Photo by Md. Mahabub Hossain Khan, 2016 CGAP Photo Contest
Business and Markets
Banks going digital. Tech giants integrating payments into their platforms. Off-grid solar companies offering mobile education loans. Every year, the digital economy is spurring new business models and attracting a wider range of players to the financial services industry, including non-traditional actors like fintechs and social networks. This diversity of providers and business models has enormous potential to advance financial inclusion and contribute toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). CGAP’s research sheds light on promising business models that leverage digital technologies to design and deliver financial solutions for low-income customers. Our work also demonstrates how increased connectivity, facilitated by tools such as interoperable payments schemes and open APIs, can make it easier for innovators to offer useful, affordable financial solutions.
By developing business models that leverage digital technology and by building the right connectivity through strategic partnerships, financial services providers can sustainably reach more low-income consumers with useful financial solutions.
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Latest Research
The Promise of Fintech for Micro and Small Enterprises
Nearly 500 million micro and small enterprises (MSEs) are estimated to be operating around the world. Access to credit and other financial services is critical to the growth and sustainability of these businesses, and consequentially to the low-income and vulnerable populations which rely on MSEs for their livelihoods. Yet despite decades of efforts and some notable successes in expanding MSE finance, the credit gap remains an estimated 4.9 trillion U.S. dollars.Building Blocks of a Modern G2P Architecture
G2P systems seldom fulfill their potential because they underutilize the capabilities of digital payments systems. As a result, recipients are prevented from exercising choice over the account or withdrawal points that are used. This results in a poor experience for beneficiaries, reduces the...
Agent Networks at the Last Mile: Implications for Financial Regulators
Rural agent networks are critical to “last mile” financial inclusion. This reading deck for regulators does three things: (i) it shows how expanding rural Cash-in/Cash-out (CICO) agent networks is key to ensuring more inclusive digital financial systems; (ii) it illustrates industry innovations that...