Given that a majority of the world’s financially excluded and underserved customers live in rural areas, extending rural CICO agent networks is critical to further financial inclusion. The challenge is...
Many donors and impact investors today are looking to support new innovations to maximize their development impact. But with fintechs emerging all the time - many touting their potential to improve the...
Over the past decade, financial services for the poor have undergone a dramatic transformation. For years, financial institutions like banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs) struggled to sustainably...
Digital financial services (DFS) differ from traditional financial services in several ways that have major implications for regulators. The technology enables new operating models that involve a wider...
This paper explores new approaches to address risks and problems in five areas: disclosure of loan terms and conditions; marketing approaches to promote responsible borrowing; appropriate and tailored...
It is 2025. Imagine that everyone around the world is using a broad range of affordable financial services that meet their various needs, full financial inclusion. This has contributed to a new wave of...
Agricultural value chains play an important role in providing financial services that help to reduce risk, improve crop yields, manage liquidity, and transact with markets. But for many of the world’s...
Significant strides have been made in connecting the world’s low-income populations and micro and small businesses to financial services. Yet, after decades, there are still large gaps in access, use...
Equity as a funding instrument is particularly important for the responsible development of financial markets. Through purchasing shares in financial services providers (FSPs) and other types of institutions...
Low-income consumers stand to benefit greatly from more accessible and affordable digital financial services (DFS) offerings. Indeed, evidence from consumer research in 16 markets analyzed for this paper...
Renato and Hecinta are raising six young children in a rural area of Mozambique’s northern Nampula Province. On just half a hectare, they grow rice, maize, beans, cashew, peanuts, cabbage, and tomatoes...
Renato and Hecinta are raising six young children in a rural area of Mozambique’s northern Nampula Province. On just half a hectare, they grow rice, maize, beans, cashew, peanuts, cabbage, and tomatoes...
Renato and Hecinta are raising six young children in a rural area of Mozambique’s northern Nampula Province. On just half a hectare, they grow rice, maize, beans, cashew, peanuts, cabbage, and tomatoes...
While Islamic finance is a growing industry with more than 1,000 Islamic finance institutions and combined assets in excess of $1.3 trillion (Reuters 2013), the development of sharia-compliant microfinance...
While Islamic finance is a growing industry with more than 1,000 Islamic finance institutions and combined assets in excess of $1.3 trillion (Reuters 2013), the development of sharia-compliant microfinance...
While Islamic finance is a growing industry with more than 1,000 Islamic finance institutions and combined assets in excess of $1.3 trillion (Reuters 2013), the development of sharia-compliant microfinance...
This focus note highlights where and how potential benefits can be realized, recognizing there are challenges and risks. Some hold that digital data are not a full substitute for the richness of an in-person...
This focus note highlights where and how potential benefits can be realized, recognizing there are challenges and risks. Some hold that digital data are not a full substitute for the richness of an in-person...
This focus note highlights where and how potential benefits can be realized, recognizing there are challenges and risks. Some hold that digital data are not a full substitute for the richness of an in-person...
Indices are frequently used to motivate behavior - think of the World Bank's doing business reports or the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP's) human development index. By measuring and benchmarking...