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The Future of Digital Credit: A Recent Report Explores How to Make its Second Decade More Impactful Than its First
The first online lending platforms began emerging roughly two decades ago, and since then, the global digital credit market has grown to reach many formerly excluded customers. But according to Dan Cassara, previously at CEGA, this growth has raised concerns about over-indebtedness, exploitation and scams. As the market looks toward the coming decades, he shares a recent report that investigates digital credit — particularly Mobile Instant Credit and airtime loans — and explores approaches that can better protect consumers and support their financial health.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Inclusion Requires Interoperability: Why All Digital Financial Services Should be Interoperable
As of 2021, there were 1.4 billion financially excluded people globally — over 1 billion fewer than there were in 2011. As Briana Marbury at the Interledger Foundation explains, mobile money and other digital financial products and services have helped to drive this progress, reaching populations that have traditionally been excluded. But she argues that this momentum has highlighted an emerging issue that could limit the impact of the growth in financial inclusion: the lack of interoperability between digital systems.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology, Telecommunications
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Bayobab Acquires MTN Zambia’s Fibre Assets to Further Growth Plans
According to Bayobab, the milestone marks a major step in its strategic growth plans in line with the company’s 2025 targets set by MTN.
- Categories
- Telecommunications
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Taking Stock of India’s Fintech Landscape: A Venture Capital Firm Shares Six Insights from One of the World’s Most Vibrant Investment Markets
The global team at Quona Capital — a venture capital firm focused on inclusive fintech — recently concluded a visit to India, during which they immersed themselves in the local fintech ecosystem. Michel Zaidler at Quona shares six insights they gathered from several of their Indian portfolio companies, and from these companies' customers and other fintech thought leaders. He highlights some of the groundbreaking business models these fintechs are using, and explains why the Indian market offers unique opportunities to investors.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Finance, Investing, Technology
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Africa’s Top Fintech Player Is Getting Ready for an IPO
Flutterwave, the Nigeria-based digital payments company and Africa’s most valuable startup, has made changes to its corporate team as part of moves aimed at preparing for an initial public offering.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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MTN and Investec Partner to Bring PayShap to Mobile Money, Driving Financial Inclusion in South Africa
The partnership represents a major breakthrough in expanding financial services to South Africa’s unbanked population.
- Categories
- Finance, Telecommunications
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Vodacom Tanzania Acquires Smile for $27.4 Million to Support 4G and 5G Rollout Plans
The agreement grants Vodacom access to Smile's 800MHz and mid-band spectrum. Additionally, Vodacom will use Smile’s 4G LTE network.
- Categories
- Technology, Telecommunications
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Press Release: Revolutionizing Africa’s Digital Payment Landscape: RegTech Africa & Agpaytech Unveil Groundbreaking Research
The research, titled “African Digital Payment Systems and Consumers’ Experience in 2023,” sheds light on pivotal insights driving Africa’s rapidly evolving payment ecosystem.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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