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Indonesia eyes fintech regulation to avoid ‘loan shark-like’ practices
The emergence of these peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms, offering loans ranging from as little as a few hundred dollars to several thousands, has so far been welcomed by Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s biggest economy where tens of millions of people have little or no access to bank credit.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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MTN targets mobile money comeback in South Africa
In comments cited by South African newspaper Business Day, MTN CEO Rob Shuter revealed the company is building new products around financial services including loan offers, investment products and insurance, as it looks to boost its offering in the segment and attract customers in South Africa.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
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With revamped T-kash, Telkom Kenya aims to challenge Safaricom’s dominance
Telkom Kenya relaunched a mobile financial services platform on Monday that it hopes can challenge Safaricom’s dominance of Kenya’s lucrative mobile money market.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Amazon considers launching branded checking accounts for unbanked
Amazon is reportedly in talks with JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Capital One Financial Corp., to offer checking account services to younger customers and the unbanked.
- Categories
- Finance
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Equitel launches mobile-based insurance in Kenya
Equitel subscribers will now have access to a mobile-based insurance product, called Riziki Cover. According to the company, the solution aims to ease the financial burden associated with lost daily income from one’s employment or personal business in case they are admitted to hospital.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- insurance, mobile finance
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How immigrants are driving digital transformation of U.S. remittances
There are about 43.7 million immigrants in the United States, and remittances sent from here by foreign-born immigrants rose to $66 billion from $50 billion over the past five years, according to the World Bank.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- North America
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Kenya is finally softening its stance on blockchain technology
Kenya has for years regarded blockchain technology and digital currencies with suspicion, comparing bitcoin to a “pyramid scheme,” and emphasizing that it had no legal footing.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- blockchain, cryptocurrency
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Rwanda’s central bank urges MFIs to automate to reduce bad loans
The National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) has called on microfinance institutions (MFIs) across the country to embrace automation and reduce the rate of bad loans before the end of the year.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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