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‘Back in the U.S.S.D.’: Most Smartphone Owners—Especially Women—Don’t Use Apps for Financial Services
The global transition from basic mobile phones to smartphones has impacted nearly every sector, including financial services. Bryan Pon from Caribou Data considers whether this shift will help or hinder access to mobile money and digital finance for women in emerging markets — a group already less likely to be using these services. He shares the findings of a comprehensive study on how payment system design could impact gender bias in digital finance, and discusses the ongoing popularity — and under-recognized advantages — of old-fashioned USSD codes in mobile money.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology, Telecommunications, Transportation
- Tags
- data, financial inclusion, fintech
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Uruguay-Based Fintech Platform dLocal Raises $150 Million
dLocal, the Uruguay-based fintech platform, announced that the company has raised $150 million in the latest investment round at a valuation of $5 billion.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Latin America
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Annapurna Finance Mobilizes $30 Million in Equity From Nuveen Global Impact
"Nuveen’s expertise and funding will help us meet our expansion plans and we look forward to working with them to develop our climate initiatives,” Annapurna managing director Gobinda Chandra Pattnaik said.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance, Investing
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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New Alliance Between Itaú and Rappi Will Bring Greater Financial Inclusion to Chile
This agreement aims to revolutionize the local financial market with simple, innovative and unique digital products, allowing an increasing number of individuals to access new financial solutions in an agile and digital way.
- Categories
- Finance
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Uganda’s Tugende Closes $3.6 Million Series A Extension to Meet the Demand for Its Asset Finance Products
The investment, which, according to the company, was agreed on and structured in 2020, follows the $6.3 million raised in November 2020 and led by Toyota Tsusho investment fund Mobility 54. This brings Tugende’s total Series A financing to $9.9 million.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- MSMEs, transportation
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Press Release: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Grants a $3 Million Euros Loan to Pahal in Favour of Financial Inclusion in India
The microfinance sector has become a key instrument to fight financial exclusion in the country by providing financial and non-financial services to people excluded from the banking system.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Analysis: Rwanda Bridges Gender Gap in Financial Inclusion by 10%
Although there are still a number of challenges that continue to drag women behind men in terms of financial inclusion, the number of women who are banked have greatly improved, rising from 24 percent in 2016 to 34 percent in 2021.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Afriex Raises $1.2 Million Seed to Scale Its Payments and Remittances Platform Across Africa
Sending money from the U.S. to Nigeria can be a painstaking process. For remittance platforms like Western Union, it will cost a transfer fee and take between one to five business days for money sent from a U.S. debit card to enter a Nigerian bank account.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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