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Cambodia caps interest on microfinance loans
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) has capped interest on microfinance loans to a maximum of 18 percent per year, an unprecedented move that came on the direct orders of Prime Minister Hun Sen, Defence Minister Tea Banh said yesterday – a decision some experts suggested had political overtones and could have unintended negative consequences for the poor.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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Rwandan Telecom Operator Launches Mobile Micro-Loans Service
Rwanda local telecom operator Tigo has launched a pilot phase of their mobile financial services platform that allows Tigo Cash users to access loans via their mobile wallets.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- lending, mobile finance
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Leveraging India’s Digital Transformation: Three Lessons for MFIs
As India continues its digital transformation, Grameen Foundation India has helped several MFIs transition to a digital financial services platform, and along the way developed some key lessons MFIs should keep in mind: conduct a thorough analysis of your business requirements before you select a digital financial services provider; don't discount the value of effective change management; and pay close attention to client education.
- Categories
- Technology
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A Tale of Four IPOs: Is Public Investment in Microfinance Becoming OK Again?
Initial public offerings have long been a controversial topic in microfinance, and rightly so. The early IPOs of Compartamos and SKS Microfinance made a lot of money for investors and turbocharged the sector's growth, but also sparked hyper commercialization and debt crises that rocked the industry. But last year, two Indian MFIs had successful IPOs that have garnered a much more positive reception. We spoke with Daniel Rozas of the European Microfinance Platform and Anna Kanze of Grassroots Capital Management about how these four offerings differed, and what they could mean for the future of public investment in microfinance, in this podcast.
- Categories
- Investing
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Bangladesh government plans to strengthen Grameen Bank
Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said the government plans to strengthen Grameen Bank further so that the Nobel Prize winning microcredit lender becomes more relevant in changing times.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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Is Maharashtra the Next Andhra Pradesh for the Microfinance Industry?
Microfinance companies in Maharashtra are seeing early signs of trouble, reminiscent of a crisis that gripped the sector in 2010 when repayments came to a virtual standstill in Andhra Pradesh revealing poor lending practices by the industry.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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Does Automation Eliminate Bias From Small-Business Lending?
Problem: Though women own a third of U.S. small businesses, they get less than 20% of the loans made through the bank-centric, federally backed system that distributes a lot of credit to such firms.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- lending
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Kresge Investing $14 Million to Community Finance Institutions Serving Low-Income People
The Kresge Foundation announced today $14 million in investments to six Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) and Development Finance Agencies (DFAs) working to expand opportunity for low-income people in America’s cities through an initiative called Kresge Community Finance (KCF).
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Tags
- impact investing, lending
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