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Can Digital Credit Outperform Microcredit in the Developing World?
Microfinance has been hailed as a transformative force for poor households and entrepreneurs in emerging markets. But recent evidence suggests it is not the silver bullet it was once thought to be. Meanwhile, mobile phones have become ubiquitous in most developing countries, and Alexandra Wall, Natasha Beale and Carson Christiano explore whether digital credit can do a better job than microcredit in meeting the needs of the underserved.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion, Impact Assessment, Investing
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Why M-Akiba bond may present new headache to many banks in Kenya
The banks, which are already reeling from the effects of interest rates capping, now face huge competition on deposits from the bond, which gives 10 per cent interest a year, above the capped 7 per cent that banks are offering.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Mobile Podcasts: A Cost-Effective Way to Boost Financial Literacy in India
As a reader of this blog, you likely find it easy to read and understand instructions about basic banking processes, and breeze through simple transactions like ATM withdrawals. But what about those who lack literacy skills, or who are just getting introduced to the world of finance? Mobile phone podcasts, particularly those delivered to targeted audiences in their language, can be a solution. With the potential to reach more than 1 billion mobile subscribers in India, mobile phone podcasts could bring financial literacy to underserved communities.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion, Technology
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Why India needs to work on financial literacy now more than ever
India is home to 17.5% of the world’s population but nearly 76% of its adult population does not understand even the basic financial concepts. Empirical evidence shows that digital efforts on financial education have had a far greater impact than the traditional media.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion
- Region
- South Asia
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Affordable Capital For Small Businesses And Other Innovative Vehicles For The Impact Investing World
Called Capital Aggregation, it’s a recently launched business line for Calvert Foundation, aimed at mission-driven companies, as well as financial advisors and their accredited clients who are interested in fixed-income impact investment deals.
- Categories
- Investing
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How To Invest Your Money Responsibly, Sustainably, Or For Impact (They’re Not The Same)
Now you want to invest it wisely, as in–not just leave it in a checking account that pays next to no interest. Ideally, you want to make a decent return, but you also want to be responsible about it... You want to invest the money sustainably, but maybe not in the traditional ways. What are your options?
- Categories
- Investing
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Everex to Enable Mobile Blockchain-Powered Microfinance via Ethereum
Everex mobile fiat transactions are based on the company’s already existing Cryptocash service and its mobile Ethereum wallet. Cryptocash is an Ethereum ERC20 token family, pegged to fiat currencies and tradable on the Everex Wallet, as well as on third-party applications and exchanges.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion
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The Price Clients Pay For SRI/ESG Investing
SRI has gained a lot of assets in recent years. In 2016, socially responsible funds managed approximately $9 trillion in assets from an overall investment pool of $40 trillion in the United States, according to data from the US SIF Foundation. While SRI and ESG investing continue to grow in popularity, economic theory suggests that if a large enough proportion of investors choose to avoid “sin” businesses, their share prices will be depressed.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion
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