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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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LiveRamp Commits $15 Million in Cash Reserves With Financial Institutions to Support Underserved Communities
The lack of access to financial resources and services negatively impacts a continuously widening wealth gap in the US, which has disproportionately affected minority and Black communities.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
- Region
- North America
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[Updated] Erudifi Raises US $5 Million Series A to Grow Its ‘Study Now, Pay Later’ Model in Indonesia, Philippines
[Updated] Erudifi Raises Us$5m Series a to Grow Its 'Study Now, Pay Later' Model in Indonesia, Philippines
- Categories
- Education, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Mobile Money Contributed 10% of $2.87 Billion Revenue Generated by Airtel Africa in 2020
Voice revenue continues to be the major source of revenue for the telco in the country. It grew by double-digits to $657m in the nine-month period. There was no mobile money revenue in Nigeria but the revenue generated from data was huge.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Big Data and AI in Africa: Why the Future of the Continent Is Artificially Intelligent and Digitally Enabled
Life would be easier for the average African if technology were utilized to its fullest potential. According to Jasmine Nnenne Mbadugha at the London School of Economics and Political Science, the continent's digital potential can be seen particularly at the intersection of big data and artificial intelligence. She explores how Africa can leverage these two emerging technologies to support economic development and play a role in the global digital revolution – and how it can overcome some key challenges it will face in the process.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
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Viewpoint: Fintech Regulations, Financial Stability, and Data Privacy in India: So, What Is the Path to Go Forward?
In a recent development, the Delhi High Court received a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) from an applied economist, Reshmi P Bhaskaran, seeking to regulate the entry and operations of ‘TechFin’ platforms. Inter alia, the PIL asked the High Court to help develop a regulatory framework around the TechFin industry, also popularly known as the FinTech domain. Since then, the High Court has sought replies from various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Law, Ministry of Finance, RBI, SEBI, and NPCI regarding this issue.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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A Silver Lining During the Pandemic: Three Financial Inclusion Success Stories in the Age of COVID-19
COVID-19 has had a dramatic negative impact on businesses across practically all sectors. When it comes to financial inclusion, the pandemic has sparked concerns about a widening digital divide, rising gender inequality, growing skepticism over informal financial practices, and the risk of overlooking financially vulnerable customers. But as Anshul Saxena at MSC points out, the crisis has also generated some encouraging success stories. He highlights three businesses that have found ways to thrive during the pandemic.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Innovations for Transparency: Disruptive Technology Enters the Carbon Offsetting Space
Carbon offsetting allows a net-positive carbon emitter to pay a net-negative emitter to offset their emissions, by trading carbon credits representing one ton of greenhouse gas. In theory, this system can help the world account for the unavoidable gasses emitted in the transition to a low-carbon economy. But as Kavit Borkhataria at AlliedCrowds explains, in practice, it's hard to confirm if carbon reduction projects are actually delivering the emission reductions they claim. He discusses some tech-fueled innovations that can boost transparency and push the market forward.
- Categories
- Environment, Technology
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