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Buddhist Monk in Thailand Relies on Karma for Lending Success
Buddhist monks aren’t really known for dipping into the material world of finance. Phra Subin Paneeto, though, says he felt he didn’t have much choice when he saw his neighbors near Thailand’s border with Cambodia were struggling to make ends meet.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- lending, microfinance
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Kenya’s Mobile Finance Revolution Takes the Next Steps: Two new developments go far beyond mobile money
Kenya’s mobile finance market is evolving, and for the country’s leading financial services players, that evolution has been a profitable one. But beyond M-PESA’s remarkable payments revolution and the continued growth of M-Shwari’s mobile banking services, there are two other important developments in the Kenyan market. MicroSave founder Graham Wright discusses their impact.
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- Uncategorized
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Former Kiva.org CEO Brings New App, a ‘Branchless Bank’ to Kenya
The former chief executive and co-founder of nonprofit lending platform Kiva.org, Matt Flannery, on Wednesday revealed his latest initiative Branch International Inc., which he calls “a mobile-based microfinance institution for the world.”
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- lending, microfinance
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Priority Status for Solar Power Will Aid Smaller Players
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently revised its priority sector lending (PSL) guidelines. Now medium enterprises, social infrastructure and renewable energy (RE) will form part of priority sector, in addition to the existing categories. This has brought excitement to the stake-holders.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- lending, renewable energy, solar
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Total of $125,000 USD Awarded to Two Local Companies for Financial Technology Business Solutions
Village Capital and Accion Venture Lab announced the winners of their program, Village Capital-Accion Venture Lab: FinTech Mexico 2015. The program partnered with theMasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth, Pomona Impact, and United IT Consultants, Inc. to support entrepreneurs making financial services more affordable and accessible for Mexicans who lack access to traditional financial services (“underbanked”).
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Latin America
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Shadow Financing Indirectly Flowing Into China Stock Market
Mix the mainland's red-hot stock market with its opaque shadow lending industry and the result could be a new level of risk in the mainland financial sector.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- lending
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Viewpoint: India’s MFI Rules Need More Thought, or Else They Can Go Wrong
The microfinance industry has witnessed many changes since the 2010 crisis. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) eased some lending norms for microfinance institutions (MFIs), which will mean enhanced access to credit for customers. Also, the government has proposed that the Mudra Bank (Micro Units Development Refinance Agency Bank) will regulate MFIs. Alok Prasad, chief executive officer, Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN), a self-regulatory organization for non-banking finance company (NBFC) MFIs, talks about regulatory challenges in the industry and how the future of microfinance may evolve. Edited excerpts:
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- lending, microfinance
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Impact investing takes the bite out of auto loan sharks in the U.S.
Michelle Corson, founder of On the Road Lending, pools investors’ money to finance cars for low-income people at decent rates.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Tags
- impact investing, lending
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