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Zimbabwe is hiking mobile money taxes to plug its fiscal deficit, but it could backfire
In a country with a history of cash shortages, multiple currencies and hyperinflation, mobile money had become a key payment alternative. Cash is hardly ever accessible in Zimbabwe as banks frequently run out of monetary notes, leaving mobile money and bank cards as the only transaction options.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Introducing the Mobile Money Regulatory Index
The Mobile Money Regulatory Index is intended to support dialogue between regulators and mobile money providers on reforms that can promote market growth. For the development community, the Index will help identify subject areas and markets where technical assistance to governments and regulators can have the biggest impact.
- Categories
- Finance
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Moving Past Microfinance: How India’s Small Finance Banks Aim to Take Financial Inclusion to the Next Level
The proliferation of microfinance in India has been a double-edged sword: On the one hand, MFIs have reached customers that most mainstream banks have overlooked. On the other, a lack of clear regulation and oversight has had devastating consequences for some borrowers. But regulators have responded with a new category of financial institution, the “small finance bank.” Andreas Nilsson and Nina Freudenberg of Sonanz explore the evolution of these institutions and whether a wider range of products could also mean deeper social impact.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
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Regulatory Sandbox: What it Could Mean for Kenya
This comes at a time when the country is experiencing a growth in mobile lending, cryptocurrency use, and recommendations to apply blockchain technology in various sectors.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Safaricom Blames Regulator for Underinvestment by Kenyan Rivals
Kenyan lawmakers are studying a report by U.K.-based advisory group Analysys Mason that found Safaricom to be a dominant player in mobile money and mobile communications.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Telecoms, Bank of Uganda want mobile money tax scrapped
Starting July 1, 2018 government introduced a 1% tax on all mobile money transactions and Shs 200/daily levy on social media usage. Following public outcry and pressure, government has since tabled an amendment bill, Excise Duty Amendment Bill No. 2, 2018 to have the mobile money tax reduced to 0.5% and only limited to withdrawals.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Uganda’s mobile money use drops by $182 million in two weeks
Mobile Money use fell by more than half a trillion Shillings following the introduction of tax on the transactions, Bank of Uganda (BoU) has said.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Jack Ma’s fintech startup shakes up China’s banks
Ant Financial Services Group, founded by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, has become the world's biggest financial-technology firm, driving innovations that let people use their phones for buying insurance as easily as groceries, enabling millions to go weeks at a time without using physical cash. That success is also putting a target on the company's back.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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