Samunnati, Provider of Microfinance, Market Access, Technology to Agricultural Sector in India
Symbiotics, a Switzerland-based investment company, recently launched a bond issue intended to raise INR 500 million (USD 6.75 million) for Samunnati Financial Intermediation & Services Private Limited, a for-profit non-banking financial company in India. The proceeds will flow
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Led by Farmers, Microfinance Borrowers from 21 MFIs in India Boost Repayment Rate from 10% to Over 40%; Yet Many Lenders Remain Starved for Cash
The India-based Information and Credit Rating Agency (ICRA) recently conducted a study of 21 microfinance institutions (MFIs), finding “better-than-expected collection efficiency in June 2020.” During April and May 2020, the MFIs reported a “cumulative collection efficiency” of approximately 10 percent. This rate rose to a range of 40 percent to 70 percent in June, with rural borrowers
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: World Bank Approves $750m Loan to Support 1.5m MSMEs in India as Emergency Response to COVID-19
The World Bank’s Board of Directors recently approved a 19-year loan of USD 750 million, with a 5-year grace period, to create an emergency response program for micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in India that “have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.” The program is meant to provide “immediate liquidity” to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Paytm of India Expands Retailer Network Accepting Digital Payments, Quintuples Consumer Credit Limit in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
Paytm, an Indian digital payment firm, recently expanded the network of locations that participates in its payment system, which is based on purchasers scanning QR codes with their mobile phones, as well as its service Postpaid, which allows users to delay paying for these purchases by one month. Paytm’s expansion focused on neighborhood shops known as kiranas, which sell groceries and home essentials, and other
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Incofin Loans $1.1m to SAVE, Provider of Rural Microfinance, Agent Banking, Toll-road Payment Services in India
Belgium-based Incofin Investment Management (IM) recently disbursed a senior loan of EUR 1 million (USD 1.1 million) from its fund Incofin CVSO to the Society for Advancement of Village Economy (SAVE), which “plans to utilise the…funding to support its two non-banking financial companies providing rural credit services” in India. SAVE’s other units offer
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Network Gojo Takes $14m Equity Stake in Satya Microcapital of India
Japanese microfinance holding firm Gojo and Company recently increased its minority equity holding in New Delhi-based Satya Microcapital with a share purchase in the amount of INR 1.05 billion (USD 13.9 million). Satya plans to use the capital to expand its work with migrant laborers and other poor people to create and preserve jobs, especially to counteract the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Satya CEO Vivek Tiwari said, “the capital infusion will
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Sindhuja Microcredit of India Raises $8.7m in Equity Sale to Carpediem Capital, Nordic Microfinance Initiative
The majority owners of Sindhuja Microcredit, a lender to women in India, recently sold minority shareholdings to Carpediem Capital, an India-based private equity fund manager, and the Nordic Microfinance Initiative (NMI), a public-private partnership based in Norway, for a total of USD 8.7 million. The sizes of the stakes have not been released. Carpediem also invested USD 4 million in Sindhuja in 2019. India’s Vidura Capital served as advisor on the transaction.
The promoters of Sindhuja, Abhisheka Kumar and Malkit Didyala, issued a statement that, “Our customers, self-employed rural women, are the most vulnerable in the COVID–19 world… with their livelihoods under direct threat, this funding will be used to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Aviator EMF Invests $3.1m in Midland Microfin for Microfinance for Women in India
Aviator Emerging Market Fund (EMF), a Mauritius-based entity, recently invested USD 3.1 million in Midland Microfin Limited, a microfinance institution (MFI) that provides women in India with small business loans and insurance services. Most of the loans that the MFI issues are
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Reserve Bank of India Moves to Increase Liquidity for MSMEs, Farmers Impacted by COVID-19 via MFIs, NBFCs
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s central banking authority, recently moved to increase the supply of credit to farmers and micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) via microfinance institutions (MFIs) and non-banking finance companies (NBFCs). These steps include
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFIs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, India, Panama, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Refinance $38m in Microloans via Sales to IIV Mikrofinanzfonds
Microfinance institutions (MFIs) in six countries recently sold non-securitized loan claims for USD 7.8 million-plus EUR 28 million (USD 30.4 million) to IIV Mikrofinanzfonds, a fund managed by Germany-based Invest in Visions (IIV). While the MFIs have not been named, they are located in
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Loans $30m to SEWA’s Sitara for Housing Microfinance for Women in India
The government-backed US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which recently took over the work of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, has loaned USD 30 million to Sitara, an initiative of India’s SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association), for on-lending to improve the housing conditions of poor women in urban areas. Formerly known as SEWA Grih Rin, Sitara offers loans for housing, business, education and other purposes in amounts from
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Northern Arc Raises $23m for India Impact Fund to Invest in SMEs
India-based Northern Arc Investments recently completed the first close of its eighth fund, the Northern Arc India Impact Fund, which is its first fund to accept investments from outside the country. The firm plans to use the five-year debt fund to support Indian lenders for microenterprise, small business, agri-business and vehicles. Northern Arc Investments has raised USD 23 million for the India Impact Fund and will look to increase this to a total of USD 100 million to USD 150 million. By 2021, the company plans to execute
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: BNP Paribas Loans $9.4m to CreditAccess Grameen of India for Microfinance
BNP Paribas, a bank based in France, recently informed MicroCapital that it has disbursed a two-year loan of INR 700 million (USD 9.4 million) to CreditAccess Grameen, the Indian member of CreditAccess Asia, which operates microfinance institutions (MFIs) in India, Indonesia and the Philippines. CreditAccess Grameen, formerly known as Grameen Koota, offers group microenterprise loans of USD 1,150; individual small business loans of up to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: FMO Considering $5m Equity Investment in Innoviti Payment Solutions, Provider of Loans, Cashless Payments to MSMEs, Consumers in India
The Netherlands Development Finance Company, which is also known by its Dutch acronym FMO, recently expressed interest in the possibility of placing an equity investment in Innoviti Payment Solutions, a digital financial services provider in India. The transaction would be disbursed in the amount of
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Micro-business 2.0: A New Generation of Women “Social Commerce” Entrepreneurs in India & Indonesia,” Published by Women’s World Banking (WWB)
By Sophie Theis, published by Women’s World Banking, November 2019, 18 pages, available at https://www.womensworldbanking.org/insights-and-impact/women-social-commerce-entrepreneurs-in-india-and-indonesia/
Female entrepreneurs in India and Indonesia historically have faced a multitude of challenges such as “low access to capital, restricted mobility, limitations on property rights, time poverty and gender norms.” In both countries, women own less than
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Invest in Visions’ IIV Mikrofinanzfonds Loans $11m to Microfinance Institution ASA International India
Mikrofinanzfonds, a fund managed by Germany’s Invest In Visions (IIV), recently loaned EUR 10 million (USD 11 million) to ASA International India, a microlending unit of ASA International. ASA India was founded in 2008 and serves
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Fusion Microfinance of India Borrows $4.9m from BNP Paribas
France-based BNP Paribas informed MicroCapital that today it disbursed a loan of INR 350 million (USD 4.9 million) to Fusion Microfinance, which offers microloans in amounts from INR 3,000 (USD 42) to INR 60,000 (USD 840) with terms of five months to