Searching: Research & Analysis

Are Deposits a Stable Source of Funding for Microfinance Institutions?

New research finds that under normal circumstances, aggregate balances for low-income accounts move gradually, and they are not prone to abrupt month-by-month swings.

The Role of Mobile Operators in Expanding Access to Finance

The fact that mobile phones can be used as transactional devices doesn’t necessarily mean that the mobile operator needs to “own” the financial services.

Microfinance Managers Consider Online Funding

The growth in online lending and investment platforms presents an opportunity and a challenge for MFIs intent on tapping the potential of online lenders or investors. This paper focuses on the demand side of the equation and highlights issues that MFIs may want to consider before signing up for a loan from an online lending platform.

Are Microcredit Interest Rates Excessive?

Over the past two decades, institutions that make microloans to low-income borrowers in developing and transition economies have focused increasingly on making their operations financially sustainable by charging interest rates that are high enough to cover all their costs.

Access to Finance in Nigeria: Microfinance

Given significant financial sector reforms and private sector innovations, there are encouraging signs that access to finance is poised for growth in Nigeria.

Going Cashless at the Point of Sale

Debit cards are indeed becoming a standard payment instrument for people with a savings account. Debit cards have achieved critical mass adoption in most developed countries.

Rural Connectivity Options for Microfinance Institutions

This paper informs information technology managers at rural MFIs about technology options available to them, with a focus on access bearer technologies.

Islamic Microfinance: An Emerging Market Niche

Islamic microfinance represents the confluence of two rapidly growing industries: microfinance and Islamic finance.

Variations in Microcredit Interest Rates

This Brief provides examples that show that the reasons for differences in interest rates can be manifold and often tend to be highly country specific.

Banking on Mobiles: Why, How, for Whom?

With a few exceptions, the road to implementing mobile banking is littered with discontinued mobile banking projects, failed new technology vendors, and shelved deployment plans.