Publications

Biometrics and financial inclusion: A roadmap for implementing biometric identity systems in sub-Saharan Africa

22 May 2018
  • Barry Cooper
  • Masiiwa Rusare
  • Albert van der Linden
  • Matthew Ferreira

The World Bank (2017) estimates that 1.1 billion people live without proof of identity. Nearly 50% of these people live in sub-Saharan Africa, where 454 million individuals are excluded from formal identify systems. In Nigeria, 78% of the population or 149 million individuals cannot prove their identity. Lack of identity documentation varies in its severity as a barrier to exclusion depending on the country, but overall indicates a significant problem […]

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ePRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION – Privacy Matters: Navigating the New World of Data Protection

21 May 2018
  • Catherine T O’Neill
  • Thomas A Singlehurst, CFA
  • Dan F Homan
  • Georgios Ierodiaconou
  • Mark May

“We’ve lost control of our personal data”, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, said in March 2017. The widespread collection of data has led to the rise of data asymmetry and, consequently, consumer trust is low. Some would argue that it has led to the prioritization of profit over privacy. Consumers believe cybersecurity and privacy risks are amongst the biggest risks facing society.[1] The ramifications should not […]

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The Global Findex Database 2017

23 Apr 2018
  • Asli Demirgüç-Kunt
  • Leora Klapper
  • Dorothe Singer
  • Saniya Ansar
  • Jake Hess

The Global Findex database is the world’s most comprehensive data set on how adults save, borrow, make payments, and manage risk. Launched with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the database has been published every three years since 2011. The data are collected in partnership with Gallup, Inc., through nationally representative surveys of more than 150,000 adults in over 140 economies. The 2017 edition includes updated indicators on […]

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Toward Universal Financial Inclusion in China: Models, Challenges, and Global Lessons

18 Apr 2018
  • Dangwei Bai
  • Rundong Jiang
  • Tiandu Wang
  • Jennifer Chien
  • Douglas Randall

Learning from China’s financial inclusion experience over the past 15 years. This report examines in detail China’s approach to financial inclusion over the past 15 years. It benchmarks China’s progress against peer economies and analyzes key developments and factors in China’s financial inclusion experience. The report also outlines remaining challenges to achieving further advances in financial inclusion in China, and distills key lessons for policymakers in other countries to develop […]

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Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and blockchain

13 Apr 2018
  • Harish Natarajan
  • Solvej Krause
  • Helen Gradstein

The financial sector is currently undergoing a major transformation, brought about by the rapid development and spread of new technologies. The confluence of ‘finance’ and ‘technology’ is often referred to as ‘Fintech’, typically describing companies or innovations that employ new technologies to improve or innovate financial services. ‘Fintech’ developments are seen across all areas of the financial sector, including payments and financial infrastructures, consumer and SME lending, insurance, investment management, […]

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Case Study: Investing in Responsible Financial Inclusion – Profile of Smart Campaign Client Protection Certified Institutions

29 Mar 2018

    This report captures data from 89 financial service providers (FSPs) which were Smart certified as of July 2017. Some of the data was gathered from the database maintained by PRFI on its members as part of its work with the Smart Campaign. Assets, client reach (using active borrower), and portfolio-at-risk data was collected from the Mix Market, which publishes financial, operational and social performance data on over 1,300 FSPs and […]

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    Financial Inclusion in the Digital Age

    29 Mar 2018
    • Anju Patwardhan
    • Ken Singleton
    • Kai Schmitz

    Billions of adults across the globe lack access to the financial services they need to achieve even modest levels of financial well-being. Many households and small businesses in emerging markets have no or very limited access to formal financial services. Even in developed countries, they only have access to a limited menu of cost-effective products from financial institutions for addressing their financial needs. Over two billion unbanked adults in the […]

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    Regulating for Innovation

    22 Mar 2018
    • Nichola Beyers
    • Jeremy Gray
    • Christine Hougaard

    Why regulate for innovation? Innovation entails the introduction of new methods, ideas or products that offer greater efficiency or value in existing processes or products or that entirely redesign the existing ways of doing business or offering products. New technologies mean that innovation in the financial sector is happening at a faster and more prevalent rate than ever before. Innovation is fundamental to market development and enhancing value to consumers. […]

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    FATF Report to the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors

    22 Mar 2018

      According to ASBA’s Survey on banking regulation and supervision expectations for 2018, de-risking is a regional priority, as well as the sound implementation of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published the FATF Report to the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors setting out the FATF’s recent and ongoing work to fight money laundering and terrorist financing, particularly in the following areas: […]

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      Modular Financial Services: The New Shape of the Industry

      21 Mar 2018
      • Chris Allchin
      • Matt Austen
      • Aaron Fine
      • Ted Moynihan

      Modular financial services may be an alarming prospect for today’s firms, especially those who are now vertically integrated “manufacturers” and have loyal – or at least inert – customers. Yet, properly managed, established firms can benefit through access to more customers, improving their offering, lower operating costs and a shift of resources to areas of strategic strength. For new entrants to banking and insurance, an industry with roughly $5.7 trillion of […]

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