-
A private equity bet in Latin America proves the strength of fintech investments there
Across Latin America, fintech startups have hit billion-dollar valuations and raised hundreds of millions as investors vie for a piece of the region’s growing e-commerce and financial services markets.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Latin America
-
Kenya’s Safaricom’s overdraft service exceeds expectations
Started 11 years ago as a service to allow Kenyans without access to the banking network to transfer money via mobile phones, M-Pesa now offers loans and savings in conjunction with local banks, as well as merchant payments services.
- Categories
- Finance, Telecommunications
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Go-Jek buys fintech startup Coins.ph for $72M ahead of Philippines expansion
Today, Go-Jek announced it has acquired local fintech company Coins.ph through “substantial investment,” which gives it a majority stake in the business.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech, startups
-
Enough Equity Financing: Why the Future of Impact Fintechs Depends on Private Debt
Many high-profile impact-focused fintech firms have been successful in raising Series A and B equity rounds, and many believe that form of capital can serve both growth and scale goals. But it can’t, says John Beckham, Chief Investment Officer at MicroVest Capital Management. Instead, he advocates more debt financing for fintechs that have proven their models. He explores why investors should embrace private debt as a key opportunity to turn a nascent marketplace for impact fintechs into a thriving one.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Technology
- Tags
- fintech, impact investing
-
Viewpoint: How the digital finance revolution can drive sustainable development
A new task force convened by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will consider how these two topics might best intersect: how the digital revolution in financing could be shaped not only to minimise potential harms, but in ways that could help advance the SDGs’ inspiring vision.
- Categories
- Finance
-
Mobile lenders drive microfinance entities to early grave
The zenith of microfinance lending in Kenya, as perfected by institutions such as Kenya Women Microfinance Bank saw many poor borrowers saddled with untenable debts.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Flutterwave and Visa launch African consumer payment service GetBarter
The app-based offering is aimed at facilitating personal and small merchant payments within countries and across Africa’s national borders.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
WorldRemit set to boost Ethiopia’s remittance income
“We are proud to be a pioneering bank in modernizing Ethiopia’s payment systems. The various e-payment facilities deployed have enabled us to become the number one provider of technology-based banking services,“ CBE President Bacha Gina said.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa