Blog

Open Finance Can Reduce Financial Inclusion Gaps: Here’s How

Open finance can be a transformational enabler to unleash the power of data to increase financial inclusion. Data-driven strategies and open finance ecosystems can revolutionize access to financial services, especially for underserved communities.

How Do Financial Systems Support Climate Resilience?

The third in our three-part blog series with Decodis and MSC discusses our finding that different climate events, and different phases of those events, drive different needs for financial services.

Supply-Side Gender Data is a Game Changer for Financial Inclusion

Gender-disaggregated data is the cornerstone for designing strategies and interventions that not only help increase women’s use of financial services to be more resilient and prosperous but also empower them to be stronger market players.

Adapting to or Just Muddling Through Climate Change?

The second blog in our series with Decodis and MSC explores our research finding that many poor households are just muddling through climate events rather than strategically adapting to long-term climate change in ways that enhance their resilience.

How Can Insurance Help Build a Green, Resilient & Inclusive Future?

To ensure those living in poverty benefit from emerging models in insurance, we need to focus beyond traditional risk transfer and look at broader risk management. This blog outlines three priorities for driving systems change in inclusive insurance.

Facing Climate Events in Nigeria, Farmers Left With Scarce Options

Based on interviews with hundreds of farmers in Nigeria, we unpack how households use financial services in responding to climate events.

Decoding Financial Inclusion Gaps Between Young Men and Women

A recent CGAP study revealed a gender gap in financial service adoption among youth in low-income countries. Here, we analyze Findex 2021 data to better understand the factors driving these disparities.

How Fostering Competition in LAC Can Revolutionize Financial Inclusion

Governments in LAC recognize the importance of advancing digital financial inclusion and fostering competition among financial service providers to improve choices and quality and lower costs for all consumers - including those living in poverty.

Top Blog Posts of 2023

Check out the top CGAP blogs from 2023.

How Can Regulators Enable Last-Mile Agent Networks?

Extensive and inclusive cash-in/cash-out (CICO) agent networks are key to ensuring DFS access in rural areas. Regulators play an essential role here by enabling DFS providers to innovate agent network models that are sustainable in rural areas.

Cash vs. Digital? Unleashing the Power of DFS through Agent Networks

The rise of DFS has sparked debate on cash's future in developing economies. But, despite increasing adoption of DFS, cash prevails in most global economies, emphasizing agent networks' crucial role as enablers rather than disruptors.

Lessons From 4 Examples on the Leading Edge of Climate-Focused G2P

All G2P programs contribute to climate adaptation to some extent, with examples in India, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Philippines showing us how specific program design features can support greater climate adaptation for recipients and their households.

Inclusive Voluntary Carbon Markets Could Finance a Just Transition

New CGAP research suggests that voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) hold the potential to finance a green transition across low and middle-income countries.

Guidance for Regulators: Applying Gender-Intentional Approaches

With gender-based exclusion and differences in the financial sector being so pervasive –financial sector regulators and supervisors can apply gender-intentional approaches in order to drive better outcomes for women.

Shaping the Future of Impact Investing in Inclusive Finance

Impact investors have an opportunity to bolster inclusive finance by adopting an outcome-oriented strategy for impact measurement and management. This allocates resources towards investments that offer significant and influential results.

What Have We Learned from Recent PAYGo Off-Grid Solar Analysis?

CGAP and partners recently performed a sectoral analysis of PAYGo off-grid solar firms, with initial insights shared here. The work has greatly contributed to standardization, clarifying the investment opportunity and encouraging further funding.

Success in Open Finance Requires Trust – Lessons from Brazil

Brazil's rapid expansion of open finance shows its potential to transform financial services, and recent CGAP research offers valuable insights into Brazil, as well as other markets interested in implementing open finance.

What Does Financial Inclusion Mean for Young Women’s Well-being?

Well-implemented financial inclusion (FI) initiatives for various sub-segments of young women can produce positive financial and non-financial outcomes. Current research shows plural programs with FI components can benefit marginalized young women.

Climate-Focused G2P: Beyond Disaster Response

The current focus of G2P programs on emergency response is insufficient to support long-term climate change adaptation. Long-term adaptation must be considered, and designed into programs, to reduce intergenerational vulnerability to climate change.

Regular Savings from Irregular Income: How Platforms Can Help

CGAP partnered with fintechs and platforms across Sub-Saharan Africa to understand how they are using digital rails to offer savings products to low-income gig workers. Here, we share what we found.