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Microlending Goes Digital, Piling Debt on Millions
In Kenya, Africa’s financial-technology pioneer, there are now more people keeping money on their phones than in banks. Almost one-fifth of mobile-banking borrowers there defaulted last year – like Barasa, who has failed to pay three separate loans.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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M-Pesa Remains Primarily a Payments Tool, a 2019 CGAP Survey Reveals
The survey has revealed that an average M-PESA net balance is less than KES 1,000 ($10) and this figure remains constant whether the user has a bank account or not. These balances were the same across employment types and income levels.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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PayPal-Backed Money Lender Tala Raises $110M to Enter India
Tala looks at a customer’s texts and calls logs, merchant transactions, overall app usage and other behavioral data through its Android app to build their credit profile.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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In Sierra Leone, New Kiva Protocol Uses Blockchain to Benefit Unbanked
The National Civil Registration Commission developed the national digital identity platform with support from Kiva, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that allows people to lend money to low-income people around the world, as well as the United Nations Capital Development Fund and the United Nations Development Programme.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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WhatsApp in Talks to Launch Mobile Payments in Indonesia
Indonesia could become the second country worldwide where WhatsApp introduces such services, as it awaits regulatory approval from India, its biggest market by users, that has been delayed due to local data storage rules.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Fintech Deals in Indian Startups Surpass China Despite a Lending Slowdown
China saw deals drop to five-quarter low of 15 deals, down 81% from Q2 of calendar year 2018. However, broader deal-making across the globe has been relatively flat this year.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- emerging markets, fintech, startups
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China’s Proposed Digital Currency Will Help Banks Bridge Gap on Mobile Payment, Curb Dominance of Alipay, Wechat
Banks’ participation in the central bank’s digital currency will help them better compete with third party payment network operators.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Survey: Cash Payment Still ‘King’ in Kenya, Despite Digital Money Growth
According to the report, just under half of domestic remittances and 30 per cent of bill payments are now made via mobile money.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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