Financial inclusion
Indonesia’s central bank pledges major infrastructure changes
Five-year plan aims to upgrade payments infrastructure and boost inclusion rates
Rwanda central bank spearheading cashless movement
Central bank reports e-payments have increased to 34.6% of GDP, but says there is still work to be done
Ghana sees route to ‘cash-lite’ economy through mobile money
Central bank deputy governor promises development to further encourage fintech
Fed banks collaborate on economic education
“We have a ‘power-in-numbers’ approach,” says officer at the San Francisco Fed
Zambia deputy governor emphasises importance of female financial inclusion
Survey data reveals extent of gender disparity in market
Argentina launches digital platform to foster financial literacy
Central bank will use platform to promote use of bank accounts and electronic payments
BIS chief sees technology as crucial to financial inclusion
Big data and technology are key to overcoming financial exclusion, says Agustín Carstens
St Louis Fed creates educational ‘multiplier effect’
Head of economic education at the St Louis Fed talks to Central Banking about its approach to financial inclusion
Kenya’s financial inclusion rate passes 80%
Mobile banking has helped inclusion rates increase by over 200% over the last 13 years, but the technology has also introduced new risks
Philippines launches inclusion initiative in memory of Espenilla
Late governor honoured in new initiative to help those underserved by financial industry
Fed official suggests reforms to tackle ‘credit deserts’
Brainard advocates greater geographical flexibility in banks’ obligations; FDIC chair appears to agree
Arab countries must improve funding of small businesses – IMF’s Lagarde
SMEs make up 96% of Arab world’s businesses but get only 7% of bank loans – IMF chief
RBI can remove barriers to micro-credit – Acharya
Central bank looking to solve information problems in a “fundamental way”, says deputy
Islamic finance is for everyone, Malaysia’s Zahid says
Bank Negara Malaysia assistant governor stresses inclusiveness of Islamic finance but says SMEs are still not taking advantage
Mexico unveils measures to foster financial inclusion
Plan intends to promote digital payments, facilitate access to credit and deepen capital markets
Bahrain launches new repo instrument to foster interbank lending
Move comes after IMF directors back government’s attempt to diversify oil-based economy
Palestine launches financial inclusion strategy
PMA hopes to push inclusion rate up to at least 50% by 2025
Fintech could help financial inclusion - South African deputy governor
Sarb’s Groepe praises Singapore’s one-stop data repository
Mobile phones boost financial inclusivity in Cambodia – paper
Phone users more likely to open financial accounts and invest using microcredit
Standard-setters can only partially support inclusion – BIS’s da Silva
Standard-setters can balance risks and opportunities, but cannot tackle deeper structural issues
Fed assessing effects of community bank closures in rural areas – Quarles
Decline in community banks over last two decades concentrated in institutions with less than $100 million
Bank of Canada launches education website
Central bank widens efforts to educate Canadian students on finance
Bank of Canada launches new communication initiative
Central bank hopes new publication will promote financial literacy among Canadians
Number of bank accounts in Malawi up 64 % in six months – governor Kabambe
Digital financial services reducing the number of people unbanked in Malawi, says governor