Research & Analysis

(Un)stacking Financial Market Infrastructure

Challenges around scaling effective financial infrastructures are not small, but when addressed effectively, a system can emerge that improves the value of financial services for poor people.

Digital Cash Transfers in Times of COVID-19: Opportunities and Considerations for Women's Inclusion and Empowerment

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank Group, CGAP, and Women’s World Banking, has developed a joint white paper on gender intentional digital cash transfers in the time of COVID-19, offering guidance and considerations for policymakers to support women’s inclusion and empowerment.  

Relief for Informal Workers: Falling through the Cracks in COVID-19

Informal workers are not recognized by social protection agencies and do not have the protections offered by formal sector employment, yet they make up a majority of the workforce. Many have lost income-generating opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic—and providing relief for these individuals is critical.

COVID-19 and Disruptions to Vulnerable Rural Livelihoods in the Sahel

The livelihoods of vulnerable rural households in fragile environments such as Niger and the wider Sahel have been strongly affected by the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. A holistic, coordinated approach by stakeholders can help create solutions that make it possible for vulnerable rural households to escape the recurring cycle of emergency food aid and greatly enhance their resilience to future shocks.

Rapid Account Opening in a Pandemic

Governments and funders worldwide are responding to the severe economic blow from the COVID-19 pandemic by delivering social assistance payments to families and individuals. Increasingly, they are turning to digital delivery for disbursements, which has accelerated the demand for financial services providers (FSPs) to be able to open formal financial accounts rapidly and with minimal or zero physical contact with customers.

India's New Approach to Personal Data-Sharing

As more and more people begin to conduct transactions online, questions have emerged about how to provide millions of customers adequate data protection and privacy. India's solution to this challenge is account aggregators (AA).

Making Consumer Protection Regulation More Customer-Centric

With the customer outcomes-based approach emerging as a promising consumer protection paradigm, this research identifies the core components of the approach that help authorities make financial consumer protection regulation more customer-centric.

Results Dashboard: CGAP Pulse Survey of Microfinance Institutions

The interactive dashboard is no longer available. For more information on the CGAP Pulse Survey of Microfinance Institutions that launched in June 2020 and concluded in December 2020, please visit the following pages:

Microfinance and COVID-19: A Framework for Regulatory Response

A framework for identifying and assessing crisis responses must take account of the special characteristics of microfinance which leads to the question of how regulators should respond. A review of current practice in a range of countries suggests there are six key steps to be taken at the level of regulation and policy.

How to Engage Third Parties with Your Open APIs

This slide deck describes different third-party segments a provider may want to target with APIs and introduces engagement strategies and activities that may be effective with these segments.