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A ‘miracle’ in India will disrupt e-wallets and incumbents
As countries around the globe endure fragmented payment markets, where citizens and businesses suffer from cash dependency, poor accessibility, high transaction costs and low interoperability between different payment systems, India’s Unified Payment Interface presents a miracle model that other developing economies can emulate, as they look to move away from cash-centricity and overhaul their own payments infrastructure in pursuit of speed, security, auditability and financial inclusion.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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MTN expands financial services offering with Ecobank deal
MTN is moving further into the financial services space, announcing a partnership with major Pan-African banking group Ecobank.
- Categories
- Finance
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Viewpoint: Stop talking about financial inclusion. Identity inclusion must come first
When it comes to financial services, we tend to think that proving our identity begins at the credit bureau or bank branch, as a necessary step in the process of building up a credit history. But that’s back to front: identity and financial services intertwine well before this point.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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MENA FinTech market to attract $2 billion in deals
The current MENA fintech market is estimated at $2 billion and expected to witness an annual growth of $125 million until 2022, according to MENA Research Partners (MRP).
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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M-Pesa, Paypal deal to jolt Equity’s control
On market trends, the deal is likely to be a blow to Equity Bank which has dominated the Paypal transaction market in the Country since 2013.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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No One Should be ‘Scared to Live too Long’ – Innovating Insurance for the Elderly
After a chilling conversation with his family housekeeper about her fear of "living too long" and becoming a burden on her family, Tyron Fouche was inspired to start Nobuntu, an insurance plan for low-income South Africans. Combining an ancient risk-sharing design with modern tools like chatbots and biometric tech, the plan offers customers an income that actually increases as they get older. Fouche discusses Nobuntu's innovative model – and the big challenges it faces – in the latest post in NextBillion’s "Startup Showcase" series.
- Categories
- Finance, Social Enterprise
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PayPal, Safaricom partnership enables cross-border mobile payments in Kenya
“PayPal’s collaboration with M-PESA is part of the company’s long-term strategy to enable eCommerce and democratise financial services on the African continent,” says Efi Dahan, General Manager for the Middle East, Africa and Russia, PayPal.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
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Omidyar Network Led $2.8 Mn Seed Funding Round In Fintech Startup Kaleidofin
Chennai-based fintech startup Kaleidofin has raised over $2.8 Mn in seed funding from Omidyar Network. Blume Ventures and individual investors – including Israeli serial entrepreneur and inventor, Professor Shlomo Ben-Haim – have also participated in the round. This is Professor Ben-Haim’s first investment in India.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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