Financial services

Learning to Navigate a New Financial Technology: Evidence from Payroll Accounts

This working paper finds that the introduction of payroll accounts among largely unbanked factory workers in Bangladesh led to increased account use and consumer learning.

In Bangladesh, key public and private sector actors commit to scaling digital wages across garment sector

Dhaka, November 20, 2019 - Media release by Government of Bangladesh: Building on what has been achieved so far, the government and the private sector have committed to working together to…

Bangladesh Digital Wages Summit

Scaling Digital Wages: An Opportunity for Garment Employees and Manufacturers…

Should graduation programmes replace the more conventional cash transfers? 

What comes after unconditional cash transfers? Does the inclusion of some form of graduation programs offer a more sustainable solution to poverty? Read this blog to learn more about the deb…

Truly mobile money – ride-sharing and mobile payments in South and Southeast Asia

Transportation Series: Blog 4…

Fintech for Financial Inclusion: A Framework for Digital Financial Transformation-A Report to the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI)

The paper outlines potential for growth for FinTech for financial inclusion while emphasising on the need for regulatory approaches , citing some successful cases from India , Kenya and China.

Financial inclusion, a driver of state building in India and Mexico?

This article situates latest trends within the evolution of Indian and Mexican social policies and discusses how on one hand financial inclusion policies allow vulnerable populations to access new rights while resulting in new ways of controlling consumer behavior.

Branchless banking: Evaluating the doorstep delivery of financial services in rural India

This paper evaluates the effect on household savings of India’s recent financial inclusion drive, a drive that generated an unprecedented increase in access to financial institutions by usin…

The Future of Supply Chains: Why Companies are Digitizing Payments

New report underscores benefits of shifting from cash to digital payments in corporate supply chains.

Increasing partner loyalty through digital payments

The National Dairy Development Board digitized its payments to dairy farmers – unlocking significant business and social benefits.

Increasing factory worker well-being through digital payroll

Leading apparel companies have collaborated with each other on the BSR Herfinance program to improve worker well-being through payroll digitization.

Gap Inc. Sets New Goal For Apparel Suppliers To Pay Garment Workers Digitally By 2020

Joins UN-based Better than Cash Alliance to Promote Financial Inclusion and Greater Supply Chain Transparency and Efficiency…

Governments can use digital financial technologies to fight corruption

Financial technology business model as branchless banking for people in rural areas: Case study: Indonesia

This study designs business models for electronic payment services, utilizing the principle of branchless banking and reviewing relevant aspects of IT risk management, for rural area communities in Indonesia.

Finclusion to Fintech: Fintech Product Development for Low-Income Markets

The paper presents detailed insights from 15 years of financial inclusion research to highlight the importance of fintech, including proposing product development ideas for Fintech players, to better serve developing world market.

Bringing E-money to the Poor: Successes and Failures

This report examines the successful lessons from Kenya, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Thailand case studies of “gazelles", that leapt from limitation to innovation by successfully enabling the deployment of e-money technology.

China cashing out as mobile payment soars (AFP)

Accelerating Financial Inclusion in South-East Asia with Digital Finance

Focussing on women, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the paper highlights that digital financial solutions could play a significant part in closing gaps in financial inclusion and povides insights from Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

Social Networks, e-Commerce Platforms, and the Growth of Digital Payment Ecosystems in China: What it Means for Other Countries

This report examines two of China’s most far-reaching applications – WeChat and Alipay – and explores their role in the development of one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated digital payments ecosystems.