-
Can Mobile Money Boost Financial Inclusion in Southern Africa?
Mobile money offers opportunities for the unbanked to save, spend, and transfer money using just a cell phone. Linda Du ’19, an MBA student at Yale SOM, traveled to Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to talk with providers, customers, and others about the technology’s potential to give the poor access to the financial system.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
The Rural Credit Rush in India
Data released by Microfinance Institutions Network, a national body for non-banking finance company-micro finance institutions (NBFC-MFIs), shows that NBFC-MFIs, which focus on lending in rural India, account for the largest chunk of the loan portfolio of the microfinance industry.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
-
Is North Korea Moving Toward a Cashless Society?
According to a Seoul-based online newspaper Daily NK, some North Korean people are apparently using mobile phone credits as currency and a means of commercial transaction.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
-
Fintech leaders debate the future of crypto at Davos
While programs like bitcoin likely won’t be taken up by large governments or financial organizations, there are other applications for blockchain that could prove worthy.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Tags
- blockchain, cryptocurrency, fintech
-
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
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter, "NextBillion Notes"
Published each Wednesday, our e-newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with a selection of news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage — and regular conference ticket giveaways.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.