Library
Financial Education
Aug 13, 2022
The EIF Business Angels Survey, together with the EIF VC Survey and the EIF Private Equity Mid-Market Survey (the largest combined regular survey exercises among GPs and Business Angels on a pan-European level) provide an opportunity to retrieve unique market insights. This publication is based on the results of the 2021/22 EIF Business Angels...
Alternative Financing
Fintech
Aug 12, 2022
Washington D.C., August 4, 2022 – Credit Bureau Cambodia (CBC) joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started...
Financial Inclusion
Jul 29, 2022
Washington D.C., July 28, 2022 – Awash Bank joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. Awash Bank becomes the first bank...
Financial Inclusion
Payments
Jul 25, 2022
In the coming years, real-time payments are set to increase exponentially and by 2026, are forecasted to account for 26% of the total electronic payments. With certain growth ahead, governing bodies and payment regulators play a crucial role in advancing their country's payment systems to create an ecosystem that unlocks economic growth and...
Alternative Financing
Digital Financial Services
Fintech
Jul 19, 2022
Washington D.C., July 19, 2022 – Mambu joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “Since 2016, we’ve been implementing our...
Non Financial Services
Fintech
Jul 13, 2022
Washington D.C., July 12, 2022 – SME Bank of Cambodia joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012...
Gender Finance
Sustainable Finance
Credit Risk & Scoring
Digital Transformation
Jul 06, 2022
APPLY BEFORE 15 JULY Deadline extended to July 15th! We’ve extended the deadline of our 2022 Global SME Finance Awards. Share your leadership experience with the SME community and show how your institution can become a winner of the next Global SME Finance Forum Awards. Welcome to the fifth Annual Global SME Finance Awards! We invite all types of...
Non Financial Services
Jun 21, 2022
Sidian Bank provides a range of financial products and services that support the growth of micro, small and medium-sized businesses in Kenya. With this focus, the bank plays a crucial role in boosting entrepreneurship, creating jobs, and building a strong local economy. In 2021, Sidian Bank received a USD 10 million loan from Triodos Microfinance...
Non Financial Services
Fintech
Jun 16, 2022
Washington D.C., june 16, 2022 – The Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When...
Policy & Regulation
Jun 08, 2022
Central banks of many emerging markets are overshooting their inflation goals, as prices of essential goods and services - from flour to cooking oil, energy, and gasoline – continue to rise. Supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine are all compounding inflationary pressures. It is increasingly feared that the 1970s will...
Digital Transformation
Fintech
Jun 07, 2022
Washington D.C. June, 7th 2022 – Asante Financial Services Group joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Sustainable Finance
May 31, 2022
Caravela, a green coffee firm focused only on responsible sourcing and marketing high-quality Latin American coffees, has received a USD 1.5 million value chain loan from Hivos-Triodos Fund. The financing would allow the company to pay about 600 smallholder coffee producers in Mexico and Peru when their harvest is delivered. Throughout the past 20...
Operational Risk
May 19, 2022
Triodos Microfinance Fund has made a USD 7 million loan to Mi Banco in El Salvador, a cooperative bank that provides payroll deduction loans to low and lower-middle-income government employees. Mi Banco is one of El Salvador's fastest-growing cooperative banks, serving over 10,000 borrowers and 25,000 depositors through a network of ten branches...
Islamic Banking
May 13, 2022
Washington D.C., May 13th – Ghazanfar Bank joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we were in...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
May 11, 2022
JSC MFO Crystal (Crystal), Georgia's largest microfinance institution, has received a USD 5 million debt facility from Triodos Microfinance Fund and Triodos Fair Share Fund. The facility will support Crystal expand its outreach to micro and small firms and strengthen its liquidity position at a time when the region's macroeconomic instability is...
Islamic Banking
May 04, 2022
Washington D.C., May 4th, 2022 – Yanal Finance joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we...
Alternative Financing
Apr 27, 2022
Washington D.C., April 27, 2022 – Wing Bank (Cambodia) Plc joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in...
Fintech
Apr 08, 2022
Washington D.C., April 8th 2022 – Yemen Loan Guarantee Program joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started...
Fintech
Apr 06, 2022
Washington D.C., April 6, 2022 – Amartha joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we were in...
Financial Inclusion
Apr 05, 2022
Washington D.C., April 5 2022 – The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Mar 29, 2022
This report takes stock of the increasingly pluralistic landscape of agricultural small- and medium-sized enterprise (agri-SME) finance in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, with the aim to establish a new perspective on the market overall - sizing and segmenting the market in new ways, reflecting on the rapidly accelerating imperative around...
Sustainable Finance
Mar 28, 2022
Triodos Emerging Markets Renewable Energy Fund and Triodos Groenfonds have invested USD 5 million and USD 10 million respectively in the final close of India’s largest and first of its kind climate-focused impact fund, Green Growth Equity Fund, managed by EverSource Capital. Building green infrastructure in India Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF)...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Mar 25, 2022
Hivos-Triodos Fund has provided USD 1 million in senior debt to Apollo Agriculture, a Kenyan ag-tech company that uses machine learning and automated operations technology to help small-scale farmers maximise their profitability. Apollo Agriculture (Apollo) provides an optimised bundle for farmers that includes financing, farming inputs, advice,...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Mar 24, 2022
Latest Banking Circle white paper examines pain points faced by banks and FinTechs as a result of de-risking strategies According to new research commissioned by Payments Bank, Banking Circle, big bank de-risking is significantly hampering the efforts of many Financial Institutions to deliver services that empower financial inclusion. The root...
Sustainable Finance
Mar 22, 2022
Triodos Microfinance Fund and Triodos Fair Share Fund have provided a EUR 15 million subordinated debt facility to Ameriabank in Armenia to support the bank’s mission to increase its outreach to small-scale entrepreneurs and green initiatives. Artak Hanesyan, CEO of Ameriabank : “This facility further improves our capital position under the Basel...
Digital Financial Services
Mar 16, 2022
Wednesday 16 March 2022 – Nairobi, Kenya : 4G Capital, the award-winning African neobank, has completed its Series C funding round with Lightrock, the leading global private equity fund, investing $18.5 million dollars. Since its inception in 2013, 4G Capital has loaned over 1,750,000 small business working capital loans valued at over $230...
Digital Financial Services
Fintech
Mar 15, 2022
Triodos Microfinance Fund has provided the first USD 2 million loan of a USD 4 million facility to Aspiria, a digital platform in Mexico that serves businesses that aren’t bankable in the traditional financial system. Aspiria is truly a fintech with an automated credit process, combined with the human touch during the onboarding process and...
Non Financial Services
Mar 10, 2022
Funding Cloud: Connect enables accountants and advisors to manage and track finance offers for SME clients via a real-time fully integrated lending platform London, 10.02.2022: Business finance marketplace, Funding Options has launched Funding Cloud: Connect , an extension of its Funding CloudTM platform, expanding its offering for intermediaries...
Sustainable Finance
Mar 08, 2022
Triodos Emerging Markets Renewable Energy Fund and Triodos Groenfonds have provided a KGS 212 million (USD 2.5 million) loan to microcredit institution Bailyk Finance in Kyrgyzstan for the expansion of its green loan offering. Bailyk Finance provides affordable financial solutions to around 43,000 small businesses and households, predominantly in...
Financial Inclusion
Mar 03, 2022
Washington D.C., March 3rd 2022 – G5 Innonet joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we were...
Financial Inclusion
Governance
Mar 02, 2022
The SME Finance Forum, which we run at IFC for the G20 countries is a global center for knowledge exchange, networking promotion and public-private dialogue. In just over 6 years we’ve also built a community of over 240 financial institutions, fintechs, development banks, tech firms and more, working in virtually every country in the world,...
Alternative Financing
Guarantees
Mar 01, 2022
Asset Finance is evolving rapidly, and many legacy systems are failing to keep up with the changing needs of providers and their customers. Read about: A comprehensive overhaul of contract management The connected contract management system (CMS) Better experiences, inside and out New standards of efficiency Download HPD Lendscape new white paper...
Sustainable Finance
Feb 24, 2022
First of its kind survey of businesses from UN-backed SME Climate Hub shows that small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) need additional resources and guidance to reduce carbon emissions. New survey reveals half of small businesses calculate emissions, and 60% have plans to reduce carbon impact. However, two-thirds of small business owners worried...
Digital Financial Services
Payments
Feb 23, 2022
What exactly is a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)? A CBDC is virtual money backed and issued by a central bank. As cryptocurrencies and stablecoins have become more popular, the world’s central banks have realized that they need to provide an alternative—or let the future of money pass them by. There are a lot of reasons to explore virtual...
Fintech
Payments
Feb 22, 2022
The evolution of digital money is taking hold, as policymakers and central bankers explore the idea of government-backed assets on blockchain called Central Bank Digital Currency, or CBDCs. More than 90 countries are either researching or developing CBDCs. Many see the direct advantages for their citizens and economies: decreased dependence on...
Sustainable Finance
Feb 15, 2022
Amsterdam, 9 February 2022 – The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV), an international movement of frontrunner banks and leaders in sustainable and inclusive finance, asks the European Commission for a more ambitious and comprehensive approach to the development of a Social Taxonomy. The network wants the Commission to go further than...
Trade Finance
Feb 11, 2022
KYIV. Feb 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) - The portfolio of trade finance contracts of the state-owned Ukrgasbank (Kyiv) in 2021 expanded to UAH 23 billion, which is 35% more than last year (UAH 17 billion), the bank's press service reported on Wednesday. According to the report, the growth of the portfolio is due to the support of trade finance contracts...
Gender Finance
Feb 08, 2022
An African gender-lens equity fund proves that traditional investors are leaving money on the table, because investing in women brings superior performance. Chika Russell left her home in Nigeria for the United Kingdom at the age of six. But those early years of family cooking and traditional recipes inspired her career, because she fell in love...
Data Analytics
Feb 07, 2022
The global trend of loan availability at one's fingertips is gaining grounds in Bangladesh, this time with Prime Bank preparing to launch PrimeAgrim app, an AI-based instant digital nano loan platform. Customers whose salaries are of a specific range can avail up to 30 per cent of that as a loan within a few seconds through the app, which makes...
Sustainable Finance
Governance
Feb 01, 2022
Blue Finance is an emerging area in Climate Finance with increased interest from investors, financial institutions, and issuers globally. It offers tremendous opportunities and helps address pressing challenges by contributing to economic growth, improved livelihood, and the health of marine ecosystems. The ocean economy is expected to double to $...
Equity
Jan 31, 2022
Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVC) is a Government VC established in 2018 by Monshaat as part of the Financial Sector Development Program (FSDP) to stimulate venture investments by investing in funds as well as co-investing with angel groups for the primary goal of minimizing financing gaps for startups and SMEs by investing SAR 2.8 Billion ($750...
Fintech
Jan 28, 2022
Washington D.C., January 28th, 2022- Ontology joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we were...
Financial Education
Non Financial Services
Jan 27, 2022
As the world works towards food system transformation, the role of various stakeholders serving small farmers and agri-SMEs has gained increasing importance. The market of business development services (BDS) for agri-SMEs has grown significantly in the last decade, with more organizations providing technical, financial, and capacity-building...
Financial Inclusion
Data Analytics
Payments
Jan 27, 2022
Biometrics technology can enhance the convenience and security of digital payments, and many observers have pointed to the potential benefits of using it to advance financial inclusion. This paper analyses how, and under what conditions, biometrics can facilitate financial and digital inclusion for lower income and unbanked populations and...
Alternative Financing
Covid-19
Jan 26, 2022
This publication "Receivables Finance: The Voice of the Industry", prepared by member HDP Lendscape , one of the world’s leading software providers for Asset Based Finance (ABF), dives into the following challenges and opportunities on the minds of industry leaders: Pandemic recovery New lending propositions and the rise of independents The...
Covid-19
Jan 24, 2022
The current crisis has put a spotlight on workout frameworks, especially out-of-court or hybrid procedures, which can provide flexible and cost-effective solutions to address firms’ liquidity and solvency issues while reducing the burden on courts. Some countries implemented reforms to their corporate workout frameworks in the wake of the COVID-19...
Financial Inclusion
Policy & Regulation
Digital Transformation
Jan 20, 2022
This reading deck describes three regulatory approaches used by policy-makers to regulate digital banks. It has a focus on harnessing the potential of digital banks to bring welcome competition and innovation to the banking sector and advance financial inclusion. It will help policy makers, especially in emerging markets and developing economies,...
Digital Transformation
Payments
Jan 19, 2022
A review of literature on digital payments’ impact on micro and small businesses reveals how digitalization is changing this segment, and why understanding this transition is key to inform effective public and private strategies and investments to accelerate the success of the small business sector as a whole. Read more about new strategies for...
Sustainable Finance
Jan 18, 2022
Learn from Petr Polach, Head of Corporate and Sustainable Finance of Raiffeisen Bank International AG about the importance of ESG and his journey to apply these principles across the institution. The SME Finance Forum’s Leader Dialogues, is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Jan 18, 2022
Nairobi, Kenya (January 12, 2022) – 4G CAPITAL GROUP Limited (“4G CAPITAL”), a market leader in technology-driven financial inclusion in Kenya and Uganda, is honoured to receive a Real Leaders Impact Award yet again as we push on with our key role in bridging the finance gap to advance micro, small and medium businesses (MSMEs). Real Leaders is...
Financial Inclusion
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Jan 13, 2022
Washington D.C., January 13, 2021 - Buffalo Commercial Bank joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of...
Financial Inclusion
Sustainable Finance
Dec 21, 2021
Washington D.C., December 21, 2021 - Karandaaz joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we...
Fintech
Payments
Dec 20, 2021
London, 15th December 2021: Business finance marketplace Funding Options has joined forces with Wise to offer Wise Business, the business account for going global, in its marketplace to further expand its offering for SMEs as they recover from the pandemic. Wise, the global technology company building the best way to move and manage money across...
Sustainable Finance
Dec 17, 2021
The operation consists of a USD 35 million loan and a EURIZ portfolio guarantee of NGN 5 billion (EUR 10 million equivalent) to support First City Monument Bank Ltd (FCMB) strategy to serve high-impact SMEs and for climate finance. Proparco and FCMB have already had the opportunity to collaborate through two FMO-arranged operations in 2014 and...
Financial Inclusion
Gender Finance
Dec 16, 2021
Medical Credit Fund, the only debt fund fully dedicated to African small and medium-sized health enterprises (SMEs) in Africa, today announced the completion of a EUR 32.5 million fundraise. With the launch of its second fund more healthcare providers can access loans to grow their businesses, purchase medical equipment, improve quality, and...
Dec 16, 2021
Dear Members, Partners, and Friends, As 2021 draws to an end, let me take this opportunity to thank you for your continued engagement and supports. 2021 has undoubtedly been another challenging year for all of us, including the MSMEs which we are trying to serve. We are proud that so many of our members reported, in our surveys and check-in calls...
Trade Finance
Dec 15, 2021
Learn from Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO of the International Islamic Trade Corporation (ITFC) on building capacities for the future to strengthen the private sector, collaborating with partners to find synergies in order to meet the financing gap in their member countries. The SME Finance Forum’s Leader Dialogues, is a new series of one-on-one...
Digital Transformation
Fintech
Dec 13, 2021
The open competition will offer the opportunity to FinTech and RegTech innovators to showcase transformative solutions which are enhancing access, usage, and quality of formal financial services for low-income populations in developing countries and emerging markets. Finalists will be provided with a dedicated time slot during the second half of...
Non Financial Services
Covid-19
Dec 10, 2021
December 6th, 2021 - Successfully holding the Investree Conference (i-Con) for 2 (two) years with the main topics being the empowerment of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and economic recovery through collaboration in the digital financial ecosystem. This year, fintech lending pioneer Investree will again hold i-Con 2021 with “Revitalizing...
Non Financial Services
Digital Transformation
Fintech
Dec 09, 2021
Sameer Vakil (Co-Founder of GlobalLinker ) first met Syed Abdul Momen (DMD and Head of SME Banking at Brac Bank ), in Beijing at the 2016 SME Finance Forum Annual Event. That was the first time Sameer got the opportunity to introduce the GlobalLinker platform to Brac Bank. A more specific discussion followed in Amsterdam during the SMEFF Annual...
Fintech
Dec 08, 2021
Washington D.C., December 12 2021 - Yoda joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “The SME Finance Forum is a global...
Financial Education
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Dec 06, 2021
December 1, 2021 – Nairobi, Kenya: 4G CAPITAL GROUP Limited (“4G Capital”), a market leader in technology-driven financial inclusion for MSMEs across Kenya and Uganda, has partnered with the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (“CGAP”) on developing a new tool that identifies financial stress and helps protect low-income consumers against over-...
Sustainable Finance
Dec 01, 2021
Conference Proceedings of the 2021 Global SME Finance Forum Day 1 - October 18th Opening Remarks Makhtar Diop, Managing Director and EVP, International Finance Corporation (IFC) We need contribution from SMEs to help us reach our sustainability goals. Individually not a major source of greenhouse gases but collectively account for a significant...
Covid-19
Digital Transformation
Fintech
Nov 24, 2021
The intensity of the COVID-19 shock has clearly varied among MSMEs. On a more positive note, the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the digitalization of many MSMEs and fostered their participation in digital ecosystems and marketplaces. In response to the emergency, governments have quickly introduced a wide range of policy and regulatory measures...
Financial Inclusion
Nov 24, 2021
Washington D.C., November 24th, 2021 - Development Bank of Namibia joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we...
Digital Transformation
Nov 24, 2021
Our CEO, Matthew Gamser, was interviewed by ICMA Pakistan and shared his opinions on financial challenges faced by small businesses. “Going from cash to digital payment and from paper to digital business contracts and transactions, is the key factor in improving MSME access to finance”, Matthew emphasized. As for key financial challenges faced by...
Financial Inclusion
Nov 23, 2021
Financial technology (fintech) has taken centre stage in the financial inclusion industry in recent years. Think digital lending platforms where small businesses can apply for a loan in just a few minutes. And apps that allow people to pay for utility bills or school fees, saving them hours of have to walk to a brick-and-mortar bank. Or Pay-As-You...
Covid-19
Nov 18, 2021
The EIB, in partnership with Making Finance Work for Africa, surveyed 78 banks in sub-Saharan Africa in early 2021 to see how they are coping during the COVID-19 pandemic and to learn their views on climate risk, green finance and digital financial services. This work formed the basis of our new Finance in Africa report. The report also provides...
Financial Education
Nov 16, 2021
European Investment Bank launched its online course on November 11th. This online course, developed by the International Monetary Fund in collaboration with the European Investment Bank, describes why financial sector development and financial inclusion matter for inclusive and resilient growth. Participants will also learn about the main...
Financial Inclusion
Nov 12, 2021
The EIF is the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group’s specialist provider of risk financing for entrepreneurship and innovation across Europe. It focuses on the whole range of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), starting from the pre-seed, seed-, and start-up-phase (technology transfer, business angel financing, microfinance and early-stage...
Sustainable Finance
Nov 11, 2021
With environmental summit COP26 opening in Glasgow on 31 October, a group of financial services providers and small business leaders are lobbying the government to adopt proposals designed to reduce the carbon footprint of UK SMEs and make the nation a world leader in green finance. Small and mid-sized companies are responsible for just under half...
Financial Education
Nov 08, 2021
Opportunity International , a longstanding global leader in providing financial services to lift people out of poverty, and Oikocredit , a social impact investor and worldwide cooperative promoting sustainable development through investments, today announced an innovative, three-year collaboration to increase access to and quality of education in...
Financial Inclusion
Nov 05, 2021
10x1000 Tech for Inclusion is an open and global fintech training platform that enables learners to become drivers of digital economic growth. Its mission is to train 1,000 emerging talents and tech leaders each year for the next ten years. 10x1000 is a philanthropic initiative launched jointly by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a...
Covid-19
Nov 03, 2021
This column is written by Maritza Cabezas Ludena, shared by Triodos. Traditionally, large economies, because of their systemic importance, have more influence in international fora. The largest emerging markets, Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICs) are part of the G-20, the main forum for global and economic cooperation. Additionally, these...
Financial Inclusion
Oct 29, 2021
Washington D.C., October 29th, 2021 - Talino Venture Labs joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in...
Fintech
Oct 28, 2021
Despite the global pandemic, direct digital transformation investment is growing at a double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR). IDC predictions show that 75% of organizations worldwide will have comprehensive digital transformation implementation roadmaps by 2023, up from 27% in October last year. FintechOS Leap 2021 (November 2-4), the...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Oct 28, 2021
Hivos-Triodos Fund has provided a trade finance facility to UCHU Spice (UCHU). This company cultivates, processes and exports high quality and sustainably grown varieties of hot peppers, sourced from a network of smallholder farmers in Ecuador and Peru. The trade finance allows UCHU to pay the farmers fairly and immediately upon delivery of their...
Oct 21, 2021
Washington D.C., October 21, 2021 — The 2021 Global SME Finance Forum Awards winners were announced today on during the virtual conference 2021 Global SME Finance Forum. To learn who the winners are, please visit https://www.smefinanceforum.org/awards-2021 Organized by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the SME Finance Forum and endorsed...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Oct 15, 2021
Access to electricity remains a challenge in Benin, with 60% or 7.6 million people, predominantly in rural areas, having no access. The government has set ambitious goals to achieve urban and rural electrification rates of 95% and 65% by 2025. A quarter of the country’s energy mix is expected to come from renewable energy. Solar operator and...
Sustainable Finance
Oct 14, 2021
Triodos Groenfonds and Hivos-Triodos Fund have each provided USD 1.5 million equity as part of a USD 9 million project construction investment to PowerGen Renewable Energy. The capital funding will be used to build 28 rural mini-grids in Nigeria providing access to energy to 55,000 people. This project represents the largest mini-grid development...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Oct 11, 2021
Learn from Lori Kerr, CEO of FinDev Canada as the new kid on the block charting new territory in development finance. The SME Finance Forum’s Leader Dialogues, is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators.
Sustainable Finance
Oct 07, 2021
The Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) is the first Philippine bank to join the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) as part of its commitment towards sustainable growth and environmental protection. As a PCAF participant, RCBC commits to disclose the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its portfolio within three years from...
Digital Financial Services
Oct 05, 2021
In order to help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) adapt to the new ways of conducting business in the better normal, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) expands its digitized cash management solutions with complimentary e-services under a corporate promo called “Let’s Get Digital”. Under the Let’s Get Digital (LGD) promo, SMEs availing...
Digital Transformation
Sep 29, 2021
Micro and small enterprises are important contributors to job creation and global economic development, representing approximately 90% of business and more than 50% of employment worldwide. However, the pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to digital platforms and processes that have created new opportunities but also pushed many to the brink of...
Digital Financial Services
Sep 28, 2021
Washington D.C., September 28th, 2021 - Papersoft joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we...
Fintech
Sep 22, 2021
JUMO is a South African mobile financial services platform for mobile network operators and banks. It facilitates digital financial services such as credit and savings in emerging markets by way of USSD short codes. JUMO has partnered with Absa Bank and Tigo in Tanzania to increase the availability of the existing short-term credit product Tigo...
Sep 21, 2021
Washington D.C., September 21st, 2021 - SIDBI joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we were...
Financial Inclusion
Sustainable Finance
Covid-19
Sep 16, 2021
With its wide-ranging economic impact, the COVID-19 pandemic posed an unprecedented challenge to governments and businesses all over the world. Vigorous responses from governments and central banks have succeeded in averting a major global crisis, but the pandemic and the responses to it have left various medium and long-term challenges in their...
Digital Financial Services
Payments
Sep 14, 2021
Washington D.C., September 14th, 2021 - Visa Inc. joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “The SME Finance Forum is a...
Fintech
Sep 09, 2021
Fintech International Group , a leading enterprise technology solutions provider in Africa has announced their partnership with 4thWave, a Canada-based Finance and Banking As-A-Service Platform provider. Through this partnership, Fintech is launching Kapilink – an innovative Digital Platform that brings together lenders and businesses to...
Digital Transformation
Fintech
Sep 08, 2021
Erik Feyen (World Bank), Jon Frost (Bank for International Settlements and Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance), Leonardo Gambacorta (BIS and Centre for Economic Policy Research), Harish Natarajan (World Bank) and Matthew Saal (International Finance Corporation) have jointly published a paper about fintech and digital transformation. Economic...
Guarantees
Sep 06, 2021
Credit Guarantees in MENA: Rebuilding SMEs post COVID - Virtual Event 5th International MENA Guarantee Conference 2021 – September 6 th to 7 th , 2021 - 2PM (Saudi Arabia) GMT+3 The COVID-19 pandemic hit Middle Eastern small business hard: survey data collected by the Rand Corporation during the first wave of the pandemic in June 2020 found that...
Digital Transformation
Aug 31, 2021
On 7 July 2021, Mastercard and the Universal Postal Union (UPU) held a series of convenings, focused on the digital transformation of the sector. During those roundtables, the following topics were discussed: How digital technology and collaborative business models are helping to transform the postal sector and creating new ways for posts to...
Youth Entrepreneurship
Aug 24, 2021
International Trade Center (ITC) is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. It is the only development agency that is fully dedicated to supporting the internationalization of SMEs. ITC is calling for applications on its Youth Ecopreneur Awards. The Youth Ecopreneur Awards are a green business award competition...
Covid-19
Aug 24, 2021
Europe’s banks have a golden opportunity to boost lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In the midst of the pandemic, they are the conduits for billions in state funding to support this crucial segment of the economy. However cumbersome legacy IT systems and outdated risk profiling stand in the way. Agile new competitors are...
Sustainable Finance
Aug 23, 2021
Theme: Greening SME Finance Date: October 18 th to 21st Visit the event website here> www.globalsmefinanceforum.org/2021/ The Global SME Finance Forum is the largest, most technically in-depth, and geographically diverse conference on SME financing hosted around the world each year. Last year, as COVID-19 ushered the world unexpectedly, we...
Islamic Banking
Aug 18, 2021
IsDB Group is a multilateral development bank working to improve the lives of those they serve by promoting social and economic development in Member countries and Muslim communities worldwide, delivering impact at scale. Dr. Mohammed Sulaiman Al-Jasser has been appointed as the new head of the Islamic Development Bank for the next five years. He...
Digital Financial Services
Fintech
Aug 17, 2021
To meet the evolving needs of SME customers, banks are transforming their business models, digitizing their offerings, and creating ecosystems with a whole range of beyond banking services. These banking transformations, however, do not just happen overnight. With their business clients at the forefront of their efforts, some banks are going it...
Financial Inclusion
Aug 11, 2021
FintechOS is an end-to-end provider of SaaS-based front, middle and back office financial technology. FintechOS serves 40+ institutions - banks and insurers - in 20 markets and has offices in London, Amsterdam and Bucharest. FintechOS announced a $10 million investment from the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, as part of its $60 million...
Financial Inclusion
Aug 10, 2021
When IDLC joined the SME Finance Forum in 2015 as a founding member, our global membership network comprised only 70 SME-oriented institutions from 34 countries. Since then, the membership network of the SME Finance Forum has grown steadily. In fact, the SME Finance Forum has just welcomed its 230th member institution. SME finance experts and...
Gender Finance
Aug 09, 2021
Across the globe, e-commerce is thriving. The e-commerce market in Africa is expected to reach $84 billion by 2030. The number of online shoppers has increased by an average of 18 percent every year since 2014, with similar growth anticipated over the next decade. The IFC’s latest report Women and E-commerce in Africa is the first large-scale use...
Digital Financial Services
Aug 05, 2021
FCMB (First City Monument Bank) is a bank-led financial services group, headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with operating companies divided along three business groups: commercial and retail banking, investment banking and asset / wealth management. First City Monument Bank Limited has appointed Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olaiya as executive director, risk...
Fintech
Aug 05, 2021
Washington D.C., August 5th, 2021- Nomanini joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we were...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Aug 04, 2021
BanQu is a for-profit-for-purpose SaaS platform that enables global brands to have traceable, transparent and equitable supply chains in sourcing, distribution and circular packaging. BanQu is one of the semi-finalists of the 2021 TTI Consumer & Retail Awards. Please take a minute to vote for BanQu. The final day to cast your vote is Tuesday...
Sustainable Finance
Aug 03, 2021
RCBC is majority-owned by the Yuchengco Group of Companies, one of the largest conglomerates in Southeast Asia. It is among the largest private domestic banks in the Philippines in terms of assets. RCBC just released their Sustainability Bonds 2020 Impact Report Video on YouTube. It concluded that sustainability means creating long-term value in...
Digital Transformation
Jul 30, 2021
Following the Asia-Pacific Financial Forum Roundtable, the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) released a report that gathers recommendations to APEC Leaders and Finance Ministers on how regional cooperation can help create the digital infrastructure and ecosystem for financial services to accelerate MSMEs’ digital transformation. It examined...
Fintech
Jul 30, 2021
The Inclusive Fintech 50 competition is extending the application deadline to Friday, July 30th. The Inclusive Fintech 50 initiative leverages a competitive process led by an independent judging panel of experts to identify 50 early-stage fintechs driving financial inclusion and resilience. It is looking for early-stage fintechs in advanced or...
Digital Financial Services
Jul 29, 2021
RCBC is majority-owned by the Yuchengco Group of Companies, one of the largest conglomerates in Southeast Asia. It is among the largest private domestic banks in the Philippines in terms of assets. RCBC has just bagged another global recognition. It is recognized as the Best SME Banking Brand by Global Brands Magazine Awards for their Customer...
Digital Financial Services
Jul 26, 2021
Funding Options is the leading marketplace for business finance, helping businesses across the UK and Netherlands find the right funding with the help of 100 lender partners. By teaming up with energy comparison site Love Energy Savings, Funding Options is starting off by enabling API handovers to help customers find a better deal. “Finance is...
Digital Financial Services
Jul 22, 2021
Washington D.C., July, 22nd, 2021- MercadoLibre joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and medium...
Trade Finance
Jul 22, 2021
The B20, the Business at OECD (BIAC) and the IOE just published a joint paper, followed the B20-OECD-Business at OECD annual meeting last Friday 16th July, proposing three concrete recommendations to the G20 in support of access to Trade Finance. The paper progresses the work on the “GVC Passport” concept initiated last year under the B20 Saudi...
Operational Risk
Jul 20, 2021
Learn from Xiaodong Sun, Chief Risk Officer of MYbank in China about the innovative risk management system developed by the bank that allowed them to minimize the default rate during the pandemic. The SME Finance Forum’s Leader Dialogues, is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology...
Fintech
Jul 20, 2021
Washington D.C., July 20th, 2021 - Kountable joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and medium...
Fintech
Jul 20, 2021
Bitbond is a global peer-to-peer bitcoin lending platform where small businesses get access to affordable loans and lenders earn great interest rates. It is based in Berlin and in operation since 2013. In 2019, Bitbond conducted Germany's first Security Token Offering (STO) with a securities prospectus approved by BaFin. It is a provider for...
Digital Financial Services
Digital Transformation
Jul 19, 2021
RCBC is majority-owned by the Yuchengco Group of Companies, one of the largest conglomerates in Southeast Asia. It is among the largest private domestic banks in the Philippines in terms of assets. In 2019, RCBC tapped data analytics and cloud-based technology to simplify its loan processing. These initiatives have enabled the bank to offer...
Covid-19
Jul 16, 2021
Silver Lining works with banks, lenders and economic development agencies to ensure that the SMEs they serve have access to the comprehensive support that they need to really succeed. Covid-19 has had a dramatic impact on cities, communities, and economies and the micro and small businesses within them. While all have been affected, business...
Digital Transformation
Jul 15, 2021
Established in 2016 by Benedicty Haryono and Willy Arifin, Koinworks has had a very clear target group right from the start: meeting the needs of the underserved SME sector in Indonesia. KoinWorks has developed a P2P online platform, connecting borrowers (SMEs) to retail lenders, so that small businesses can get access to credit. Currently, around...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Sustainable Finance
Jul 14, 2021
In recognition of Global Recycling Day on March 18, beverage company Coca-Cola South Africa and blockchain-based supply chain and economic passport platform BanQu are rolling out a payment platform to financially empower informal waste reclaimers and buyback centers in a boost to the local recycling sector. Global Recycling Day highlights the...
Fintech
Jul 13, 2021
Member Triodos Investment Management recently announced that Triodos Microfinance Fund and Triodos Fair Share Fund have provided a USD 2.2 million debt facility to United Liwwa (Liwwa) in Jordan, an innovative fintech company that provides fast, affordable credit to small businesses via a ‘tech and touch’ approach. Access to finance remains one of...
Sustainable Finance
Jul 12, 2021
Funding Options , the leading platform for business finance, has just launched the UK’s first Green Finance marketplace. With UK SMEs responsible for approximately 25 percent of the nation’s CO2 emissions, lenders including Swishfund and Cambridge & Counties Bank have joined the platform’s Green Lender panel to help businesses source the right...
Fintech
Jul 09, 2021
Innovation is crucial, especially in tumultuous times like these. Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) knows this very well – proof of that is Elevator Lab, the largest fintech and startup partnership in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), powered by RBI. This year, among a record number of submissions, the Elevator Lab made it to Global Finance’s...
Fintech
Jul 08, 2021
Washington D.C., July 8th, 2021 - C2FO , the largest global platform for working capital, today announced it is joining the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Members consist of SME Financing experts from over 80 countries, all of whom share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses...
Governance
Jul 05, 2021
Bahrain Development Bank joins the SME Finance Forum to promote the growth of SMEs in the Kingdom of Bahrain and boost the local economy. Washington D.C., July 5ht, 2021 - Bahrain Development Bank joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share...
Financial Inclusion
Fintech
Jul 01, 2021
YSys joins the SME Finance Forum to provide sustainable FinTech and smart humanitarian solutions across regions. Washington D.C., July 1st, 2021. YSys joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance...
Digital Transformation
Jul 01, 2021
The Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) is the Philippines’ Best Digital Bank in the recently concluded 15th Alpha Southeast Asia’s Best Financial Institution Awards 2021. RCBC is among the 12 awardees from the Philippines, besting several other competitors for the said category. This is the second-Best Digital Bank in the Philippines...
Jun 29, 2021
Washington D.C., June 29th, 2021- FintechOS , the global financial technology provider for banks, insurers and other financial services companies, joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to...
Jun 25, 2021
Last chance to finalize your Entries! The SME Finance Forum, organizer of Global SME Finance Awards, announced today that the Global SME Finance Awards 2021 deadline for has been extended to JULY 2nd! “As we look to recover from the impact of COVID-19, we are cognizant of the challenges posed to business and activities, therefore we decided to...
Jun 24, 2021
Washington D.C., June 24th, 2021 - Grupo CAPEM joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we...
Fintech
Jun 22, 2021
HACKFund Global FinTech joins the SME Finance Forum to bring Silicon Valley Capital Raising Tools to Global SMEs Washington D.C., June 22nd, 2021- HACKFund Global FinTech is the newest member of the SME Finance Forum. Members are SME financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to capital through knowledge...
Governance
Covid-19
Jun 21, 2021
Afreximbank Research recently published a paper written by Prof. Emmanual Akyeampong (Ellen Gurney Professors of History and of African and African America Studies, and Oppenheimer Faculty Director, Harvard University Center for Africa Studies), discussing the strength and the reaction that African governments have during the post-COVID-19 period...
Financial Inclusion
Fintech
Jun 18, 2021
Many donors and impact investors today are looking to support new innovations to maximize their development impact. But with fintechs emerging all the time — many touting their potential to improve the lives of low-income, excluded customers with unproven business models — it is important for funders to be wary of hype and conduct due diligence in...
Financial Inclusion
Jun 17, 2021
Washington D.C., June 17th, 2021 - Gojo joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “The SME Finance Forum is a global body...
Sustainable Finance
Digital Financial Services
Jun 17, 2021
The SME Finance Marketplace is the right place for you! No matter if you are a bank, a NBFI, a fintech, a development finance institution, or any kind of investor, as long as you are looking for global partnership opportunities, do not wait! In the SME Finance Marketplace, you can (1) create a listing for your company, (2) search and exchange...
Financial Education
Trade Finance
Jun 17, 2021
Industry partner FCI Academy announces the opening of certificate programs and specialized online courses to all industry stakeholders. FCI Academy, the most complete education program on Factoring & Receivables Finance, is providing a wide range of globally recognized and accredited educational offerings that aim to support personal,...
SME Insurance
Jun 15, 2021
Washington D.C., June 15th, 2021 - SecureNow joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “The SME Finance Forum is a global...
Governance
Covid-19
Jun 15, 2021
Afreximbank Research recently published a paper written by Dani Rodrik (Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government; Co-Director of the Economics for Inclusive Prosperity Network; President-Elect of the International Economic Association), discussing whether African...
Covid-19
Jun 14, 2021
SMEs are recovering well from a difficult year, and signs are pointing to a positive economic environment for FY22. In the next 12 months, nearly two-thirds of SMEs are planning to borrow to drive growth for their businesses. But there are still too many pain points around getting the appropriate funding. These are some of the many findings in the...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Trade Finance
Jun 10, 2021
Washington D.C., June 10, 2021 - Transcapital joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and medium...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Digital Transformation
Jun 09, 2021
PayAlly , the fully integrated payments ecosystem for SMEs is using Banking Circle solutions to improve its multi-currency B2B cross border payments services. In particular, the new partnership gives PayAlly access to a wider choice of payment rails through the Banking Circle super-correspondent banking network, thereby improving the speed and...
Guarantees
Jun 08, 2021
Washington D.C., June 8, 2021 - Slovene Enterprise Fund (SEF) joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “The SME Finance...
Jun 01, 2021
The SME Finance Forum, organizer of Global SME Finance Awards, announced today that the final entry deadline for the Global SME Finance Awards 2021 has been extended to June 25th. “As we look to recover from the impact of COVID-19, we are cognizant of the challenges posed to business and activities, therefore we decided to extend the deadline to...
Guarantees
Covid-19
May 27, 2021
Posted originally in the Financial Resilience Around the World, World Bank Blog Series Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in the heart of the Sahel region, was already facing difficult challenges when the COVID-19 outbreak occurred. The security context had been deteriorating since June 2018, with an upsurge in violent attacks by terrorists and...
Financial Inclusion
Fintech
May 27, 2021
10x1000 Tech for Inclusion is an open fintech learning platform sponsored by member Ant Group and IFC that enables learners to become drivers of digital economic growth. Its mission is to train 1,000 emerging talents and tech leaders each year for the next ten years. On May 24th, 2021, Ant Group officially launched the 10x1000 online learning...
May 26, 2021
Washington D.C., May 26, 2021 - Banco Solidario joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we started in 2012, we...
May 26, 2021
Learn from Thomas Östros, Vice President of the European Investment Bank, about EIB's work with SMEs, and his vision for the future growth of SMEs. The SME Finance Forum’s Leader Dialogues, is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector...
Governance
Covid-19
May 24, 2021
A large percentage of workers and firms operate in the informal economy, outside the line of sight of governments in emerging markets and developing economies. This may hold back the recovery in these economies from the deep recessions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic—unless governments adopt a broad set of policies to address the challenges of...
Sustainable Finance
May 19, 2021
Global SME Finance Forum 2021 – Greening SME Finance – October 18 th to 21st As the governments around the world are wrestling to contain the spread of COVID-19 and its unprecedented impacts on people’s lives and the economies around the globe, this crisis also provides a unique opportunity to build a greener, more sustainable and more resilient...
Policy & Regulation
Covid-19
May 18, 2021
OECD recently released a paper providing an analysis of the diverse range of SME and entrepreneurship policy measures implemented during the course of a year since the start of the COVID-19 crisis. The paper documents how SMEs were at the center of the disruptions at the start of the pandemic and that one year later they stand in an even more...
Fintech
May 13, 2021
HPD Lendscape , a leading international secured-lending platform vendor, announces that it has become an official member of Assifact , the Italian Factoring Association. The announcement comes at a time when HPD Lendscape is particularly focused on serving the Southern European market, having recently also become an official member of The Spanish...
Financial Inclusion
Gender Finance
May 13, 2021
Maritza Cabezas Ludena, the Investment Strategist at Triodos Investment Management , published this article after participating in our recent Open Webinar - Gender Lens Investing in Financial Intermediaries . The pandemic has unexpectedly accelerated certain trends in financial inclusion. Government interventions to reduce mobile costs and the...
May 07, 2021
In this publication, you will read about the SME Finance Forum highlights in 2020. Extract from the Foreword: The year 2020 has been a challenging one for all of us. We have seen the COVID-19 pandemic throw the world into uncertainty. In this context, we are proud to have launched new services to help our members deal with this extraordinary...
Gender Finance
Covid-19
May 07, 2021
In Sub-Saharan Africa, small and medium enterprises account for up to 90 percent of all businesses. These businesses face financial and operational difficulties in good economic times, and the COVID-19 crisis has only amplified the challenges they must contend with on a daily basis. The pandemic also has the potential to widen existing gender...
Digital Transformation
May 06, 2021
In September 2016, member AccessHolding entered into a Partnership Agreement with member Mastercard Foundation to support the A2A Programme with USD 15.5 million over a period of five years. The overall objective of the A2A programme is to strengthen the capacities of the AccessHolding Network Financial Institutions (NFI) with the aim to increase...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Sustainable Finance
May 05, 2021
Triodos Investment Management and Hivos have signed a new five-year strategic agreement for Hivos-Triodos Fund , further strengthening the fund’s focus on financing successful renewable energy and sustainable agriculture businesses in developing countries. Founded in 1994 by Triodos Bank and Hivos, Hivos-Triodos Fund has been at the forefront of...
Financial Inclusion
Sustainable Finance
May 04, 2021
Opportunity International joins the SME Finance Forum, which offers a new pathway to help more families who are living in poverty to build sustainable livelihoods and access quality education for their children. Washington D.C., May 4th, 2021 - Opportunity International joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership...
Digital Transformation
Apr 30, 2021
This webinar will be available in English and Spanish. The session will be recorded, and the recording will be made publicly available after the webinar. As the pandemic rapidly moves the economy online, millions of microentrepreneurs around the world must gain the digital tools and skills they need to adapt and rebuild their livelihoods. Going...
Digital Financial Services
Fintech
Apr 30, 2021
Funding Options , the leading marketplace for business finance, has launched Funding Cloud (™) , a technology and data-driven platform that will bring unparalleled scale and speed to the SME finance sector. Lenders including Just Cash Flow, iwoca, YouLend, Optimum Finance, and FIBR have already integrated with Funding Cloud (™) to benefit from its...
Non Financial Services
Apr 30, 2021
Unlock Your Business Wellbeing: How to Identify Burnout and the Tactics to Overcome It. Member Retail Capital recently released a new publication. Running a business comes with a great deal of stress and anxiety, but how does burnout differ from traditional entrepreneurial pressures? It’s the buzzword we hear time and again, but what does ‘burnout...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Apr 28, 2021
Cordaid Investment Management (CIM) and Triodos-Hivos Fund , two Netherlands-based impact investment funds, co-financed Capitol Foods ’s expansion of its local fruit processing capacity to meet the growing demand for its Sierra Juice beverage products. The debt facility will also enable the company to provide greater market access for thousands of...
Operational Risk
Apr 28, 2021
Learn from Andrée Simon, President and CEO of FINCA Impact Finance, about the challenges of bringing people into the formal financial sector during COVID-19, and the critical need for preparation, transparency and communication to be ready to cope with crises. The SME Finance Forum’s Leader Dialogues, is a new series of one-on-one interviews with...
Financial Inclusion
Apr 26, 2021
Member Triodos Investment Management recently interviewed Vladimir Vukotić, the CEO of Opportunity Bank Serbia (OBS) , about how OBS has supported small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs in Serbia. OBS Bank employees in Serbia drive from village to village helping enterprising people start a business. They offer a new outlook for the widespread...
Gender Finance
Covid-19
Apr 22, 2021
2020 was a year like no other, with women entrepreneurs around the world deeply impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) recently published their 2020 Annual Report, showing how the partnership is supporting these women not just to survive the crisis, but also enhances their long-term resilience. As We-...
Financial Inclusion
Apr 21, 2021
Across all industries, predictive, data-driven algorithms — mathematical recipes ranging from the simple to the complex — are being used to tell stories about individuals and can drive high-stakes decisions: who receives a loan, what sentencing a judge will recommend, what therapeutics a doctor will provide. In the financial services industry, the...
Financial Inclusion
Sustainable Finance
Apr 21, 2021
Triodos Fair Share Fund and Triodos Microfinance Fund have provided a EUR 5 million subordinated debt facility to Citizens Development Business Finance (CDB) in Sri Lanka. This facility supports CDB’s long-term strategy to be a leading player in financing the transition to a green and inclusive economy. CDB offers a wide range of saving, deposit,...
Gender Finance
Apr 20, 2021
One of the most commonly used phrases in the job market is, “there is nothing much more fulfilling than running your own enterprise or business”. Some indeed say this to gratify a desire for leisure and pleasure attributable to being entrepreneur, while others also say this to illustrate their quest to satisfy a life-long passion for latent...
Apr 19, 2021
Washington D.C., April 19th 2021 - Apoidea Group joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “To facilitate access to...
Digital Financial Services
Fintech
Apr 19, 2021
Fern Software , an international Software as a Service (SaaS) Fintech solution provider since 1979, recently announced the launch of their latest digital banking product Baytree. Baytree supports financial institutions such as banks, fund management firms, and SME lenders in lending, portfolio management, and customer success. The launch of...
Apr 16, 2021
Global SME Finance Awards Deadline Extended to June 25 Welcome to the Fourth Annual Global SME Finance Awards! We look forward to hearing from financial intermediaries from across the spectrum and globe, as the need to learn from each other is even greater as we look to recover from the impact of Covid-19. We invite all types of financial...
Fintech
Apr 16, 2021
Fern Software is now an official ‘ Salesforce AppExchange Partner’ (ISV Partner). This partnership will grant significant benefits to both companies. Fern can now supercharge their range of fintech solutions on the Salesforce Lightning Platform. And Salesforce can penetrate further into the fintech market. The partnership comes at a pivotal time...
Apr 16, 2021
Washington D.C., April 16th, 2021- BanQu joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and medium...
Digital Financial Services
Apr 15, 2021
Online Payment Platform , the Netherlands payment service provider, has selected payments expert and licensed bank, Banking Circle , to enhance its marketplace offering. Online Payment Platform is focused on providing a cost-effective and fast payment solution for over 170 marketplaces such as Nature.house and Marktplaats.nl from the Netherlands...
Gender Finance
Apr 14, 2021
After attending our open webinar ‘ Gender Lens Investing in Financial Intermediaries ’, author Hamish Monk wrote this article that was first published on Finextra 's website here . What is gender lens investing? How do we advance gender diversity and inclusion in the fintech and renewable energy sectors? Can we accurately measure the impact of...
Apr 13, 2021
Washington D.C., April 13th 2021 - CAF – Development Bank of Latin America joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “...
Covid-19
Digital Transformation
Apr 13, 2021
Although the banking industry has long been tech-heavy, its technology has not always served it well and this presents a particular challenge when trying to serve the important SME market. Banking tech has not been able to keep up with the pace of change in other industries, and the monolithic systems and in-house servers on which they are built...
Financial Inclusion
Gender Finance
Apr 12, 2021
Women’s financial inclusion, especially in rural Uganda, remains low. Two innovations were tested among adult females – a mobile banking service with digital subwallet folders labeled for women and the same service coupled with a course of seven household counselling sessions aimed at equalizing the influence of women and men in the context of...
Financial Education
Sustainable Finance
Policy & Regulation
Covid-19
Apr 08, 2021
This report highlights the risk of a sharply diverging world in the near term where the gaps between rich and poor widen because some countries lack the necessary financial resources to combat the COVID-19 crisis and its socioeconomic impact. It explores the impact of the pandemic on economics, social, and environmental risks, and the implications...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Apr 08, 2021
Financial Times recently published an article on Supply Chain Finance, featuring Kevin Day, CEO of member HPD LendScape . The Australian financier behind the now collapsed finance group Greensill Capital pitched his business as an agent of “technological disruption” that aimed at “democratizing capital.” But what Lex Greensill was actually...
Financial Inclusion
Gender Finance
Apr 06, 2021
Member Prime Bank ’s women-focused initiative ‘NEERA’ has undertaken a countrywide programme to drive financial literacy among the unbanked women in Bangladesh. As part of “Month of Neera” initiative, marking International Women’s Day, officials of different branches of Prime Bank have visited the neighborhood community and helped the women with...
Gender Finance
Fintech
Apr 06, 2021
Women represent the world’s largest and fastest-growing market but are mostly disregarded and underserved in the financial industry, especially women in fintechs. The industry has unnoticed the distinct needs and preferences of women and in doing so, there is a loss of trillions of dollars. By addressing the unmet needs of women, fintechs can gain...
Financial Inclusion
Gender Finance
Data Analytics
Apr 05, 2021
An important component of gender data is sex-disaggregated data and its support for women’s financial inclusion. With an estimated $1.7 trillion finance gap that exists for women owned MSMEs in emerging economies, the brief focuses on how gender data collection and analysis can narrow the gap and empower key stakeholders to realize their full...
Covid-19
Digital Financial Services
Apr 01, 2021
World Trade Organization (WTO) , Trade Finance Global (TFG) , and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have launched their latest publication, ‘ Accelerating trade digitalization to support MSME financing .’ This new publication, authored by WTO’s Emmanuelle Ganne and TFG’s Deepesh Patel, dives into the benefits and deployment challenges of...
Sustainable Finance
Apr 01, 2021
Washington D.C., April 1st, 2021 - Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation...
Gender Finance
Mar 31, 2021
Women’s agency is severely limited in many contexts, globally. Women in low- and middle-income countries experience less freedom of choice, control over one’s life, say in household decision making, and life satisfaction compared to men. Increasing women’s agency is crucial to reducing gender inequality and improving women’s outcomes in many...
Sustainable Finance
Mar 29, 2021
Washington D.C., 29 March 2021- We are pleased to announce that the International Trade Centre (ITC) is joining the SME Financing Forum. ITC , with Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations with responsibility for sustainable trade and enterprise development. ITC has a...
Digital Financial Services
Mar 29, 2021
Our member, Banking Circle , a financial infrastructure provider, announces that it is now completely cloud-based, with all aspects of its infrastructure hosted within Microsoft Azure. This infrastructure includes its purpose-built, cloud-first, cross-border payments platform, which delivers greater speed, enhanced functionality, and a more...
Financial Inclusion
Mar 25, 2021
Washington D.C., March 25th, 2021 - National Cash Transfer Co. (YCASH) joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “When we...
Trade Finance
Mar 24, 2021
Washington D.C., March 24th- FIMBank joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and medium businesses...
Islamic Banking
Covid-19
Mar 24, 2021
Learn from Ayman Amin Sejiny, CEO of the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, Member of IsDB Group, about his experience in Sharia-compliant financing, ethical standards and sustainability, and the importance of helping SMEs with the right funding during the pandemic. The SME Finance Forum’s Leader Dialogues, is a new...
Gender Finance
Mar 24, 2021
Women-owned MSMEs are vital for growth and job creation but face many roadblocks due to lack of access to finance. With better access to finance, women owned MSMEs will have better access to productive assets and increase efficiency for an overall stronger economic growth. The Policy Framework, led by the SME Finance Working Group in collaboration...
Gender Finance
Covid-19
Mar 19, 2021
The pandemic has been exacerbating existing gender inequalities in economic opportunities across Sub-Saharan Africa. Women-owned businesses, women farmers, health and education, and gender-based violence are just some examples to pay attention to as the world heals from the ramifications of Covid-19. This report focuses on mechanisms that can help...
Financial Inclusion
Mar 17, 2021
Learn from Paloma Tejada, Director of Talent and Culture, Agile and Communications, Client Solutions at BBVA about the cultural transformation of BBVA into an agile organization including staff and leadership, to provide better solutions for SMEs customers, and how diversity proves to have a positive impact on business. The SME Finance Forum’s...
Covid-19
Digital Financial Services
Mar 15, 2021
Has Covid-19 created risks for global banks? The Banking Banana Skins 2021 – Covid Special report focuses on the fast pace of the industry and its lasting effect on structure and operations. The Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation’s Banana Skins Index measures the overall high level of risk within the banking sector over the last 20 years...
Financial Inclusion
Mar 15, 2021
The Working Paper is the third and last paper resulting from a research project on “Measuring Microfinance Impact in the EU. Policy recommendations for Financial and Social Inclusion” (Memi). The project was initiated and supervised by the EIF and was funded by the EIB Institute under the EIB-University Sponsorship Programme (EIBURS). This project...
Digital Transformation
Mar 15, 2021
*This article is an excerpt with key highlights from WeBank’s recent presentation at the 2021 Knowledge Annual Conference of the IFC. The pandemic has shoved the global economy into a state of chaos, affecting both large corporations and SMEs across nearly all sectors. However, the global outbreak has also brought opportunities to innovate...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Fintech
Mar 11, 2021
Our member, Creditinfo Group , the leading global credit information and decision analytics provider, announces that the private equity firm, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (LLCP) , has become its new majority shareholder. The firm will help Creditinfo Group to keep expanding operations and support financial institutions with a full suite of...
Trade Finance
Fintech
Mar 10, 2021
Our member, HPD LendScape , a leading international secured-lending platform vendor, announces that it has become an official member of the Spanish Association of Factoring (AEF) . As HPD LendScape mainly focuses on serving the Iberian market, the membership ensures that the company can provide high-level services to banks and financial...
Covid-19
Fintech
Mar 10, 2021
Learn from John Gachora, Group Managing Director at NCBA Group PLC. about his journey to become a leader in the banking industry, digitization, and how NCBA Group became the largest bank in Africa serving SME clients with mobile financial services, especially in Kenya. The SME Finance Forum’s Fireside Chat, now "Leader Dialogues", is a new series...
Fintech
Mar 09, 2021
Investree , a pioneer Indonesian financial technology firm driving financial inclusion through the digital space, now broadens its marketplace to Thailand. Thailand’s Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the license for Investree (Thailand) Co. Ltd. to operate as a crowdfunding platform in Thailand effective 23 February 2021. This...
Covid-19
Digital Financial Services
Mar 04, 2021
The past 12 months have brought a multitude of unprecedented challenges for small businesses. It was inspirational to witness how they responded with versatility, creativity and tenacity, and how that brought about rapid innovation, new collaboration and empathy that continues to benefit society as a whole. It was also exciting to see the...
Covid-19
SME Insurance
Fintech
Mar 03, 2021
The Covid-19 pandemic has shifted business operations and have now required a difficult but necessary transition into a “new normal”. Navigating disruption does not relate to disruptive players and innovations within the fintech or insurtech space in this case but relates to the tremor of the pandemic. However, innovative players like governments...
Fintech
Mar 02, 2021
For more than half a century, the U.S. was the center of global innovation for financial technology, inventing credit cards, ATMs, and online banking. Now, however, it’s falling behind, as China has become a leader of mobile payments, and now African countries - namely Kenya - are making huge strides with familiar technologies such as mobile...
Fintech
Mar 01, 2021
Learn from Henry Ma, Chief Information Officer, WeBank, about his early career in the Silicon Valley, the unique 'ABCD' capabilities of WeBank as a fully digital bank, and the cost and quality of financial services, while serving 1.3 million SME clients in China. The SME Finance Forum’s Fireside Chat, now "Leader Dialogues", is a new series of one...
Financial Inclusion
Mar 01, 2021
10x1000 Tech for Inclusion is an open fintech learning platform sponsored by member Ant Financial Group and IFC that enables learners to become drivers of digital economic growth. Our mission is to train 1,000 emerging talents and tech leaders each year for the next ten years. Some quick highlights of 10x1000 online platform: A structured and...
Covid-19
Fintech
Mar 01, 2021
In 2020, the pandemic shifted various financial systems, creating a demand for innovation through multiple channels, systems, and instruments. This called for a shift in FinTech market performances, precise Covid-19 responses by FinTech firms, regulatory intervention or policy assistance, and operational challenges. The outcome is that FinTech...
Covid-19
Fintech
Feb 26, 2021
Central banks and other financial regulators are countering COVID-19 challenges in regulating and overseeing FinTech and Digital Financial Services (DFS) activities. FinTech and DSF are important to extend access to financial services to millions of consumers and MSMEs around the world. With the pandemic severely impacting the global economy and...
Digital Financial Services
Digital Transformation
Fintech
Feb 26, 2021
BAI Global Innovation Awards, the financial service industry’s most prestigious awards program, has recently recognized UBX, the fintech spinoff and venture capital unit of Union Bank of the Philippines, for its high-impact innovation especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now on its tenth year, the BAI celebrates new and innovative solutions in...
Data Analytics
Digital Financial Services
Feb 25, 2021
Banks and credit unions want to do more to reach underserved communities. Still, they are wary of lending to borrowers they view as risky, such as people of color, people without a college degree, recent immigrants, and many of the 40 million “credit invisible” Americans. Generations of discrimination and rejection have caused many minorities to...
Covid-19
Feb 25, 2021
As the coronavirus started to spread over Europe in early 2020 and most European governments closed down public life, guarantee institutions all over Europe reacted in no time and set up extensive support measures for SMEs. Throughout 2020, AECM played an active role in coordinating its members’ activities and communicating with policymakers on...
Data Analytics
Fintech
Feb 25, 2021
Continuous Transaction Controls (CTCs) increase the effectiveness of public administration controls. CTCs enable law enforcement agencies to collect data associated with business activities, address the inefficiencies that have always characterized the use of retroactive audit, and eliminate the dependency on a “static” approach based on the...
Fintech
Feb 25, 2021
Global credit markets are changing with technological advancements. New intermediaries have developed despite the existence of traditional lenders like banks, credit unions, and capital markets. Digital lending models similar to peer-to-peer and marketplace lending are becoming in-demand in major and minor economies within recent times. These...
Fintech
Feb 24, 2021
Member HPD Lendscape, a leading international secured lending platform vendor, today announces ambitious expansion plans for its global workforce, building on 12% growth in personnel in 2020. The recruitment drive follows sustained global demand for HPD Lendscape’s technology, with the company winning 35 new clients and increasing revenue by 36%...
Policy & Regulation
Covid-19
Feb 23, 2021
EIF Working Paper 2021/071: EIF Venture Capital, Private Equity Mid-Market & Business Angels Surveys 2020: Market sentiment – COVID-19 impact – Policy measures 2020 was an unprecedented and remarkable year, and also a year with high uncertainty and increased information needs. The EIF VC Survey, the EIF Private Equity Mid-Market Survey, and...
Feb 16, 2021
Washington D.C., February 16th, 2020.- Zalgroup joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide, through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and...
Feb 16, 2021
2021 is a year full of new initiatives! At the SME Finance Forum, we are eager to introduce you to the largest community of SME practitioners and C-Suite leaders in SME Banking. We know that organizing events is a time-consuming task. However, sponsoring one of our events may be the easiest way to be present and be heard by your target audience...
Covid-19
Fintech
Feb 10, 2021
Learn from Irene Arias, CEO of IDB Lab, (former FOMIN), about the importance of innovation labs, and how they accelerate digitization for SMEs in Latina America and the Caribbean, as well as provide other solutions, especially to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The SME Finance Forum’s Fireside Chat, now "Leader Dialogues", is a new series of one-...
Covid-19
Feb 08, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in the beginning of 2020 brought a significant impact to the society and especially for Indonesian SMEs, which is said to be the backbone of the country’s economy. Looking at the important role of SMEs in Indonesia, Investree, as a pioneer in fintech lending which is now becoming into an integrated digital...
Equity
Gender Finance
Jan 28, 2021
The devastating economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is amplifying existing inequalities, which may be felt for years to come. Entrepreneurship is no exception. Even before the pandemic, there was a stark gap between access to capital for female-led entrepreneurs and their male counterparts. It’s only gotten worse in the past year. A recent...
Covid-19
Digital Transformation
Jan 27, 2021
The SME Finance Forum’s Fireside Chat, now called "Leader Dialogues" , is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators. In this edition, Joséphine Anan-Ankomah, Group Executive for Commercial Banking of Ecobank, talks with Matt Gamser,...
Covid-19
Payments
Jan 27, 2021
The SME Finance Forum’s Fireside Chat, now called "Leader Dialogues" , is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators. In this edition, Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, the head for the M-Pesa Africa leadership team, talks to Matt Gamser about...
Digital Transformation
Payments
Jan 27, 2021
PPRO , the global provider of local payments infrastructure, is working with Banking Circle, the ground-breaking financial infrastructure provider, to enhance the PPRO service offering, supporting PSPs working with cross border e-commerce merchants. The partnership underlines the effectiveness of Banking Circle as a next-generation provider of...
Digital Financial Services
Fintech
Jan 26, 2021
Jobs to Be Done and cultural insights on what business owners need and the digital services that will help them meet their goal. What you will learn from that report: The entrepreneurial mindset and inspirations The growth opportunity in the SMB market How to design truly digital services for SMBs How to create cultural relevant financial brands...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Jan 26, 2021
Unified registration mechanism to use movable property, rights as collateral China has established a unified national financing registration system that uses movable property and rights as pledges, which is expected to increase loans for small and medium-sized enterprises and improve the overall business environment. The unified system has been...
Gender Finance
Jan 26, 2021
First City Monument Bank, a foremost financial services provider in Nigeria, has continued her aggressive drive and support for the Small and Medium Enterprises sector in the country. The bank, which was recently voted as the Best SME Bank in Africa, thereby consolidating its position as the dominant financial institution in the segment, has made...
Guarantees
Jan 25, 2021
Triodos Fair Share Fund and Triodos Microfinance Fund have provided a EUR 5 million debt facility to Lovćen banka in Montenegro, which largely targets small and family businesses. Rosanna Sarkeyeva, Regional Manager for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia: “This transaction supports Lovćen banka’s strategy to increase its outreach to...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Jan 21, 2021
Micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) face significant challenges in obtaining the financing and other resources they need to thrive. IFC, as a member of the World Bank Group, is committed to supporting these businesses by mobilizing private and public sector stakeholders to expand financial inclusion. Digital integration of “...
Financial Inclusion
Jan 20, 2021
Medical Credit Fund reached a disbursement milestone of $100 million in capital. As the only fund fully dedicated to the African health sector, its support has been critical for the continuation and improvement of care in many sub-Saharan regions, especially in the past crisis year. The Corona pandemic has put private facilities under increased...
Covid-19
Jan 20, 2021
Sub-Saharan Africa was hit hard by the COVID-19 shock in 2020, experiencing the first recession in roughly thirty years. However, the impact of the public health crisis and pandemic-induced global recession has been less severe than in-itially feared, and weaker than in other EM regions. This is the result of commodity prices recovering faster...
Guarantees
Jan 19, 2021
Triodos Fair Share Fund and Triodos Microfinance Fund have provided a EUR 3 million debt facility to AraratBank, one of the leading financial institutions in the Armenian banking sector. This facility will enable AraratBank to further expand its outreach to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Rosanna Sarkeyeva, Regional Manager for Europe,...
Non Financial Services
Gender Finance
Covid-19
Jan 15, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted many lives across the globe. In this blog we focus on women. Worldwide, the pandemic has hit women harder than men. Women run a higher risk of COVID-19 contagion due to their occupations in health-related activities. They are also overrepresented in jobs where social distancing has been more difficult...
Financial Inclusion
Jan 14, 2021
Fellow member Ant Financial has a very exciting program (cosponsored by IFC ) called 10x1000, intended to develop new fintech leaders for financial inclusion across emerging markets. The “ 10x1000 Tech for Inclusion Program ” is an open platform that encourages technology innovation and communication for future digital leaders. The program will...
Covid-19
Jan 14, 2021
The SME Finance Forum’s “Fireside Chat” is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators. In this edition, Herbert Wigwe, Managing Director /CEO of Access Bank, talks with Yvonne Okwara, about the impact and disruptions caused by the...
Policy & Regulation
Jan 13, 2021
Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDBG) joins the SME Finance Forum global network to enhance coordination with international institutions for more impactful interventions benefiting its member countries and the Muslim communities worldwide . Washington D.C., January 13th, 2021 - Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDBG) , including ICIEC, IRTI, ISFD...
Policy & Regulation
Credit Risk & Scoring
Jan 12, 2021
In recent years, as more and more regulators have begun to assume the role of supervision and oversight over credit bureau(s), the World Bank Group has supported supervisors in understanding and carrying out their duties as it relates to this role. The WBG has supported the development of the credit bureau supervisory framework and the capacity to...
Policy & Regulation
Credit Risk & Scoring
Jan 08, 2021
Coordination between secured transactions law and rules regulating financial products and institutions is of primary importance to support establishing a sound and inclusive credit ecosystem. This Primer illustrates why coordination between secured transactions law reforms and prudential regulation is needed; introduces the rationale and key...
Non Financial Services
Jan 06, 2021
After a busy year, working with thousands of entrepreneurs across Africa in our ‘new world’, the African Management Institue (AMI) has been thinking deeply about the future of business development support, and how the crisis brought about by Covid-19 might in fact open up new opportunities to serve more SMEs, more effectively. Their new report – ‘...
Guarantees
Jan 01, 2021
Lending based on movable assets is much more common in developed markets. Through the work of the World Bank Group and the International Finance Corporation, the use of lending based on movable assets continues to expand throughout the globe. Many best-practice examples can now be found in emerging markets such as Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Vietnam,...
Fintech
Dec 23, 2020
Our member Raiffesisen Bank International’s Partnership Program Elevator Lab’s fourth round took place virtually in the second half of 2020. Elevator Lab had been selected as one of the “Best Financial Innovation Labs in 2020” by the Global Finance. The Lab aims at finding innovative fintech solutions and building mutually beneficial partnerships...
Financial Inclusion
Dec 22, 2020
Our member Kabbage plans to expand on the work done by researchers from NYU Stern on the kind of lenders that had the highest minority share among their Payment Protection Program (PPP) loans. They will work on exploring the reasons behind the found correlation between the lender type and borrower race. The current research note focused on...
Fintech
Dec 18, 2020
Washington D.C. December 18th, 2020 - Business finance marketplace Funding Options has joined the SME Finance Forum global membership network. Small and mid-sized businesses are the lifeblood of the UK economy and will play a pivotal role in driving economic recovery with access to capital central to that. As the UK adapts to a tiered system of...
Fintech
Dec 17, 2020
We are happy to share that our member Bitbond , Germany’s leading tokenization and digital asset custody technology provider, and Bankhaus von der Heydt (BVDH), one of Europe’s oldest banks, have joined forces to issue a Euro (EUR) stablecoin (EURB) on the Stellar network. The EURB stablecoin is the first stablecoin issued directly by a banking...
Dec 17, 2020
Washington D.C., December 18th, 2020 - SunTrust Bank joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide, through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and...
Covid-19
Dec 17, 2020
If you missed out on our conference or would like to rewatch our informative discussions, visit http://www.globalsmefinanceforum.org/2020/ or visit the Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/showcase/7803227
Sustainable Finance
Dec 17, 2020
Washington D.C., December 17th, 2020 - We are excited to share that Investree joined the SME Finance Forum global membership network. The Forum brings together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “When we started in 2012...
Covid-19
Dec 16, 2020
The SME Finance Forum’s “Fireside Chat” is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators. In this edition, Michael Schlein, CEO of Accion, talks with Yvonne Okwara, about decades of experience working with small business owners who are...
Sustainable Finance
Dec 15, 2020
As the world reflects on progress on climate action since the Paris Agreement signing, it has been clear that action by small and medium-sized companies is essential for accelerating the transition to a net-zero emissions global economy. The SME Climate Hub has joined forces with Oxford University to provide small and medium-sized enterprises (...
Covid-19
Dec 10, 2020
We are happy to share that our member U GRO Capital has recently entered into a strategic partnership with the Wadhwani Foundation, a global non-profit organization. The partnership between the two organizations will mutually benefit the micro, small and medium enterprises that are predominantly present in education, healthcare, hospitality,...
Covid-19
Dec 09, 2020
The SME Finance Forum's "Fireside Chat" is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators. In this edition, Selim Hussain, Managing Director, and CEO of BRAC Bank, shared how early decisions made in response to COVID-19 helped overcome the...
Islamic Banking
Dec 08, 2020
We are happy to share that our member Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector’s (ICD) has established Finnovation Award to recognize, showcase and encourage financial institutions that provide an outstanding solution to the financial industry. Finnovation awards are a part of their new online platform “ Finnovation ” which...
Dec 08, 2020
Washington D.C., December 8th, 2020 - First Bank Nigeria Limited ( FirstBank ) joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide, through knowledge exchange and innovation...
Operational Risk
Dec 07, 2020
Our member Afreximbank has taken the lead in creating a platform for Customer Due Diligence (CDD)/Know Your Customer (KYC) issues, with a special emphasis on African financial institutions and corporates. The platform referred to as Mansa will provide a single source of primary data required for performing customer due diligence checks on...
Non Financial Services
Policy & Regulation
Dec 06, 2020
IFC had a strong year in spite of the pandemic. They committed $22 billion in long-term finance—an almost 15 percent year-on-year increase—including $11.1 billion invested for their own account. In addition, short-term financing commitments, including trade finance, totaled $6.5 billion: a 12 percent increase compared with the previous fiscal year...
Digital Financial Services
Dec 04, 2020
We’re delighted to share that our member Fern Software’s premier CRM and loans management system, FaaSBank is now used by over 50 community and SME lending organizations from coast to coast in Canada. FaaSBank was collaboratively designed with Community Futures Development Corporations (CDFDCs) in Ontario, Canada. User friendly and intuitive,...
Financial Education
Dec 04, 2020
To celebrate the new decade, this year’s Global SME Finance Forum looked much farther forward, to imagine where we might be in SME financing a decade from now. We tested the limits of our prescience by predicting how products, delivery channels, institutions and enabling environments might look 10 years from now. Following our practice of...
Fintech
Dec 03, 2020
COVID-19 has immensely changed the way we work. With an increase in reliance over online communication and remote work, there has also been an increase in security and data threat issues. Therefore, to meet the needs of modern-day digital challenges, our member Fern Software has partnered with Salesforce, one of the largest cloud-based software...
Islamic Banking
Dec 03, 2020
One of the main goals of our member Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector’s (ICD) asset management department is to create an “Enabling Environment” for the growth of Islamic Finance and build “Partnerships” with the private sector to enhance resource mobilization. The SME Funds at Asset Management Department of ICD is...
Dec 02, 2020
The SME Finance Forum's "Fireside Chat" is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators. In this edition, Kathryn Petralia, Co-founder and President of Kabbage, a US-based fintech talks to Matthew Gamser, CEO of the SME Finance Forum...
Covid-19
Dec 02, 2020
Our member Triodos Investment Management has shared an informative column on “How Covid-19 is changing financial inclusion,” by Frank Streppel, Head of Global Investments at Triodos IM. He is a seasoned impact investing specialist with more than 20 years of expertise. According to him, financial inclusion facilitates access to all other basic...
Equity
Dec 02, 2020
Small and medium businesses have been some of the hardest hit in the COVID-19 pandemic. And all that has been as true in emerging markets as it has been for SMBs in the developed world. Tunde Kehinde has had a front-row seat witnessing and responding to that crisis. He’s the CEO and co-founder of our global member Lidya , a startup out of Nigeria...
Equity
Dec 01, 2020
We are pleased to share that our member Triodos Investment Management through its Triodos Microfinance Fund and Triodos Fair Share Fund in collaboration with Germany’s GLS Bank and UmweltBank has acquired 78% of Opportunity Bank Serbia (OBS), which is a member of Opportunity International, a network of banks and microfinance organizations. Triodos...
Nov 30, 2020
"Human capital is still the most basic of our strategy and the pillar of our development plan. Without human capital and their knowledge, it's not possible for us to adapt financial services that we provide to our clients...making Intesa Sanpaolo the leader in (handling) the COVID-19 crisis", said Massimiliano Cattozzi, Executive Director and Head...
Policy & Regulation
Credit Risk & Scoring
Nov 30, 2020
Washington D.C., November 30th, 2020 - We are pleased to welcome SMERA to the SME Finance Forum. Our global membership network consists of leading financial institutions, innovative financial technologies companies, and development finance institutions who come together to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of small and...
Sustainable Finance
Nov 27, 2020
We’re delighted to share that our member FinDev Canada has announced a USD 20 million loan support to FirstRand, one of South Africa’s leading financial institutions. The loan will add further financial capacity and assist in providing innovative lending solutions to FirstRand’s approximately 700,000 SME clients. Paulo Martelli, Director of...
Nov 26, 2020
We’re pleased to share our member Islamic Corporation for the Development’s (ICD) valuable work from their Business Resilience Assistance for Value-adding Enterprise (BRAVE) Women Program. The project was fully funded by the Women Entrepreneurship Finance Initiative (We-Fi). The total amount of approved funding by We-Fi for the BRAVE Women...
Sustainable Finance
Nov 25, 2020
We’re proud to share that our member FinDev Canada has announced a USD 10 million loan support to Colombia’s Business Development Bank (Bancóldex). Alongside IDB Invest, FinDev Canada’s financing will support Bancóldex’s COVID-19 emergency liquidity lending program, which will support SMEs severely affected by the pandemic in Colombia. Created in...
Digital Financial Services
Nov 25, 2020
We all know that a lot has changed in 2020 as society gets used to the new routines; working from home or working on the front lines. Our member Fern Software is ready to enable this transition with a new platform that allows users to work from anywhere. Using AI technology to identify trends, they've embraced digital to the fullest with the...
Islamic Banking
Nov 24, 2020
We are proud to share our member Islamic Corporation for the Development’s (ICD) Business Resilience Assistance for Value-adding Enterprise (BRAVE) project. ICD’s Industry and Business Environment Support (IBES) team initiated the BRAVE concept. The project was designed through joint efforts between ICD and the Small and Micro Enterprise Promotion...
Trade Finance
Nov 24, 2020
We are delighted to share that our member HPD LendScape’s key client Allied Irish Bank (AIB) has completed a major technology initiative with the migration of its receivables finance operations to HPD LendScape’s fully cloud-hosted platform. The Cloud migration and software upgrade will allow the bank to easily scale up its offering and improve...
Rural & Agriculture Finance
Nov 23, 2020
We are excited to share that our member The Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) has announced that the nominations are now open for Prince Talal International Prize for Human Development for the year 2020 under the subject "Zero Hunger: Eliminating hunger, providing food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable...
Islamic Banking
Nov 20, 2020
Washington D.C., November 20, 2020 - We are excited to share that the Islamic Corporation for the Development of The Private Sector ( ICD ), the private sector development arm of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group , has joined the SME Finance Forum (Forum) global membership network. The Forum brings together development financial...
Nov 18, 2020
The SME Finance Forum's "Fireside Chat" is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators. In this edition, Judy Hsu, ASEAN and South Asia CEO for Standard Chartered Bank talks to Matthew Gamser, CEO of the SME Finance Forum about the...
Financial Inclusion
Nov 18, 2020
The Development Research Group at World Bank organized a talk on Bank lending for inclusive growth on November 17th, 2020 with speakers Claudia Ruiz-Ortega and Mario Guadamillas. You can watch the session recording HERE. Session Brief Bank lending is a key driver of economic growth. However, large inefficiencies remain—particularly in developing...
Nov 13, 2020
The SME Finance Forum's "Fireside Chat" is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators. The second interview on this series is with member KODIT, the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund, a policy-based financial institution established in 1976...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Nov 11, 2020
We are delighted to share that our member Triodos Investment Management’s Microfinance Fund, Fair Share Fund and Hivos-Triodos Fund have provided a EUR 3 million debt facility to KoinWorks, the leading digital lender in the growing peer-to-peer (P2P) lending space in Indonesia. KoinWorks is a company which connects borrowers (SMEs) to lenders on...
Gender Finance
Nov 09, 2020
We are delighted to share the ‘How to Invest With A Gender Lens?’, a guide created by Value for Women . The guide offers multiple concrete pathways for investors who want to keep inclusion at the core of their efforts in these important times of Covid-19 pandemic. Gender lens investing is the deliberate incorporation of gender factors into...
Sustainable Finance
Nov 06, 2020
We are proud to announce that our member Triodos Investment Management’s Hivos-Triodos Fund , has taken an equity share in Indian clean-tech company GPS Renewables (GPS), together with the local impact investor Caspian. GPS is a leading and innovative bio-energy technology company that develops disruptive organic-waste-to-energy solutions. The...
Non Financial Services
Nov 06, 2020
Fyndoo by our member Topicus has partnered with de Volksbank to accelerate financing to the self-employed and entreprenuers. This partnership enables complete digitization of loan applications and loan processing. Entrepreneurs can now obtain financing with 5 working days upon completion of all documentation. “With Fyndoo Lending we offer...
Trade Finance
Nov 06, 2020
The global economy is going through unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the world, threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in both developed and developing economies, with a particularly devastating impact on small businesses. World trade plummeted in the first half the year, and despite signs of trade...
Nov 03, 2020
Washington D.C., November 3rd, 2020- vcita joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide, through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and medium...
Nov 02, 2020
Washington D.C. 28 de octubre de 2020 . El Banco BHD León se unió a la red global de miembros del SME Finance Forum (Foro de Financiamiento para Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas, en español) para seguir apoyando a las pymes de República Dominicana. El Foro agrupa grandes empresas a nivel mundial con el propósito de promover servicios multibancarios...
Trade Finance
Nov 02, 2020
Global Executive Forum Series by Trade Finance Global and SME Finance Forum. Our partner Trade Finance Global launched the Global Executive Forum Series, in a joint collaboration with the SME Finance Forum. The second interview in the series discusses ‘1.5°C Supply Chain Leaders’ with Maria Mendiluce, CEO of We Mean Business, Majda Dabaghi,...
Financial Education
Nov 02, 2020
We are proud to announce that our member Proparco and Agence Française de Développement Group (AFD) has committed approx. €2.5 billion to finance MSMEs and entrepreneurs in Africa, by the year 2022. The Choose Africa initiative is implemented by the AFD group and coordinated by Proparco. About 10,000 African companies will be supported by this...
Financial Education
Nov 02, 2020
We are proud to announce that our member Triodos Investment Management’s Microfinance Fund and the German Development Finance Institution (DEG) have invested close to USD 25 million in Ipak Yuli Bank, a universal commercial bank in Uzbekistan. Both investors have acquired an equal minority stake in the share capital of the bank through an issuance...
Trade Finance
Nov 02, 2020
We are delighted to launch the ‘Trade Finance Explained: An SME Guide for Importers and Exporters’ along with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), The Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT), International Trade Centre (ITC), Forum of Private Business (FPB), and Trade Finance Global (TFG). What's the SME Trade Finance Guide...
Financial Education
Oct 24, 2020
Washington DC, October October 27th, 2020 — The SME Finance Forum announced the winners of the 2 020 Global SME Finance Forum Award s today during the Global SME Finance Forum 2020 Virtual Conference . Check the list of winners here> https://www.smefinanceforum.org/awards-2020 Organized by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) , a member...
Covid-19
Oct 24, 2020
SME Finance Forum presents the 2020 Global SME Finance Forum Virtual Conference on October 26-28, with more than 1800+ senior executives from commercial banks, development finance institutions, fintech companies, regulators, and featuring exhibition booths, fireside chats, fintech pitches, virtual tours, and much more. The Global SME Finance...
Digital Financial Services
Oct 23, 2020
Washington D.C., October 23rd, 2020 - We welcome Polymath Ventures to the SME Finance Forum global membership network. Our network consists of SME financing leaders from around the world who come together to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of small and underserved businesses. “At SME Finance Forum we are committed to...
Oct 19, 2020
Washington D.C., October 19th,2020 - We’re excited to share that BHD Leon joined the SME Finance Forum global membership network. The Forum brings together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “When we started in 2012, we...
Oct 16, 2020
Washington D.C., October 16, 2020- Beehive joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide, through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and medium...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Oct 16, 2020
We are proud to share that our member HPD LendScape has partnered with Emirates Development Bank (EDB) to launch UAE’s National Supply Chain Finance (SCF) platform. This initiative will offer UAE businesses improved access to working capital, particularly as they cope with the added pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. SCF solutions will enable...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Oct 15, 2020
The importance of credit reporting systems to the global financial system has been increasing over time. Robust credit reporting systems can promote not only access to affordable and sustainable credit for individuals and companies but also financial stability and economic growth. Credit reporting service providers (CRSPs) have been at the...
Non Financial Services
Oct 15, 2020
Fyndoo is the name of a lending ecosystem, a cloud technology stack developed and owned and by our member, Topicus. They make financing accessible, efficient and transparent for all parties involved and connect financers, entrepreneurs and advisors with their cloud-based business lending platform. Lack of access to lending is a challenge for...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Oct 15, 2020
The main objective of this Knowledge Guide is to provide guidance to the World Bank Group (WBG) staff, donor institutions, government officials and other practitioners on the objectives and implementation of secured transactions reforms, as well as the factors that affect the implementation. The Knowledge Guide considers the experiences learned in...
Digital Financial Services
Oct 15, 2020
This blog has been originally posted on the World Bank Blogs website. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play a huge role in facilitating economic development due to their flexibility and affinity to innovation. Even more so in emerging economies with a high contribution from the informal sector. Yet, MSMEs face several challenges when...
Digital Financial Services
Oct 15, 2020
Our member CashDirector, an AI-enabled Digital CFO for SMEs with operations in Poland, France, Germany and Italy, is further expanding its services in Europe with the support of EIT Digital Accelerator and a recent financing round led by one of the largest Polish Investment Funds, EEC Magenta. Through CashDirector, banks obtain valuable...
Financial Education
Oct 15, 2020
We're proud to share that our members 4G CAPITAL GROUP Limited (“4G CAPITAL”) and Citi with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (“DFC”) and the Ford Foundation have collaborated to expand financial inclusion through the provision of working capital to support the growth of micro-enterprises in Kenya. 4G Capital will receive a...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Oct 07, 2020
On Wednesday September 19, 2019, our member Afriland First Bank organized a meeting between SMEs and SMIs. This was the second edition of this event which brought together around 100 Cameroonian companies. The theme of the event was “From factory to market: solutions to the challenges of production and distribution by SMEs / SMIs in Cameroon.” The...
Gender Finance
Oct 06, 2020
IFC and member FMO - Dutch entrepreneurial development bank has launched a report today on how non-financial services are the key to unlocking the growth potential of women-led businesses. The report highlights how women SME such as Patricia Mwangi’s business in Kenya benefit from non-financial services. Download the report> http://wrld.bg/...
Covid-19
Oct 06, 2020
Originally posted in Nanopay website In this piece, prepared by member Nanopay, Ivy Luu, Director of Liquidity Management Solutions, talks about the future of liquidity management and draws parallels between today’s crisis and the one that occurred in 2008. Continue reading here>
Oct 01, 2020
Washington D.C., October 1st, 2020 - Banco Atlántida joins the SME Finance Forum as the newest member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 80+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide, through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and...
Covid-19
Sep 29, 2020
Our partner Trade Finance Global launched the Global Executive Forum Series, in a joint collaboration with the SME Finance Forum , with the first B20 / Business at OECD - OCDE Interview with Gianluca Riccio, CFA, Vice-Chair Finance Committee, Business at OECD. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the world’s considerable dependence on Global...
Sep 29, 2020
Washington D.C., September 29th, 2020 - We welcome RootAnt to the SME Finance Forum global membership network. Our network consists of SME financing leaders from around the world who come together to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of small and underserved businesses. “At SME Finance Forum we are committed to helping small...
Covid-19
Sep 29, 2020
The treatment of credit data during a crisis has potential impact on the integrity of the credit reporting system and ultimately the financial markets. Inadequate and untimely data reduces the reliance placed by credit providers on the credit reporting system and can lead to credit rationing, increase in the cost of credit and exclusion of...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Sep 29, 2020
This blog has been originally posted on the World Bank Blogs website. For most MSMEs, capital and wealth are concentrated in movable assets -- in the developing world, 78% of the capital stock of businesses are inventory, equipment or receivables, and only 22% land and buildings. Conversely though, lending practices in most of the developing world...
Covid-19
Sep 28, 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage economies around the world, our member FSD Kenya is steering forward to measure the economic impact of the situation on low-income Kenyans and smaller businesses. As a significant institution in the region, their efforts play a pivotal role in helping the financial sector develop policies and solutions...
Gender Finance
Sep 25, 2020
Women play a significant role in the development of our economy but are one of the most vulnerable groups impacted by unprecedented events. The ongoing pandemic has heightened the need to address the gender finance gap in societies around the world and drive initiatives to support them in achieving financial independence. We’re proud to see our...
Gender Finance
Sep 25, 2020
As 2020 started, Wandia Gichuru’s eyes were set on a 40% revenue growth on her business from the previous year. Wandia is Founder and Owner of Vivo, a manufacturer and retailer of women’s clothing with 14 shops throughout Kenya. Little did she know that only a few months later the world would go into a rare lockdown which would make even matching...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Sep 24, 2020
This blog has been originally posted on the World Bank Blogs website . Two months from now, about 200 million people will be out of jobs due to the economic effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The disruption of supply chains and reduction in demand are impacting businesses’ cash flows and profitability—in some cases permanently. To avert a...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Sep 24, 2020
This third edition of the Credit Reporting Knowledge Guide, like the two earlier editions, disseminates knowledge on best practices in credit reporting development, based on the experiences of the World Bank Group. Since the launch of the program, the World Bank Group has helped to develop favorable credit reporting environments in many countries...
Sep 23, 2020
The SME Finance Forum's "Fireside Chat" is a new series of one-on-one interviews with CEOs, senior executives of financial institutions and technology companies as well as financial sector regulators. The series focuses on a wide range of critical issues that matter to development and growth of MSMEs around the world. The invited guests will share...
Digital Financial Services
Sep 21, 2020
On the 5th Anniversary of our network, we thank our founding members for their invaluable support SMEs play a pivotal role in building economies and supporting job creation and innovation – yet most struggle to get the financing they require to grow. This is why the G20 countries, in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, decided to create...
Digital Transformation
Sep 18, 2020
Member Banking Circle announced on September 9th, 2020 that it is tackling the compliance and reconciliation issues often faced in global B2B payments with its new Payments on Behalf of (POBO) and Collections on Behalf of (COBO) solutions. Available globally through SWIFT, Faster Payments, CHAPS, SEPA and local clearing, the Banking Circle POBO...
Sep 17, 2020
Washington D.C., September 17th, 2020 - We welcome Rong360 Jianpu Technology (NYSE:JT) to the SME Finance Forum global membership network. Our network consists of SME financing leaders from around the world who come together to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of small and underserved businesses. “At SME Finance Forum we...
Sep 15, 2020
Washington D.C., September 15th - AfreximBank joins the SME Finance Forum as the 200th member of our global membership network. Our members are SME Financing experts from 190+ countries who share the common goal of expanding access to finance to small businesses worldwide, through knowledge exchange and innovation. “40 percent of small and medium...
Youth Entrepreneurship
Sep 14, 2020
Four in 10 people, or 42 percent, of the world’s population are under the age of 25. Globally, an estimated 70.9 million youth were unemployed in 2017. Thus, job creation and economic growth through private sector development have become primary areas of focus for policymakers around the world. As more youth enter the workforce, they are known to...
Sep 14, 2020
Washington D.C., September 14th - We’re excited to share that MIB Network Limited , a subsidiary of Mobvista, joined the SME Finance Forum global membership network. The Forum brings together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful...
Covid-19
Sep 11, 2020
B20 and Business at OECD launch “GVC Passport” concept on Financial Compliance to Reinvigorate Firms’ Growth Post-COVID-19 The Business 20 (B20), the official voice of the global business community across G20 members, and Business at OECD launched a joint conceptual policy proposal that focuses on reducing barriers that firms encounter in their...
Digital Financial Services
Sep 11, 2020
Washington D.C., September 11th, 2020 - We welcome TrueMoney to the SME Finance Forum global membership network. Our network consists of SME financing leaders from around the world who come together to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of small and underserved businesses. “At SME Finance Forum we are committed to helping...
Sep 04, 2020
Originally published on The Next Web . History has taught us that times of crisis drive demand for technological advancement. Those that leverage innovative technology, to tackle challenges and turn them into opportunities, are often the most successful in helping society to recover. Earlier this year, when the novel coronavirus sparked a global...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Sep 03, 2020
Washington D.C., September 3rd, 2020 - We’re excited to share that Prime Bank joined the SME Finance Forum global membership network. We bring together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “When we started in 2012, we...
Aug 28, 2020
Member EIF has issued two working papers as a result of a research project on “Measuring Microfinance Impact in the EU. Policy recommendations for Financial and Social Inclusion” (MeMI). The project was initiated and supervised by the EIF and was funded by the EIB Institute under the EIB-University Sponsorship Programme (EIBURS). The aim of this...
Aug 27, 2020
Washington D.C., August 27th, 2020 - We’re excited to share that AGFUND is the newest member of the SME Finance Forum. We bring together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “40 percent of small and medium businesses...
Digital Financial Services
Aug 25, 2020
Washington D.C., August 25th, 2020 - We’re excited to share that HPD LendScape has joined the SME Finance Forum global membership network. The Forum brings together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “When we started in...
![[REPORT LAUNCH] People’s Money: Harnessing Digitalization to Finance a Sustainable Future](https://www.smefinanceforum.org/sites/default/files/styles/720x486/public/Read%20now.jpeg?itok=0UHp2Qnv "[REPORT LAUNCH] People’s Money: Harnessing Digitalization to Finance a Sustainable Future")
Aug 24, 2020
[REPORT LAUNCH] As part of the GPFI implementing partners, the United Nations Task Force on Digital Financing on the Sustainable Development Goals has launched the report: “People’s Money: Harnessing Digitalization to Finance a Sustainable Future”. New York City, 26 August - A new report launched today, “People’s Money: Harnessing Digitalization...
Covid-19
Digital Financial Services
Aug 19, 2020
We are thrilled to announce that the nomination committee of the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) , an affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), chaired by Baybars Altuntas, has unanimously selected the SME Finance Forum CEO, Matt Gamser, to join the Executive Committee of the Ethical Governance...
Credit Risk & Scoring
Aug 17, 2020
Despite a low growth economy, which was hit even harder by COVID-19, local small and medium enterprise (SME) financier Retail Capital, has retained its national BB+ credit rating. While its international rating has dropped by one notch to B- in line with South Africa’s credit downgrade in March, both ratings have a stable outlook. This has...
Digital Financial Services
Aug 17, 2020
American Express today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire substantially all of Kabbage , a leading financial technology company providing cash flow management solutions to small businesses in the U.S. The transaction represents an important step toward American Express’ goal of being an essential partner to small businesses...
Aug 10, 2020
Washington D.C., August 10th, 2020 - We’re excited to share that Salt Edge is the newest member of the SME Finance Forum. We bring together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “40 percent of small and medium businesses...
Aug 04, 2020
Washington, D.C., August 4th, 2020 – Retail Capital became the newest member of the SME Finance Forum, a global membership network that brings together financial institutions, technology companies, and development finance institutions to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of SMEs. “40 percent of small and medium businesses...
Jul 31, 2020
Washington, D.C., July 31st, 2020 – FNB became the newest member of the SME Finance Forum , a global membership network that brings together financial institutions, technology companies, and development finance institutions to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of SMEs. “40 percent of small and medium businesses worldwide...
Jul 30, 2020
This publication is a research paper prepared by Dr. Randa Al-Yafi, Ph.D (Associates Professor) at College of Business Administration, Management Department, King Saud University, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (reviewed and approved by Kafalah GD). The research is showing some backgrounds of the SME sector and highlighting Kafalah role and achievements...
Financial Education
Jul 30, 2020
Originally posted by The Banker and reproduced with author's permission. Accounting has a long tradition. In Europe, it can be traced back to the 15th century, when double-entry bookkeeping became more widely known through the publication of a book by friar Luca Pacioli, in 1494, where he described the practice that Venetian merchants had been...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Jul 30, 2020
Washington D.C., July 30th, 2020 - We’re excited to share that Tam Faktoring is the newest member of the SME Finance Forum. The Forum brings together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “When we started in 2012, we were...
Policy & Regulation
Jul 29, 2020
Each year, our member BDC (Canada’s Business Development Bank) submits its annual report to the Parliament of Canada. It outlines BDC’s activities and achievements and includes its Consolidated Financial Statements as well as messages from the Chairperson of the Board of Directors and from the President and CEO. Some numbers: 62,000 entrepreneurs...
Gender Finance
Jul 28, 2020
Digital financial services have expanded opportunities for millions of women across the globe. More than 240 million more women now have an account with a financial institution or mobile money service, compared to 2014.1 Through this increased engagement in the formal economy, women’s resilience to financial, economic and health shocks is...
Jul 28, 2020
Washington D.C., July 28th, 2020 - We’re excited to share that Lucy joined the SME Finance Forum global membership network. The Forum brings together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “When we started in 2012, we were...
Digital Financial Services
Jul 22, 2020
Access to finance is a critical barrier for SMEs to start, sustain and grow their businesses. About half of formal SMEs do not have access to formal credit, and instead rely on internal funds, or cash from friends and family, to launch and initially run their business. An extensive survey of SMEs in 135 countries showed that access to finance was...
Covid-19
Jul 21, 2020
Originally posted on the The Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) website . Since the early onset of the global pandemic, Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) has adopted ongoing preventive and supportive measures aimed at containing the negative repercussions of COVID-19 on the local economy. Furthermore, the central bank has facilitated the use of...
Gender Finance
Youth Entrepreneurship
Digital Financial Services
Jul 19, 2020
The G20 High-Level Policy Guidelines on Digital Financial Inclusion for Youth, Women, and SMEs document was produced by the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) in 2020 under the Saudi Arabia G20 Presidency with the support of OECD , the World Bank Group in partnership with The Better Than Cash Alliance, the Women's World Banking...
Digital Financial Services
Jul 09, 2020
Washington D.C., July 9th, 2020 - We’re happy to announce that Baobab Group joined the SME Finance Forum global membership network. The Forum brings together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “At SME Finance Forum we...
Covid-19
Jul 08, 2020
In this white paper, Dr. Mohammad Nurunnabi, Dr. Hisham Mohammed Alhawal and Professor Zahirul Hoque, from Global SME Policy Network (GSPN), address the impact of COVID-19 and how CEOs respond to SMEs recovery planning in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this study will be useful to global SMEs and policymakers and practitioners by providing examples...
Financial Education
Jul 07, 2020
Eight members of the SME Finance Forum won the IFC's 9th-Annual Trade Awards , which recognize the most successful partner banks that have been active under IFC’s Trade Finance Program in 2019. 47 winners were selected based on a competitive process amidst a total network of over 500 banks. “ We’re proud of the contributions our members make each...
Covid-19
Jul 07, 2020
Member Kabbage published a recent report on the results of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The combined Kabbage Program processed more than $5.8 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans, providing support to more than 209,000 small businesses and maintained an estimated 782,000 jobs across Main Street America. This includes all types of...
Jul 06, 2020
2020 Global SME Finance Forum – First Ever Virtual Edition The Global SME Finance Forum Conference is the largest, most technically in-depth, and geographically diverse conference on SME financing hosted around the world each year. Our events attract over 700 leaders from commercial banks, development finance institutions, fintech companies, as...
Digital Financial Services
Jul 03, 2020
The International Council for Small Business (ICSB), in June 2016, convened a small business panel at its 61st World Congress at the United Nations, in New York City. This report is the continuation of the ICSB’s work since 2016 with the goal of bringing all stakeholders and partners together in one place, with one mission, and one focus: to help...
Financial Education
Jul 01, 2020
Washington D.C., July 1st, 2020 - We’re excited to share that Funding Societies joined the SME Finance Forum global membership network. The Forum brings together development financial institutions, banks, and fintechs from around the world to support SMEs through knowledge exchange, policy change, and impactful partnerships. “When we started in...
Supply & Value Chain Finance
Jun 30, 2020
The FCI Annual Review has been recently published by our industry partner, and it is a globally recognised publication in the world of Factoring and Receivables Finance. Peter Mulroy, FCI Secretary General, introduces the publication highlighting the major achievements in 2019 but also the challenges and opportunities facing FCI and the industry...
![[Member News] PayPal pledges over $500 million to support minority-owned U.S. businesses](https://www.smefinanceforum.org/sites/default/files/styles/720x486/public/PayPal-India-Expansion-Ecommerce.jpg?itok=7mHx0aw8 "[Member News] PayPal pledges over $500 million to support minority-owned U.S. businesses")
Jun 17, 2020
Member PayPal Holdings Inc said on Thursday it was pledging $530 million to support black and minority-owned businesses in the United States and foster diversity, amid worldwide protests over racial injustice. $500 million will be devoted to the creation of an economic opportunity fund that will invest in black and under-represented minority...
Covid-19
Jun 16, 2020
The novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected over 7.45 million people worldwide and claimed over 400,000 lives globally. It is not just a pandemic—it is also a burgeoning (global) economic crisis, especially because of the measures (including lockdowns) adopted to contain its spread. Several...
Covid-19
Jun 16, 2020
Following on our recent agreement with TFG’s as an industry partner for the SME Finance Forum, this podcast features our CEO, Matt Gamser, interviewed by host Deepesh Patel (DP), Editor, of the Trade Finance Global. Trade Finance Talks is a podcast from Trade Finance Global (TFG) featuring global experts, and learnings about the latest trends,...
Jun 10, 2020
This interview is part of Digital Frontiers Institute's course on Digital MSME Marketing , and has been reproduced with permission of the Digital Frontiers Institute. Copyright 2020, Digital Frontiers Institute. Members can request password to smefinanceforum@ifc.org
Jun 08, 2020
Washington, D.C., June 8th, 2020 – Farmerline became the newest member of the SME Finance Forum , a global membership network that brings together financial institutions, technology companies, and development finance institutions to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of SMEs. “40 percent of small and medium businesses...
Covid-19
Jun 01, 2020
A group of more than 25 development finance institutions (DFIs) including IFC - International Finance Corporation is scaling up cooperation in response to COVID-19. They have committed to provide and mobilize billions of dollars of funding to help the private sector deliver critical healthcare supplies, ensure micro, small, and medium businesses...
Gender Finance
Covid-19
May 29, 2020
This evaluation report highlights an exhaustive situation of what Nigerien businesses are going through in general and more particularly those grouped within "emerging women" in particular since the COVID-19 was declared in late March in Niger. It is a real question of survival that is played out for these companies confronted as highlighted by...
Covid-19
May 21, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has so far spared Africa in terms of reported cases and casualties, yet the lockdowns in place have significantly hurt African economies. awamo , a digital, mobile banking platform, and credit bureau, specially designed for MFIs, has analyzed real-time transaction data of rural and semi-urban microfinance institutions from...
Digital Financial Services
May 19, 2020
Washington, D.C., May 19th, 2020 – nanopay Corporation became the newest member of the SME Finance Forum , a global membership network that brings together financial institutions, technology companies, and development finance institutions to share knowledge, spur innovation, and promote the growth of SMEs. “40 percent of small and medium...
May 11, 2020
Last December, we invited Nick Ogden, founder of ClearBank and WorldPay, to our offices for a presentation about RTGS, and a new interbank network the company was developing, where the benefits of the real-time gross settlement are uniquely matched to real-time guaranteed liquidity. RTGS Limited was founded by Nick Ogden, the entrepreneur who, as...
Covid-19
May 07, 2020
Member Proparco and IFC have agreed to collaborate more closely to create markets, mobilize private sector investment, and support economic recovery in developing countries in the wake of the COVID-19 global crisis. The agreement addresses a full range of collaboration activities with an emphasis on three key areas. First, it details the approach...
Covid-19
May 01, 2020
Member CreditEnable launched the “We Move Forward” initiative designed to help SMEs keep their businesses safe during the COVID-19 crisis. Offering free financial health checks and access to working capital loans, CreditEnable plans to provide 600,000 SMEs with this free service over the next month. Speaking about the initiative, CreditEnable CEO...
Covid-19
Apr 29, 2020
Over a period of less than two weeks, since it was officially declared a pandemic by WHO, COVID-19 has disrupted lives and economies around the globe. According to a briefing issued by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the COVID-19 pandemic will likely shrink the global GDP by almost one percent in 2020. Countries have...
Gender Finance
Covid-19
Apr 27, 2020
Promoting good practices in women entrepreneur financing has always been an important focus of the SME Finance Forum. Financial inclusion for women has always been challenging, particularly in emerging and developing markets where women entrepreneurs have lower access to capital, which severely restricts their progress and ability to contribute to...
Gender Finance
Youth Entrepreneurship
Apr 20, 2020
The GPFI’s stocktaking of data available on financing for SMEs, both at the country level and at the client level of the major international development finance institutions, reveals serious gaps. Annual aggregate data is captured annually for only a minority of the world’s countries by the IMF, OECD, and others. Little if any data is available at...