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The Hidden Impact of Microcredit: Three Under-recognized Ways the Industry Can Help Emerging Markets
Microcredit has historically been evaluated – and often found lacking – on the terms that the industry was built on: raising the income, investment and consumption of clients. But, according to Timothy Ogden, there are other ways that microfinance may have had an impact, including helping to build institutions, training people in the technology of management, and strengthening civil society.
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Indonesia comes out with regulations for P2P lending platforms
Following the release of e-commerce roadmap in November, Indonesia ended 2016 by coming out with a new set of rules for the fintech sector, specifically regulating peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms. The policies had long been anticipated by players, who had been working closely with the Indonesian financial services authority (OJK) to come up with rules governing lenders and borrowers.
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- South Asia
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Viewpoint: This is how to create inclusive growth for an Aspiring Africa
The “Africa Rising” narrative is increasingly giving way to that of “Aspiring Africa”, as the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) shrinks and the new middle class burgeons. Central to this new narrative is inclusive growth: the idea that economic growth must come with equitable opportunities for all participants, with benefits enjoyed by every section of society.
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- Sub-Saharan Africa
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BitPagos, Now Ripio, Lands $1.9M to Promote Financial Inclusion in South America Using Bitcoin
BitPagos, a bitcoin and digital payments startup that was a Battlefield finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt New York 2016, has closed a $1.9 million Series A round to expand its services in its native South America.
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- Latin America
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After Day 50: The Results From India’s Demonetization Campaign Are In
On the same day that Donald Trump was elected president of the United States, India also received an unexpected, earth-shattering announcement. However, theirs wasn’t of a disruptive, unconventional presidential candidate coming to power but of a disruptive new policy that would instantly shake up the lives of 1.25 billion people, rich and poor alike. At 10 p.m. on November 8th, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that on the stroke of midnight all 500 and 1,000 rupee notes — 86% of the currency in circulation — would cease to become legal tender.
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- South Asia
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China Launches $1.5bn Fintech Fund
A consortium of Chinese state-owned companies and private enterprises has created a $1.44 billion investment fund dedicated to fintech mergers and acquisitions.
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- Technology
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- South Asia
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Bangladesh government plans to strengthen Grameen Bank
Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said the government plans to strengthen Grameen Bank further so that the Nobel Prize winning microcredit lender becomes more relevant in changing times.
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- South Asia
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Mexico’s Largest Bank Acquires Fintech Payments Startup Openpay
BBVA Bancomer, the largest financial institution in Mexico, has acquired Openpay, a payments Fintech startup based in Mexico that enables real-time payments for individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises. The acquisition comes after a collaborative partnership between the bank and the Openpay which saw the bank benefit by increasing its range of online payments solutions.
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- Technology
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- Latin America
