-
Visa strengthens East Africa presence through partnership with Tanzanian telecom firm
Through the partnership, HaloPesa will offer consumers the option to pay a merchant with interoperable Visa QR Codes that are being rolled out as part of Visa on mobile expansion in the market.
- Categories
- Finance, Telecommunications
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Chopping Block to Starting Block: How OPIC (Now IDFC) is Writing the Next Chapter in U.S. Development Finance
The Overseas Private Investment Corp. (OPIC) just survived a near death experience. The agency was among the proposed cuts when the Trump administration came into power and began budget negotiations. But with the passage of the BUILD Act, OPIC will transform into the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, with a new budget and a new set of financial tools. We caught up with David Bohigian, Executive Vice President of OPIC, at SOCAP18 to find out what these changes mean for entrepreneurs and others seeking development finance.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Social Enterprise
-
Banker proposes new blockchain technology for African market
A new mobile phone blockchain network is under development and is projected to acquire large-scale consumer adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2021.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Press release: Mastercard and Accion Partner to Unlock Growth for Millions of Underserved Microbusinesses around the World
Michael Schlein, president and CEO of Accion said: “Mastercard’s unrelenting focus on innovation and inclusion is helping to unlock opportunity for millions of people to build a brighter future for themselves, their families, and their communities. We are thrilled to take our partnership to a new level. Together we will work hard to ensure that today’s digital transformation of financial services benefits those who have been left out or underserved by the global financial system.”
- Source
- Press release
- Categories
- Finance
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
-
In Kenya, free cash is the latest solution to poverty
Founded in 2010 and working in six African countries, Give Directly sends money straight to the poor allowing them to choose their own priorities, rather than outsiders "deciding instead of them", explains the non-profit's spokeswoman Caroline Teti.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Warren Buffett’s Holding Invests $600M in Fintech Firms Focused on Emerging Markets
Multinational holding conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway – which counts outspoken crypto critic Warren Buffett as its CEO and chairman – has invested around $600 million in two fintech payment firms focused on emerging markets, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Oct. 29.
-
You Can’t Change What You Can’t See: Taking America’s Financial Health Pulse
Last week, a new FDIC survey revealed that the number of unbanked U.S. households has reached the lowest point since the survey started in 2009. Meanwhile, advances in fintech and a strong overall economy suggest that the financial prospects of most Americans should be looking up. But as Center for Financial Services Innovation president Jennifer Tescher points out, the story is not that simple. In reality, she says, a massive number of Americans are struggling financially. She explores this and other troubling findings in the U.S. Financial Health Pulse, a landmark new study that aims to show the true picture of Americans’ financial lives.
- Categories
- Finance
-
Press release: MicroVest Capital Management Announces the Closing of a $20mm Credit Facility with MetLife Investment Management
The credit line enables MicroVest to better manage liquidity of the fund to deploy more capital, more quickly, to the places that need it the most. Per MicroVest’s stated mission, these are often microfinance institutions in emerging and frontier markets that have few other means of accessing capital to promote financial inclusion within their markets.
- Categories
- Finance