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India’s flourishing fintech sector is craving the finance minister’s attention
While the Narendra Modi government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have already laid down regulations for certain segments, such as peer-to-peer lending, others like cryptocurrencies and online lending startups are yet to be regulated. Such regulation may mean stricter compliance, but the management at these firms believe it will lend legitimacy to the industry, which is expected to be worth $2.4 billion by 2020. That, in turn, will help them grow faster.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- cryptocurrency, fintech, regulations
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India urges state banks to improve lending practices
The ministry said that it wants lenders to work on improving customer responsiveness, responsible banking, deepening financial inclusion and digitalization, and staff development. At the heart of all this would be a drive to weed out corruption and improve efficiency.
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- lending, public policy
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For India’s Farmers It’s Agtech Startups, Not Government, That Is Key
It’s been quite a challenge in recent decade in Indian agriculture, starved of financial resources and continuing neglect by the government, and is likely to become more difficult over the next few decades as weather patterns, available water and growing seasons shift further.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- agtech, climate change, data, startups
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Press release: TRANSFAST Partners With Bangladesh BRAC Bank and bKash Mobile Wallet for Global Money Transfers
Bangladeshi expatriates around the world can now send cross-border remittances to bKash Mobile Wallet users at any of TRANSFAST'S 200,000 payout locations in more than 120 countries. The funds can be either cashed out via bKash agent locations in Bangladesh, or can be utilized to make person to person fund transfers, top-up mobile airtime, pay bills, and shop in-store. TRANSFAST is the first money transfer company to partner with bKash to provide this service in Bangladesh.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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Malware threatens India’s mobile banking revolution
Digital transactions, currently running around 900 billion rupees ($14 billion) a month, are a tempting target for cyberthieves, who have created malware targeting digital banking customers.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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India’s coming UPI battle in mobile payments
All non-cash transactions (immediate payment service, electronic clearing service and national electronic funds transfer, credit and debit cards, usage at point-of-sale, all prepaid instruments, m-wallets and mobile banking) in December 2016 grew by 28% from the October figure— sharply higher than the 10% in the preceding months.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
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Indian Government to Provide More Money in Next Edition of Jan-Dhan Yojana
The Indian government is all set to extend the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana, possibly doubling the overdraft amount under the scheme and using it to give loans to promote entrepreneurship.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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Microfinance sector looks to shake off demonetisation blues by March
Loan repayment took a severe hit in the cash-based sector after the government announced note-ban in November 2016. The situation deteriorated further when small borrowers in five states including Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra stopped repaying loans after the respective governments announced farm loan waiver.
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- lending, microfinance
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