Research & Analysis

bKash Bangladesh: A Fast Start for Mobile Financial Services

bKash launched in the second half of 2011, grew to 2 million accounts by the end of 2012, and shot up to 11 million registered accounts by the end of 2013.

The Business Case for Youth Savings: A Framework

This paper offers a framework for understanding how different influences or “levers” affect costs and revenues for youth savings and uses examples to explain how the framework can be applied as a decision-making tool.

Highlights from the 5th Arab Policy Forum

This paper presents highlights of the 5th Arab Policy Forum, which convened more than 70 policy makers to work toward a common vision for achieving more inclusive—and more equitable—financial systems in the region.

SmartAid Index 2014

This Technical Guide is aimed at funders interested in analyzing their effectiveness in financial inclusion. It describes the methodology of the SmartAid Index and explains how to use SmartAid.

The Business Case for Youth Savings

Today, youth represent nearly half of the world’s population; tomorrow, they will be adults in need of financial services. But the business case for serving youth with savings accounts and other services is not always clear for financial service providers.

SmartAid

Since SmartAid was launched, funders have made significant investments toward becoming learning organizations, where lessons from projects are effectively captured, made accessible to staff, and help refine future strategic directions.

AFD Group SmartAid Report 2013

Once considered a failing activity within its rural and agriculture operations, microfinance at AFD has become an integral focus area within the financial sector development program, supported by a strong team of technical experts.

Applying Behavioral Insights in Consumer Protection Policy

This Focus Note presents emerging evidence on behavioral biases relevant to financial consumer protection, their consequences, and how market conduct regulation and other measures might best reduce abuse and produce better services for consumers.

Financial Inclusion and Development: Recent Impact Evidence (Reading Deck)

Customer-Centricity for Financial Inclusion

Financial service providers who are serving or who want to serve this important customer segment need to invest in understanding these customers’ needs and develop products that meet those needs.