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Zimbabwe Has Banned All Mobile Money Services as Its Currency Troubles Worsen
Mobile money platforms have been banned in Zimbabwe as the country’s local currency continues to lose value, with authorities desperately hoping to arrest the decline. But the move has left subscribers and users stranded in an economy which sees a huge portion of transactions flow through mobile money platforms due to long-term cash shortages at the banks.
- Categories
- Finance, Impact Assessment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- financial health
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Viewpoint: The Importance of Digital Microfinance for Emerging Markets in a COVID-19 World
Digital products and features that speak directly to customer needs are most likely to have an impact, particularly during a time when we’re seeing a spike in digital inquiries as a result of the stresses and concerns prompted by the pandemic. Real-time advice and quick access to practical solutions that enable quick action are among the most direct routes to improved financial health during an increasingly challenging time.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Six Fintech Innovations Will Boost Financial Inclusion Levels for MENA’s Unbanked
“Covid-19 has accelerated the already pressing need for services that bring the advantages of financial inclusion to large swathes of the population and by extension national economies,” said Alicia Sornson, manager programmes and partnerships in Mena, at Village Capital.
“Regulators and investors are among the best placed to create the conditions that allow innovation to thrive."- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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Cash Transfers in the U.S. are Exploding: Here’s How to Make them Effective, During COVID-19 and Beyond
The U.S., like over 130 countries around the world, has deployed direct cash transfers to mitigate the hardships of COVID-19. But as Sheida Isabel Elmi and Rachel Black at the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program point out, many U.S. households were financially insecure even before the pandemic began. They argue that cash transfers should be an ongoing response to these vulnerabilities, and share research on how to leverage these programs for the fullest benefit.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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How Coronavirus Slashed Trips to Kenyan Atms to an All-Time Low in April
In April, the value of money transacted through cards and point-of-sale machines declined by a third to Sh35.2 billion from Sh52.1 billion in March.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Tags
- financial health
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Western Union in Frame for Moneygram Buy
Remittance giant Western Union became the latest name linked with a buyout of rival MoneyGram, which has been the subject of numerous acquisition attempts in the last four years.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Region
- North America
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Kenya’s Safaricom to link its M-Pesa platform with Visa’s network
Visa and Safaricom have agreed a deal which will connect the Kenyan telecom operator's M-Pesa financial services platform with Visa's global network of merchants and cards.
- Categories
- Finance
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China and India Reportedly Have Highest Fintech Adoption Rate, but New VC Funds Mainly Focused on Revenue-Generating Fintechs
Efi Pylarinou, a Fintech and Blockchain Advisor based in Switzerland, notes that funding is “on everybodys’ mind,” which might particularly be true for early-stage startups that have not yet acquired a significant user base.
- Categories
- Finance
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