Event Highlights

SME Finance Virtual Marketplace - Empowering SMEs with Simplified ESG reporting Fintech Solutions

Geethanjali Jagannathan

Fintech

May 28, 2025

During our latest Marketplace on May 21st , the fintech s who were invited highlighted the tools they provide SMEs to help them gather and report ESG data more efficiently. Those solutions range from ESG reporting software , to data integration and collection tools, and monitoring and tracking software. The Role of GB-TAP and IFC in Supporting...

Key Takeaways from Akbank Immersion Program

Geethanjali Jagannathan

Sustainable Finance

Apr 01, 2025

The two days program offers great insights into AKBANK’s remarkable efforts and achievements in digital design and innovation especially how the bank integrates digital technology including AI to deliver customer experiences. Serving almost one third of the SMEs market in Turkey, some of the key factors driving the bank’s significant growth in...

AI in SME Finance: Opportunities and Threats

Geethanjali Jagannathan

Digital Financial Services

Fintech

Payments

Mar 27, 2025

AI technology plays a pivotal role in revolutionizing SME finance by offering many benefits and transforming traditional practices. It brings new opportunities for the financial and non-financial institutions by automating operational workflows, harnessing alternative data sources, and building new forecasting and credit models to serve previously...

Is the rise of alternative data making credit bureaus obsolete? Not quite…

Tianxiao Fang

Credit Risk & Scoring

Mar 13, 2025

As digitalization accelerates, the use of alternative data should be seen as a complement rather than a threat to the traditional global credit bureau industry. A new blog by IFC - International Finance Corporation ’s Collen Masunda - (FCCA, CDFA, RPAC, Fulbright Fellow) explains that leveraging alternative data can significantly enhance access to...

Insurance Opportunities to Support Small Business Growth

Geethanjali Jagannathan

SME Insurance

Mar 20, 2025

During our webinar on March 19th - organized in partnership with Berne Union - our guest speakers discussed the critical role of i nsurance for SMEs . Insurance acts as a shock absorber of adverse events, provides critical risk mitigation services, encourages saving, improves access to credit, and helps attract private capital to economies. They...

SME Finance Virtual Marketplace - Digital Lenders for Small Entrepreneurs

Geethanjali Jagannathan

Digital Financial Services

Mar 13, 2025

During our latest Marketplace on March 12 th , the fintech invited highlighted how they serve small businesses in emerging markets to address the needs of underserved segments . Either through direct lending operations or partnering with financial institutions, Prestamype , Validus Q- lana , Vexi and Kaleidofin are strategically targeting small...

Scaling MSME Finance in Creative Industries

Geethanjali Jagannathan

Alternative Financing

Mar 04, 2025

During our webinar on February 26th , our guest speakers highlight ed the immense potential of creative industries in driving economic growth, creating employment, and fostering innovation. They underscore d the financing challenges faced by this sector despite its potential and the need for tailored financial products, de-risking mechanisms, and...

Round Table - Leading Innovations in SME Finance: A Leadership Perspective

Geethanjali Jagannathan

Digital Financial Services

Feb 10, 2025

Key Takeaways from the Round Table on Leading Innovations in SME Finance On December 16th, 2024, industry leaders convened for a round table session to discuss the latest trends and innovations in SME finance. This high-level gathering brought together experts who shared their insights on various innovative approaches in SME finance. Below are the...

Increasing SME Access to Working Capital: E-invoicing and Digital Credit Infrastructure

Geethanjali Jagannathan

Digital Financial Services

Jan 29, 2025

Welcome to our latest blog post where we delve into the fascinating world of SME banking. The adoption of e-invoicing is increasing rapidly, driven by the digitization of business processes and, in some markets, by government mandates.  Digital invoice repositories, whether third-party platforms or government-operated systems, are forming part of...

SME Finance Marketplace - Focus on Non-Financial Services Platforms

Geethanjali Jagannathan

Non Financial Services

Jan 22, 2025

How Non-Financial Services are Empowering SMEs NFS platforms and Commercial Bank Partnership Welcome to our latest blog post where we delve into the fascinating world of SME banking. During our latest SME Finance Marketplace on January 22, we invited three NFS platforms: International Trade Center, Strands, and Silver Lining to talk about the...

Impact Stories: Cascade Develops Asset-Based Lending Platform to Increase Accuracy, Efficiency, and Transparency

Geethanjali Jagannathan

Sustainable Finance

Jan 09, 2025

In today’s fast-paced financial landscape, loan originators need asset-based financing from institutional investors to grow their portfolios. However, the traditional fundraising process and ongoing tasks associated with managing debt facilities are operationally intensive, error-prone, and slow. Cascade set out to change that by developing an...

Spotlight on Innovation: SME Finance Leaders 2024

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Digital Financial Services

Dec 06, 2024

Featuring Global SME Finance Awards Platinum Winners G ain I nsights from Three Awardees and G et R eady to A pply fo r the 2025 Awards ***************** The Global SME Finance Awards Since its launch in 2018, t he Awards recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of financial service providers in delivering exceptional products and...

Exploring the Future of SME Banking: Insights from IBM's Latest Research

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Digital Financial Services

Dec 03, 2024

Welcome to our latest blog post where we delve into the fascinating world of SME banking. During our latest webinar on November 25, we invited Paolo Sironi to share some of the key findings from IBM's Institute for Business Value (IBV)’s recent study, which features contributions from the SME Finance Forum. Together with four banking executives...

Balancing the demand of SME lending while managing credit risk & regulatory compliance

Abhishek Bhasin

Credit Risk & Scoring

Jan 18, 2024

This blog is brought to you by UPLINQ, a Member of the SME Finance Forum. The first part of that blog series is available here. -------------- In the first article of this series, we talked about the challenges faced by banks and lenders in providing financing to SMEs and enumerated the potential solution areas. In this second article, we are...

Scaling Finance, Creating Livelihoods, Achieving Impact - Powering SMEs and Economies!

Qamar Saleem

Financial Inclusion

Jan 11, 2024

The SME Finance Forum team and I would like to wish you a happy new year! At the outset, I would like to acknowledge how proud we are to have all of you as members and partners. We thank you for your valuable efforts in scaling SME finance within your own institutions and partnering with the SME Finance Forum. As the headline implies, we are...

Sustainability in Supply Chain Finance – Need, Challenges and Opportunities

Khrystyna Kushnir

Kyle Krym

Karla Espinoza Arguello

Supply & Value Chain Finance

Dec 19, 2023

Summary of the webinar discussion “Sustainability in Supply Chain Finance – Need, Challenges and Opportunities.” October 25, 8 AM – 9:30 AM EDT Panelists: Host: Qamar Saleem, CEO of the SME Finance Forum; Moderator: Rajesh Mehra, Practice Lead for Trade & Supply Chain Finance, Financial Institutions Group covering the Asia-Pacific region at...

Transforming MSME lending in India by leveraging advancements in credit decision support technology and contextual data

Abhishek Bhasin

Credit Risk & Scoring

Nov 17, 2023

Access to finance is a significant challenge for MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) in India like other emerging and developing economies. Despite the Indian central banks policies and guidelines requiring banks to allocate a portion of their credit for the priority sector, which includes MSMEs, information asymmetry and lack of risk...

DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS AND THE FUTURE OF SME FINANCING

Matt Gamser

Qamar Saleem

Non Financial Services

Sustainable Finance

Digital Financial Services

Fintech

Aug 15, 2023

For some time, the SME Finance Forum has demonstrated how state-of-the-art SME financing must go beyond credit and use digital technology to enhance customer experience. It’s becoming evident that today’s SMEs expect even more—they expect that their access to finance, markets and management support/skills building can all come in one space, in a...

The role of credit guarantee schemes in the sustainability of MSMEs ecosystem during the period of conflicts: Evidence from Yemen

Rami Al-Sabri

Sustainable Finance

Operational Risk

Aug 14, 2023

Introduction The ecosystem of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has been recognized as a critical driver of economic growth and development in many countries worldwide. These enterprises play a crucial role in creating employment opportunities, generating income, reducing poverty, and improving the standard of living for people globally...

Data and AI driving diversity in SME Lending

Abhishek Bhasin

Financial Inclusion

Non Financial Services

Alternative Financing

Gender Finance

Youth Entrepreneurship

May 15, 2023

Summary of our webinar on Data and AI driving diversity in SME Lending . A recording of the session is available here . A deck is available for Members of the SME Finance Forum on our Member Portal On April 19, 2023 the SME Finance Forum and Uplinq co-hosted a webinar on the topic of Data and AI driving diversity in SME lending. This topic...

SME Finance Forum Members Visit DBS and Tyme in Singapore

Mohan Chen

Digital Transformation

Fintech

Apr 03, 2023

On March 22-23, 2023, the SME Finance Forum successfully organized an immersion program in Singapore to DBS and Tyme, both members of the Forum. 39 senior executives from 19 financial institutions and 15 countries attended the event. The presentations shown during the immersion program are visible to Members of the SME Finance Forum who are logged...

DFIs present new funding opportunities for MSMEs

Kyle Krym

Financial Inclusion

Equity

Gender Finance

Supply & Value Chain Finance

Sustainable Finance

Operational Risk

Digital Financial Services

Mar 23, 2023

Summary of SME Finance Virtual Marketplace - 2023 March Session - LEADING DFIs A recording of the session is available here: https://vimeo.com/804283237 Presentations are available for Members of the SME Finance Forum on our Member Portal The “SME Finance Virtual Marketplace” is an online match-making platform that promotes partnership and...

Member Pulse Survey Q4 2022 – SME Finance in the Post-Pandemic Era

Mohan Chen

Khrystyna Kushnir

Financial Inclusion

Digital Transformation

Mar 13, 2023

In December 2022, we launched our 11th pulse survey. We received responses from 119 member institutions operating in 194 economies. Among the respondents, 81 are lenders and 38 are non-lenders. Level of Operation The feedback from member institutions continues to be positive. 46 percent of respondents say their level of operation has already...

Michael Schlein, President and CEO of Accion, on today’s challenges for SMEs Financing

Kyle Krym

Rural & Agriculture Finance

Data Analytics

Fintech

Feb 16, 2023

In a wide-ranging interview, Michael Schlein, President and CEO of Accion , spoke to how the world can emerge from the pandemic to build a more inclusive, resilient global society through the transformative power of innovation. “The innovation we're seeing worldwide is allowing us to consider and find new ways of financing small and medium...

Accelerating trade, financing, and growth opportunities for MSMEs

Britt Mayers

Non Financial Services

Trade Finance

Credit Risk & Scoring

Fintech

Payments

Feb 13, 2023

Summary of the SME Finance Virtual Marketplace – January Live Session . On January 11th, the SME Finance Forum Marketplace session gathered four fintechs, offering services ranging from growth partnerships and mobile money float financing to ‘trust’ scoring and trade financing support. Building a Trust-Driven SME Lending Ecosystem DigiAlly,...

SME Finance Innovative Solutions of the Month: Digitalization, AI-based Business Insights and Alternative Credit Scoring

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Adam Karadsheh

Fintech

Jan 09, 2023

Summary of  SME Finance Virtual Marketplace – December Live Session . The SME Finance Forum, since its inception in 2015, has been featuring innovative fintechs to help connect its members with different technologies and partnership opportunities. Our virtual marketplace is a unique online match-making platform promoting partnership and...

How fintechs are providing financing opportunities to SMEs without formal credit profiles

Britt Mayers

Credit Risk & Scoring

Fintech

Dec 08, 2022

Summary of SME Finance Virtual Marketplace – November Live Session . The SME Finance Forum, since its inception in 2015, has been featuring innovative fintech, helping connect members to different technologies and partnership opportunities. Through our virtual SME marketplace, we offer a monthly pitch session. The SME virtual marketplace is a...

Digitalization is vital to helping the world’s small and medium sized enterprises

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Gillette Conner

Digital Transformation

Nov 01, 2022

At the Global SME Finance Forum 2022  Harnessing Digitalization for Sustainable and Inclusive SME Finance, more than 350 leaders and senior executives from 60 countries and over 180 banks, Fintechs and regulatory agencies gathered in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Co-hosted by the National Bank of Cambodia and the SME Finance Forum, top-tier experts...

Financial inclusion: How fintech expand access to underserved communities and sectors

Mohan Chen

Fintech

Nov 15, 2022

Summary of SME Finance Virtual Marketplace – October Live Session . The SME Finance Forum, since its inception in 2015, has been featuring innovative fintechs to help connect its members with different technologies and partnership opportunities. The monthly virtual marketplace is a unique online match-making platform promoting partnership and...

Virtual Workshop: Digitalizing Supply Chain Finance Summary

Anastasia Thano

Digital Transformation

Aug 20, 2022

The SME Finance Forum hosted this event featuring three Asian-Pacific banking associations to explore ways for digitalization to unlock the potential of supply chain finance (SCF) and bring meaningful changes in its access to and availability for SMEs. In this online session, Dr. Matthew Gamser ( SME Finance Forum ), and Matthew Saal (...

Someone writting on a Lap Top external Data

How fintech innovations are changing the world

Shaiza Chaudhry

Karla Espinoza Arguello

Digital Financial Services

Digital Transformation

Fintech

Aug 23, 2022

Summary of the SME Finance Virtual Marketplace - August Live Session The SME Finance Forum since its inception in 2015 has been featuring innovative fintech, helping connect members to different technologies and partnership opportunities. Through our virtual SME marketplace, we offer, in particular, a monthly pitch session. The SME virtual...

GPFI Workshop New Approaches to Closing Finance & Data Gaps for Women-led Businesses Summary of Proceedings

The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi)

Gender Finance

Aug 04, 2022

Access to finance has always been a significant constraint for women entrepreneurs, hindering their growth prospects. Lack of sex-disaggregated data has made it difficult to close the $1.7 trillion gap in financing faced globally by over 400 million women-owned businesses. A GPFI Workshop on “New Approaches to Closing Finance & Data Gaps for...

How To Secure Funding That Is Adaptable, Creative, And Solution-Focused

Shaiza Chaudhry

Digital Financial Services

Digital Transformation

Aug 02, 2022

Summary of the SME Finance Virtual Marketplace - July Live Session The SME Finance Forum since its inception in 2015 has been featuring innovative fintech, helping connect members to different technologies and partnership opportunities. Through our virtual SME marketplace, we offer, in particular, a monthly pitch session. The SME virtual...

Covid+Fintech: Finally a Game Changer for SME Financing?

Matt Gamser

Financial Education

Aug 01, 2022

Just six years ago, more than half of SME retailers’ transactions were paper based – in the form of cash or cheques. That world is long gone. Why? A large part is because Covid-19 gave digital payments a huge boost. The pandemic made many physical transactions impossible over a significant period, and made digital alternative payments, whether by...

Supporting SMEs in Africa through Innovative Payment Solution, Fintech Banking and Data Management

Sustainable Finance

Jul 20, 2022

Summary of SME Finance Virtual Marketplace – May Live Session The SME Finance Forum, since its inception in 2015, has been featuring innovative fintechs, helping to connect its members to different technologies and partnership opportunities. Through our virtual SME marketplace, we offer, in particular, a monthly pitch session.  The SME virtual...

The Case for Impact Investing: Addressing Capital Lending & Social Reach in India

Anastasia Thano

Sustainable Finance

Operational Risk

Jul 14, 2022

This blog is a summary of our “SME Lending & Social Impact in India” webinar with U GRO Capital. Small businesses in India employ over 100 million people or 40% of India’s workforce and account for 29% of India’s GDP and 49% of its exports [1] . The current SME finance gap in the Indian context amounts to $221 billion or 10% of the country’s...

The Benefits of Incorporating Creative Digital Solutions into Your Small Business Strategy

Shaiza Chaudhry

Financial Inclusion

Digital Financial Services

Digital Transformation

Jul 13, 2022

Summary of the SME Finance Virtual Marketplace – June Live Session The SME Finance Forum, since its inception in 2015, has been featuring innovative fintechs, helping to connect its members to different technologies and partnership opportunities. Through our virtual SME marketplace, we offer, in particular, a monthly pitch session. The SME virtual...

The Evolution of Lending and Risk Management: How Technology is Making it Easier

Shaiza Chaudhry

Operational Risk

Digital Financial Services

Jul 08, 2022

Summary of SME Finance Virtual Marketplace - Seventh Session with Fintechs The SME Finance Forum since its inception in 2015 has been featuring innovative fintechs, helping connecting members to different technologies and opportunities. Through our virtual marketplace, we offer in particular a monthly pitch session. On February 16th, the seventh...

Member Survey drawing, woman and man pointing to a board with checkmarks

Member Pulse Survey 2022 – SME Finance in the New Normal

Matt Gamser

Khrystyna Kushnir

Mohan Chen

Jun 07, 2022

In March 2022, we launched our 10th pulse survey with more targeted questions to understand how our members and their SME clients are adjusting to the new normal. We received responses from 118 member institutions operating in 181 economies. Among the respondents, 83 are lenders and 35 are non-lenders. Level of Operation The overall story here is...

What comes next in the MENA region? SME Recovery and the Role of Credit Guarantees

Marcus Chenevix

Guarantees

Jun 01, 2022

If the unofficial theme of last year’s MENA Credit Guarantee Conference was how to move past the Covid emergency, this year it was about preparing for what comes next. Adulrahman Hesham al-Suwaidi, CEO of Qatar Development Bank (this year’s co-host) set the tone in his opening remarks, encouraging speakers to look ahead at how guarantee...

Partnerships to Grow SME Finance

Antony Costantin

Fintech

May 18, 2022

This blog is the summary of the virtual marketplace from March 9th, the SME Finance Forum hosted this event featuring three fintech and one DFI (Development Finance Institution) to share their experiences and different products and services in SME Finance. In this online session, Robert Scheunpflug ( Shanghai F-Road Commercial Services Co. Ltd ),...

Innovating Financial Products and Services for MSMEs beyond Credit

Matt Gamser

Mohan Chen

Financial Education

Non Financial Services

Mar 31, 2022

This blog is a summary of the G20 Workshop on Digital and Innovative Financial Products and Services for MSMEs Beyond Credit . G20 countries’ Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) organized the virtual workshop with the Indonesia G20 Presidency on March 2, 2022. More than 500 industry leaders participated in the event and joined the...

Beyond Credit: How to Support Women-Owned MSMEs for Sustainable Growth

Women’s World Banking

Gender Finance

Mar 01, 2022

A summary of the open webinar on “Beyond Funding, What Do Women Need to Advance Their Businesses?” SME Finance Forum and Women’s World Banking’s hosted panel explores how financial service providers can leverage business support services to empower women-led businesses with the skills, networks, and resources needed to reach their growth potential...

Fintech platforms disrupting SME Finance

Carina Carrasco

Digital Transformation

Fintech

Feb 16, 2022

A summary of SME Finance Virtual Marketplace - Fifth Session - Fintechs The SME Finance Forum has been featuring a series of fintech, connecting members to different techonologies and opportunities. Particularly on November 11th, the fifth SME Finance Forum Marketplace session gathered six fintech companies offering services from e-lending, public...

SME Finance through the Lens of Investors

Mohan Chen

Fintech

Feb 10, 2022

A virtual marketplace summary . On January 12 th , the Forum hosted a virtual marketplace featuring six leading investors in the industry to share their experience in SME finance. In this online session, Elizabeth Davrishashvili ( FINCA Impact Finance ), Luz Leyva ( REGMIFA ), Chris Wehbé ( Lendable ), Edmund Higenbottam ( Verdant Capital ),...

To a continued partnership and collaboration in 2022!

Matt Gamser

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...

Algorithmic Bias in Credit Scoring: How to Limit their Effect?

Lauren Jordan

Policy & Regulation

Credit Risk & Scoring

Dec 07, 2021

Credit scoring has the potential to improve access to capital and financial inclusion around the world. As financial institutions begin to have access to different types of data, the variety of credit scoring mechanisms have increased. One way that financial institutions have kept track of these alternative data and found ways to understand them...

Why is finance critical for an equitable and robust recovery post-COVID?

Zoey Wang

Covid-19

Dec 02, 2021

This is a summary of the Sneak Preview of the World Development Report 2022: Finance for an Equitable Recovery. On September 30th, WDR Director Leora Klapper and Lead Author Martin Holtmann made a special advance presentation, hosted by Matthew Gamser, CEO of the SME Finance Forum, sharing findings of the upcoming  2022 World Development Report (...

Member Pulse Survey 2021 Q2 on the Impact of COVID-19

Tarun Sridhar

Covid-19

Sep 15, 2021

In February 2021, we launched our revised pulse survey, to be run quarterly, with more targeted questions to understand how our members, and by proxy how their SME clients, are faring. We had 71 respondents working in 143 countries, out of which 47 are lenders working in a little over 100 countries. Our second round of surveys this year, during...

Digitalización de PYMES en países en vías de desarrollo

Digital Transformation

Sep 08, 2021

Este blog es un resumen del evento En Foco con AB Bank Zambia . La digitalización se ha convertido en la principal tendencia de los servicios financieros para las PYMES desde que comenzó la pandemia de COVID-19. La tecnología apoya a las instituciones financieras a brindar servicios de forma más accesible a más personas en la base de la pirámide,...

Using Technology to Meet the MSMEs Financing Gap in West Africa’s Informal Sector: Challenges, Progress, and Opportunities

Antony Costantin

Digital Financial Services

Fintech

Aug 18, 2021

This is a member spotlight summary. While entrepreneurs in the informal sector contribute an average of 60% to the GDP of West African countries, less than 15% of those entrepreneurs have access to banks as a source of financing. Significant progress has been achieved by fintech companies who are working with banks and e-money operators in the...

Digital Marketplaces, and How to Survive COVID-19

Carina Carrasco

Digital Transformation

Fintech

Aug 10, 2021

A summary of SME Finance Virtual Marketplace - Second Session - Fintechs A study published by Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, Cambridge Judge Business School, highlighted that “60% of all financial technology firms at the global level are launching new products, services, and features during COVID-19.” With the purpose of adding value to...

DeFi Vs. CeFi: The Future of Fundraising for SMEs

Mohan Chen

Digital Financial Services

Fintech

Aug 02, 2021

This is an open webinar summary. Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Centralized Finance (CeFi) have been one of the most trending subjects of discussion in the industry since 2018. Often understood as a blockchain-based form of financial technology that removes intermediaries when offering financial instruments, DeFi no longer relies on a third...

How COVID is accelerating partnerships between big tech and banks

Mohan Chen

Fintech

Payments

Jul 29, 2021

This is a virtual roundtable summary. The pandemic has brought several changes to the SME Finance ecosystem worldwide. Many banks and Big Tech companies chose to partner together to provide solutions to counter the challenges posed by COVID-19. This roundtable aimed to examine the increasingly important role of Tech Giants in the SME financing...

The Concrete Actions to Greening Finance at the SME Level

Matt Gamser

Sustainable Finance

Jul 26, 2021

The United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) was held from Tuesday, 6 July, to Thursday, 15 July 2021, including a three-day ministerial meeting and the theme was "Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic”. This High-Level event further builds on the outcomes of the joint side event organized...

Directed Lending to SMEs: Current practices and challenges

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Guarantees

Jul 21, 2021

One way of targeting investment to the businesses that need it the most is through an approach known as ‘directed lending’ (DL). It is a tool increasingly used by development finance institutions (DFIs) in recent years and involves lending to financial institutions so that they, in turn, lend to specific types of customer. MSMEs is the most common...

Innovative Approaches in Supply Chain Finance for Women-SMEs

Minerva Kotei

Gender Finance

Jul 19, 2021

This blog is a summary of our webinar on Supply Chain Finance for Women-SMEs Supply Chain Finance (SCF) is an effective solution to extend access to finance to SMEs by developing a technology-driven low-risk product aimed to channel liquidity to strategically important value chains. It also has strong potential to close finance gaps for SMEs,...

The Unique Needs of SMEs in Corporate Distress

Hourn Thy

SME Insurance

Jul 16, 2021

This blog is a summary of our Virtual Roundtable Series #28 - Handling Insolvency during Crisis: What Will SMEs Need? SMEs are the backbones of many economies around the world, especially in the emerging countries where they play even more important roles in employment and income generations, innovation as well as provision of public goods and...

Man with an umbrella protecting himself from a cloud of wheel nuts with the word Insurtehc

Entering a New Era: SME Insurance and Technology

Mohan Chen

SME Insurance

Jul 14, 2021

A webinar summary. Recent developments in technology have significantly changed the SME insurance industry. Insurtechs, insurance companies and other financial services providers are expected to explore new approaches to serve the SME market together. Jackson Theuri ( Britam General Insurance Kenya Ltd. ) , Khue Dinh ( Chubb Vietnam ), and Douglas...

Alternative Data to Reshape the Ecosystem of the Business Information Industry

Mohan Chen

Non Financial Services

Jun 16, 2021

A virtual roundtable summary. As the pandemic proceeds to the second year, the degree of information asymmetry between lenders and borrowers continues to increase. In the post-COVID-19 era, it is important to find new data sources and establish innovative risk models that are well-calibrated to provide accurate assessments of the SMEs’ capacity of...

Hands holding a phone and a payment device

Partnerships Putting SME Customers at the Center of the Picture

Carina Carrasco

Financial Education

Jun 03, 2021

A summary of our Member Spotlight with FNB . COVID-19 has exposed the needs for financial institutions to adopt technologies at a faster pace. Retrieving and automating data in a seamless way can make a difference in the way they operate and optimize business transactions, thus better serving their SME customers. This is undoubtedly a step forward...

African woman selling produce in a market

The Importance of Creating Markets for Women-led MSMEs post COVID-19

Minerva Kotei

Gender Finance

May 24, 2021

A webinar summary. Women-led MSMEs (W-MSMEs) have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic, with many reporting revenue losses over 50%, largely due to their smaller size, informality, and concentration in heavily affected sectors. IFC has implemented several COVID related interventions to support FI clients and their customers and conducted...

Back of a modem with small worker figures connecting a big blue cable

Digitalization for Banks and SMEs: An Opportunity-Driven Change

Adi Engel

Nila Moloney

Financial Inclusion

Digital Financial Services

Digital Transformation

May 19, 2021

This is a summary of our open webinar “ Unlocking Digitalization Opportunities for Banks and SMEs .” While many SMEs were already undergoing a digital transformation, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the pace, unlocking new opportunities for banks, fintechs and SMEs alike. The SME Finance Forum hosted an open webinar with Adi Engel , Chief...

business man handshake with dots and building on the background

Building Partnerships through Matchmaking

Hourn Thy

Financial Inclusion

Digital Transformation

May 03, 2021

It was my distinct pleasure to host the first Virtual Marketplace session of the SME Finance Forum on April 21, 2021 , where representatives from eight leading development finance institutions (DFIs), namely Afrexim Bank , UK Development Bank ( CDC ), US Development Finance Corporation ( DFC ), FinDev Canada , Dutch Development Bank ( FMO ),...

El desarrollo de las pymes mexicanas mediante el factoraje electrónico

Marie-Sarah Chataing

May 03, 2021

Este artículo es un resumen de nuestra sesión con eFactor Network , una empresa de tecnología financiera basada en México. Dentro de nuestra misión de ampliación de conocimientos, el Foro brinda a nuestros miembros la oportunidad de compartir conocimientos y experiencias, así como productos y servicios específicos relevantes y útiles para la...

African business woman center surrounded by business men looking at a laptop

Gender Lens Investing, the Quest for Gender Equality

Mohan Chen

Gender Finance

Apr 27, 2021

An open webinar summary. To address the inequalities between women and men, an increasing number of investors and financial institutions have adopted a new approach, gender lens investing. Since women were more severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become increasingly imminent to direct the capital towards the objective of achieving...

Man holding a table with packages, a background with icons and a world map superimposed

Greening SME Finance through a Sustainable Supply Chain

Zoey Wang

Supply & Value Chain Finance

Fintech

Apr 05, 2021

This blog is the summary of our third Member Spotlight with RootAnt . The concept of sustainability and the recognition of SMEs’ roles in the sustainable supply chain have gradually become more significant these years. Embedding sustainability factors into supply chain finance provides incentives to SME suppliers down the value chain, further...

Woman with mask, typing on a computer, screen with graphs, behind a glass for protection

“Shecession” - Women Entrepreneurs and the Pandemic

Sweta Patel

Gender Finance

Mar 30, 2021

This blog is the summary of a virtual roundtable : Measuring the Impact of COVID-19 on Women Entrepreneurs The impact of COVID-19 within different industries and countries is overwhelming, but one group was affected across the world – women-owned small businesses. Financial institutions need data, methods, and tools to measure the impact of the...

Woman with a phone or table on her hands with a sign-in message

How to Rule the SME Banking World

Zoey Wang

Fintech

Mar 17, 2021

This blog is the summary of our Member Spotlight with Strands . It is crucial for small businesses to be able to use an instrument simplifying money management and aggregating their entire financial picture on one platform. Banks are taking the lead in providing such solutions, empowering SMEs to take control of their financial future and...

Member Pulse Survey 2021 Q1 on the Impact of COVID-19

Tarun Sridhar

Covid-19

Mar 11, 2021

In February 2021, we launched our revised pulse survey, to be run quarterly, with more targeted questions to understand how our members, and by proxy how their SME clients, are faring. This quarter, we had 71 respondents working in 143 countries, out of which 47 are lenders working in a little over 100 countries. Most of our respondents (61%)...

Promoting Access to Digital Marketplaces for SMEs in India

Sweta Patel

Digital Transformation

Fintech

Mar 01, 2021

A webinar summary.* India is the fifth largest economy in the world, and has more than 100 million MSME employees, or 40% of India’s workforce. Only 600,000 people within the Indian workforce have access to credit products which are designed to serve MSMEs, leaving out 60+ million MSMEs. Small and medium organizations equate to 99.4% of MSMEs but...

The Evolving Role of Credit Guarantees – from Crisis to Recovery

Mohan Chen

Guarantees

Covid-19

Feb 18, 2021

A virtual roundtable summary. Managing liquidity has been one of the major challenges that SMEs encountered since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The governments and credit guarantee institutions have implemented numerous relief measures, including subsidized interest rates, moratoriums on loan repayments, and deferments of tax payments,...

Beyond Banking: Growing a Digital Community for SMEs

Tarun Sridhar

Non Financial Services

Digital Transformation

Jan 28, 2021

This blog is the summary of our first Member Spotlight with GlobalLinker . The COVID-19 pandemic presented a global challenge for businesses, including MSMEs and Banks, to reach and serve their customers. The global wave of closures and lockdowns paved the path for digitalization of business operations becoming necessary to sustain business as...

SME Loan Repayment Holidays in the Age of COVID

Architaa Kasera

Covid-19

Credit Risk & Scoring

Jan 07, 2021

A virtual roundtable summary The COVID-19 pandemic has caused economic hardship to millions of SMEs. To help SMEs survive through this crisis, governments and financial institutions have been granting loan repayment holidays to their clients. These payment deferral programs can blur the lines between illiquid and insolvent borrowers, making credit...

Happy Holidays sign in blue and white letters with a star

Happy Holidays! A Message from our CEO to SME Finance Forum Members

Matt Gamser

Dec 17, 2020

Dear Members, As 2020 draws to an end, let me take this opportunity to thank you and your colleagues for your continued support during these difficult times. 2020 has been a challenging year for all of us and while we have seen the COVID-19 pandemic throw the world into uncertainty, we are proud that so many of you have found the new services we...

Trends in Blockchain: Driving the Growth of SME Finance

Architaa Kasera

Fintech

Dec 09, 2020

A webinar summary Blockchain is no longer just about Bitcoin. With the rapid development of enterprise-grade solutions, we're witnessing a proliferation of blockchain use cases in the banking industry. Ivy Luu ( nanopay Corporation ) and Dengfeng Zhang ( Linklogis ) joined the panel to discuss the past, present and future impact of technological...

Member Pulse Survey #7&8 on the Impact of COVID-19 - October & November

Tarun Sridhar

Covid-19

Dec 08, 2020

We have now reached the eighth month of our Pulse Surveys and it goes without saying that this long period of data collection would not have been possible without our engaged members! In the months of October and November we had 75 respondents from 43 countries and 62 respondents from 40 countries respectively. In terms of respondent breakdown by...

Business Information and Credit Risk in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Mohan Chen

Credit Risk & Scoring

Dec 03, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary Since the COVID-19 pandemic, public entities have introduced various policies and programs to mitigate the economic disruption. However, the relief measures including moratoriums on loan repayments, closure of courts and banks due to lockdowns, increased lending to businesses under government-backed scheme, as well as...

Innovation and Technology, Key for Supply Chain Finance Transformation

Architaa Kasera

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Supply & Value Chain Finance

Nov 30, 2020

A webinar summary. While the supply chain finance sector is rising steadily, there is still a large unmet need in global trade finance, which has an estimated financing gap of $1.9 trillion annually around the world according to the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable. Nevertheless, with the availability of trade and transaction data,...

The Dos and Don’ts of Bank & Fintech Partnerships

Aswathi Krishnan

Covid-19

Digital Transformation

Oct 08, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. COVID-19 has created new challenges, which require new solutions and strategic partnerships between FinTech companies, Banks, and Non-Banks. The latest report from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Financial Services series explores how the intersections of emerging technologies like AI, DLT, cloud, and IOT are...

Supply Chain Finance Innovations: Technology Platforms

Mohan Chen

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Supply & Value Chain Finance

Oct 06, 2020

A webinar summary. With the digitization of the supply chain, several technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, have been developed to help financial institutions and other partners reduce risk, lend more efficiently, and connect customers to suppliers. The SME Finance Forum hosted a webinar last week to understand how...

Partnership between Bank and Fintech in Post COVID Period

Mohan Chen

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Covid-19

Sep 30, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to the field of SME finance, and these challenges won’t be solved without agile fintech companies. Hence, many banks around the world are partnering with, and in some cases acquiring, fintech to provide solutions for their SME clients. As part of a weekly webinar series...

woman face with eye looking through a white circle

Technology to Bridge the Gender Finance Gap

Aswathi Krishnan

Gillette Conner

Gender Finance

Sep 24, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. Women-owned SMEs are disproportionally impacted by the repercussions of the COVID-19 health crisis. The resulting economic downturn threatens to widen the gender gap in access to finance. Technology has become a key pillar in bridging this gap with banks and FinTech companies successfully leveraging technology to...

Member Pulse Survey #6 on the Impact of COVID-19 - September

Tarun Sridhar

Matt Gamser

Covid-19

Sep 17, 2020

It’s been 6 months since we sent out the first pulse survey to our members, and with every month we continue to better understand the state of our members and, by proxy, their SME clients. This month, we had 58 respondents from 42 countries, while the consistent respondent sample, recorded over a four-month period (June-September) consists of 22...

Piggy bank with mask and money, plus three small piggy banks in line

Informed credit decisions in times of COVID-19

Aswathi Krishnan

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

Sep 16, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. The COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges for SME lenders, and some banks were able to overcome these challenges and even acquire new SME customers along the way. As part of a series on COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the SME Finance Forum hosted a virtual roundtable “New Lending into a Crisis” showcasing the...

Payments Technology: Expanding Access for SMEs in Africa

Tarun Sridhar

Covid-19

Sep 15, 2020

A webinar summary. SMEs contribute significantly in terms of value-added to the economy and employment in any given country, but especially in emerging markets. However, their contribution is not matched with a proportionate availability of formal financing. For example, in Tanzania, 70% of SMEs have no access to formal financial services. Among...

Member Pulse Survey #5 on the Impact of COVID-19 - August

Tarun Sridhar

Matt Gamser

Covid-19

Aug 20, 2020

Some improvements reported but overall, members remain wary… This month’s pulse survey received 56 responses. Our members are showing signs of improvement, with the exception of a 10-percentage point increase in Asset Impairment. We see a similar trend among the consistent respondent sample (June-August). More members are reporting that they are...

Going Beyond Financing in Support of SMEs During and After COVID-19

Aswathi Krishnan

Covid-19

Aug 19, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. Over 200 million small businesses around the world need financing to invest, grow, and create new jobs. But we know that SMEs need more than financing to thrive. They need access to information, markets, and technology to become more productive, efficient, and resilient. They also need access to resources that can...

hand using phone and shopping cart on computer

The Changing Face of Your Banker

Risa Suenaga

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

Digital Financial Services

Aug 07, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. The acceleration of digital banking during the COVID-19 crisis is changing the “face” of banking. How will this crisis transform the banking industry and how we transact financial services? As part of a weekly webinar series on COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the SME Finance Forum hosted a virtual roundtable to discuss...

African woman sitting in front of computer analyzing data

Blog: Data Trends in Analytics, Risk, and Privacy in a Post-COVID 19 World

Lesly Goh

Covid-19

Jul 31, 2020

The SME Finance Forum hosted a panel discussion on Data Analytics in SME Banking with esteemed speakers who shared their viewpoints from the private and public sectors. From the discussion, it was clear to see that the perspectives varied across different countries where our panelists work and live: • Buhle Goslar (JUMO) –Africa region and...

Man in suit inserting a coin on a piggy bank with mask

The Evolving Collections and Risk Landscape

Celine Bteish

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

Jul 23, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. More than four months have passed since the beginning of a global lockdown and only a few weeks since some countries have started to re-open. Yet uncertainty remains as the pandemic continues to burn through countries and even re-emerge in ones that seemed to have it under control. Looking to counter the unpredictable...

piggy bank with glasses on books and a mask on the side

What we learned so far from our Virtual Roundtables on COVID-19 Mitigation Efforts

Othman Abanmai

Covid-19

Jul 22, 2020

The SME Finance Forum is continuously working to share the knowledge and experiences of our members as one of our core activities (Learn, Link, and Lead). During the COVID-19 crisis, and as a global SME finance community, the Forum introduced a new virtual roundtable series as part of our commitment to support our members and partners. The...

Woman in front of computer monitor point at the screen with legeng: Go Digital

The Importance of Going Digital for SMEs

Othman Abanmai

Covid-19

Digital Financial Services

Jul 21, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing businesses from retail, manufacturing and service providers to reevaluate their business models where the traditional “in-person” & “social” setting is the norm. As a result, businesses began to realize the need to incorporate a bigger portion of their business process with an innovative “contactless” method of...

Member Pulse Survey #4 on the Impact of COVID-19 - July

Tarun Sridhar

Matt Gamser

Covid-19

Jul 17, 2020

Once again, a significant number of members responded to our monthly pulse survey (76). We’d like to thank our members for their continued support! Last Thursday, at our Virtual Roundtable session, after the preliminary breakdown of the survey responses, we discovered that for the first time most respondents reported from Sub-Saharan Africa (26%)...

Worker with hat and mask, with a artificial intelligence square image on his hands

Opportunities for growth within a “new normal”

Gillette Conner

Risa Suenaga

Financial Education

Covid-19

Jul 16, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global economy is projected to suffer the sharpest contraction since the great depression of the 1930s. To forecast what is happening with the SME sector, we must look at the macro-economic picture. As part of a weekly webinar series on COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the SME Finance...

Old man and young man with computer on a crop field

The perfect storm to accelerate the digital revolution for Agri SMEs

Celine Bteish

Rural & Agriculture Finance

Covid-19

Jul 10, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis, economies around the world have been shaken by supply chain disruptions in all sectors, and the agricultural sector is no exception. The effects of COVID-19 have been diverse and largely dependent on the extremity of a country’s lockdown as well as government interventions. As...

Microfinance Institutions vs. COVID-19: The Real Asset Lies in the Global Networks

Celine Bteish

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Covid-19

Jul 08, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create new challenges for MSMEs, global microfinance networks have been forced to rethink their approaches to microfinance and supporting SME clients. The largest microfinance networks work on several continents and serve millions of clients through partner organizations. Thus,...

COVID-19: Digital Finance Models to the Rescue of SMES in Latin America

Celine Bteish

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Covid-19

Jul 04, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. Latin America has become the new epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Brazil, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, and other countries, the virus continues to spread quite aggressively. With this new reality, the region is facing numerous challenges to revive economies and SMEs have been deeply hit by the crisis. In this context...

Indian woman smiling in front of a clothing store

Supporting Women-Led Rural Micro-Enterprises Through COVID and Beyond

Aswathi Krishnan

Gender Finance

Covid-19

Jul 01, 2020

COVID19 has significantly impacted micro, small, and medium businesses in India, and now more than ever it is important to address the growing need to upskill and adapt to the changing needs of the market. A recent discussion on women-led rural micro-enterprises was conducted by Badal Malick, Co-founder & Chief Business Officer, KarmaLife and...

Building data-driven digital systems to expand lending capabilities

Annalise Pflueger

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Covid-19

Digital Financial Services

Jun 30, 2020

A w ebinar summary. While many organizations are now shifting to digital frameworks due to COVID-19, some SME lending companies have already begun focusing their business models on building digital systems for data analytics that can dramatically expand lending capabilities. Data analytics in SME banking is a growing field that will become...

A wakeup call to expand insurance services to SMEs

Celine Bteish

Annalise Pflueger

Covid-19

SME Insurance

Jun 25, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. As the COVID-19 crisis sheds light on problems with insurance and the healthcare industry, the specific impacts on small and medium enterprises have been notable and troublesome. Today, more than ever, the world has realized the importance of SMEs to local and global economies, and how imperative it is to support and...

Woman selling fruits in a market using mobile payment

Achieving financial stability and long-term relationships in MFS

Annalise Pflueger

Digital Financial Services

Jun 24, 2020

A webinar summary. As the use of mobile financial services (MFS) grows as a tool for SME financing, MFS in sub-Saharan Africa have served as a prominent example of how innovative partnerships between banks and financial technologies can expand access to services and streamline SME lending. According to GSMA , West Africa is the second-largest...

Thriving Amid Chaos

Celine Bteish

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

Jun 22, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. The Chinese word for "crisis" is composed of two Chinese characters. The first character means "danger" and the second "opportunity". Not a lot of organizations have been able to look at the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity and thrive under the current circumstances. Nonetheless, some are indeed thriving and growing...

Claves para navegar el portafolio en tiempos de pandemia: planificación, evaluación y rapidez

Carina Carrasco

Covid-19

Jun 17, 2020

[SPANISH CONTENT] Si estudiamos la historia de las pandemias a nivel mundial, vemos que han generado impactos económicos de largo plazo cuya recuperación ha sido impredecible. La pandemia del COVID-19 se ha extendido a todos los continentes y América Latina y el Caribe no es la excepción. A nivel global, economistas, formuladores de políticas,...

Member Pulse Survey #3 on the Impact of COVID-19 - June

Tarun Sridhar

Matt Gamser

Covid-19

Jun 15, 2020

June saw 85 responses from our membership, from 47 different countries – a great turnout from busy people! Many thanks to all who contributed! More members are reporting a decline in sales revenue than previously, and fewer members report increased revenue. The slightly better news is that fewer members are having trouble with wholesale funding,...

Serving the Unique Needs of Micro Businesses

Annalise Pflueger

Gillette Conner

Gender Finance

Covid-19

Jun 05, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many banks and development finance institutions (DFIs) are exploring new ways to support MSME clients lacking business or marketplace access. For women-owned micro-businesses, which comprise some of the hardest-hit sectors, their needs in response to the crisis go beyond simply...

HPD Lendscape website - Two glass buildings

How Supply Chain Finance works to support underfunded small businesses

Claudia Perri

Kevin Day

Supply & Value Chain Finance

Covid-19

Jun 03, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has had a profound impact on the US economy in a short space of time, with unemployment rising at a record rate and projections of a 5.2% contraction in GDP. Global lockdowns have introduced weaknesses in vital supply chains and a lack of liquidity has become a critical issue for businesses, as a result. Capital-...

The Critical Role of DFIs in Preserving SME Solvency in a Pandemic

Annalise Pflueger

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

May 27, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. While all businesses have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, the impacts have been especially profound for SMEs and the institutions that support them. As these businesses are forced to close due to lockdowns, SMEs are looking to preserve their liquidity and respond to their immediate financial and operational...

Chart with red arrow pointing down to a COVID-19 cell

Data Story: The importance of supporting MSMEs during the pandemic

Diego Del Pilar

Covid-19

May 21, 2020

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play a significant role in most economies. According to the World Bank , they represent about 90% of businesses and 50% of employment worldwide. In emerging markets, most formal jobs are generated by SMEs, that is, seven out of ten posts. They are essential as well in production terms since they make...

Member Pulse Survey #2 on the Impact of COVID-19 - May

Tarun Sridhar

Matt Gamser

Covid-19

May 18, 2020

One of the most important aspects of any crisis is the ability to adjust quickly to the situation. The SME Finance Forum team sent out a survey to its members in April to assess how their institutions and their SME clients are coping so far with the disruptions. One month on, we shared an update of the initial pulse survey . Members continue to be...

piggy bank with mask and hand with gloves and a coin

Credit Integrity and the Future of a Healthy Financial System

Celine Bteish

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

May 15, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. Since the beginning of the outbreak of Coronavirus, the challenges that financial institutions and their clients are facing have started to change. In March and April, the most urgent tasks were logistical: keeping businesses operating through work from home measures, providing online and delivery services, and...

Pregunta a los expertos: negocios en tiempos de crisis. El caso del Banco Nacional de Costa Rica.

Diego Del Pilar

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Gender Finance

Covid-19

May 15, 2020

El pasado 30 de abril, la Financial Alliance for Women , una red de organizaciones financieras dedicada a apoyarlas a desarrollar estrategias para aprovechar el poder de la economía femenina, llevó a cabo un seminario web, como parte de su serie semanal “ Pregunta a un Experto: Negocios en Tiempo de Crisis ” en el que participó, Banco Nacional de...

jar with coins and a coronavirus cell toy

SME policy response speed, critical to economic recovery

Jessica Alfaro

Gillette Conner

Policy & Regulation

Covid-19

May 13, 2020

A webinar recap The SME Finance Forum hosted a webinar in partnership with the OECD to launch their new report, Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2020 : An OECD Scoreboard. This OECD flagship publication, now in its ninth edition, tracks developments for 47+ countries around the world. Opening the webinar via video, Angel Gurría , the Secretary-...

two women shaking hands with financial graphs as filter

Reducing financial vulnerabilities for women entrepreneurs during COVID-19

Jade Hachem

Gillette Conner

Gender Finance

Covid-19

May 08, 2020

A virtual roundtable summary. “When women do better, economies do better.” (Christine Lagarde) And the opposite is sadly true. The detrimental impact of COVID-19 on women will inevitably intensify the massive socio-economic shock worldwide. Given their predominant role in severely affected sectors such as services, small manufacturing, and trade,...

Embracing partnerships to tackle challenges during COVID-19

Diego Del Pilar

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Covid-19

May 08, 2020

The second webinar of the SME Banking series organized by Efma focused on building partnerships in Latin America (LATAM). Convening Lukas Dzuroska from Efma ; Daniel Acosta from Mastercard ; Veronica Crisafulli from MO Tecnologias ; and Jack De Mooij, Senior SME Expert. The first to speak was Daniel Acosta, Mastercard Vice President - Head of...

Palestine Investment Bank building facade

Expansion of digital transactions through e-Wallets and COVID-19 pandemic

Tarun Sridhar

Khalil Nasr

Covid-19

Digital Transformation

May 05, 2020

COVID-19 has created both a health and an economic crisis, both of which are strongly affecting SMEs everywhere. At the same time, the current crisis may present financial institutions and regulators with the opportunity to accelerate digital transformation. This transformation, in turn, could enable SMEs to continue serving their customers,...

Hands with gloves and a magnifier looking at a pile of cubes with letters RISK

Risk Sharing during COVID-19: the Need for Uncommon Measures

Jade Hachem

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

Credit Risk & Scoring

May 04, 2020

Virtual Roundtable Summary Visceral. Gigantic. Terrifying. Unprecedented. As the world runs out of adjectives to describe the socio-economic shock of COVID-19, countries have been rushing to adopt adequate policy responses. And the task has been daunting. The pandemic clearly represents a ticking-time-bomb for innumerable SMEs globally, which have...

Blog - Supporting Firms: From Crisis to Recovery

Diego Del Pilar

Marie-Sarah Chataing

Covid-19

Apr 29, 2020

This webinar was carried out by the World Bank on April 15, 2020, as part of the COVID-19 Pandemic FCI Webinar Series to discuss the implications and policy responses to support the private sector and financial sector in the context of COVID-19. (See the list of speakers at the end of this post) The discussion followed an agenda around firms'...

Phone with image of Order Online Food message

COVID-19 - A Catalyst for Digital Transformation in the SME Lending Ecosystem

Jade Hachem

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

Apr 23, 2020

Virtual Roundtable Summary “There is no ‘digital strategy’ anymore, just strategy in a digital world”. Bud Caddell. Caddell’s statement is more prescient than ever. The current pandemic lockdown poses a fundamental threat to a myriad of SMEs which primarily rely on human interaction and physical transactions for their daily activities. As lenders...

DFI leadership during the COVID-19 crisis

Diego Del Pilar

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

Apr 22, 2020

How bad do you think the economic crisis will be? What are the greatest challenges? What should Development Financial Institutions (DFI’s) prioritize? These were some of the poll questions addressed to the audience who joined a very interesting webinar organized by Dalberg on April 9, 2020, about the response of DFI during the COVID-19 crisis...

COVID-19 and Credit Reporting: Suppression is Not the Solution

Michael A. Turner, Ph.D.

Covid-19

Credit Risk & Scoring

Apr 21, 2020

There remains tremendous uncertainty surrounding the global COVID-19 pandemic as a health care crisis. There is also uncertainty about the economic collateral damage being caused by the pandemic—primarily around the slope of the economic recovery curve (will the curve be “V-,” “U-,” or “L-shaped?” Whatever recovery trajectory different affected...

Blog - What should be the first immediate steps that banks should do to help SMEs?

Diego Del Pilar

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

Credit Risk & Scoring

Apr 20, 2020

Lessons from “SME Banking Coffee: Online Session Series on Partnerships #1 & the Impact of COVID-19 on SME Banking*. EFMA In the first of three “SME Banking Coffee” series, organized by EFMA , the discussion turned around SME banking partnerships. Convening Lukas Dzuroska, from EFMA; Adi Engel from vCita; Esra Kivrak from Commercial Bank of...

Two doctors one with computer checking items on a board with Member Survey title

Member Survey Results on the Impact of COVID-19

Tarun Sridhar

Matt Gamser

Covid-19

Apr 20, 2020

During crises like COVID-19 pandemic, sharing experiences and learning is vitally important. The SME Finance Forum team sent out a rapid survey to our members this week to take their pulses on how their institutions and their SME clients are faring so far (Click here to see what we asked). We had 45 respondents from 32 different countries: 24...

Delivery boy's temperature taken before he leaves with the food.

Beyond Finance: What Alibaba and Ant Financial Can Teach Us About Responding to COVID-19

Jade Hachem

Gillette Conner

Covid-19

Digital Transformation

Apr 15, 2020

Virtual Roundtable Summary “Never was anything great achieved without danger.” Niccolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli’s words must vividly resonate among many CEOs who now face the tremendous challenges posed by COVID-19. The pandemic has unleashed a massive economic shock wave which has already overwhelmed innumerable SMEs globally. Rather than sitting...

Man with covid backround and a mask over financial chart

Earlier rather than later: SME lenders are reacting quickly in Asia

Jade Hachem

Covid-19

Apr 09, 2020

Virtual Roundtable Summary “When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters — one represents danger and one represents opportunity.” John F. Kennedy. John F. Kennedy’s quote could not be timelier. As COVID-19 spreads at an alarming rate, the pandemic poses an existential threat to a countless number of SMEs around the...

Woman with mask with a closed sign with virus image on background

Lessons from 2008 for the COVID-19 crisis: Illiquidity is as dangerous as insolvency

Matt Gamser

Marcus Chenevix

Covid-19

Apr 03, 2020

Virtual Roundtable Recap On Thursday, March 26, 2020, the SME Finance Forum hosted the first of a new series of weekly virtual roundtables on the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In these discussions, we link experts from the public and private sectors to share insights on mitigation, stabilization, and recovery. Momina Aijazuddin,...

Torso of a man pointing out to one of three circles with check marks.

Embracing automation to serve customers efficiently and rejuvenate SME Banking

Jessica Alfaro

Gillette Conner

Digital Transformation

Fintech

Apr 01, 2020

The SME Finance Forum hosted a two-session webinar series on Digital Banking Solutions. For the first in the series, we examined how financial institutions can connect to fintechs through platforms, realizing the potential of new solutions in SME Finance. In the second webinar in the series, we discussed how banks are embracing automation and...

How members are getting SMEs online – and out of danger

Matt Gamser

Marcus Chenevix

Covid-19

Digital Financial Services

Mar 23, 2020

The ongoing COVID-19 crisis is proving a huge challenge for small businesses worldwide. This is especially the case since many SMEs have historically been largely “off-line” businesses, relying on personal interaction and a conveniently located physical presence. As a result, “ social distancing ” measures now in force across much of the world...

A bank employee wearing a mask arranges stacks of Chinese yuan notes at a bank in Nantong, Jiangsu province, China on Jan 30, 2020.PHOTO: REUTERS

Lifeline amid Public Health Emergency

Mingfeng Lu

Junxiao Liang

Covid-19

Digital Financial Services

Mar 17, 2020

How China’s City Commercial Banks Finance SMEs during the Coronavirus Epidemic A key pillar in China’s commercial banking system (1), city commercial banks (CCBs) have been a major force in supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). While CCBs accounted for only 13.1% of the entire banking system in terms of total assets, 18.7% of all SME...

Working with fintechs to democratize digital banking for customers

Jessica Alfaro

Digital Transformation

Mar 09, 2020

A recap of “Digital Banking Solutions Series on Platforms - Part I" webinar The SME Finance Forum is hosting a two-session webinar series on Digital Banking Solutions. At the first webinar of the series, we examined how financial institutions connect to fintechs through platforms and can realize the potential of new solutions in SME Finance. First...

World Business Angel Forum 2020: bringing together key players to empower the world economy

Matt Gamser

Financial Education

Fintech

Mar 02, 2020

My participation at the WBAF 2020 world congress I always try to attend our member World Congress WBAF 2020 , because it presents a unique mix of angel investors (all successful entrepreneurs in their own right), senior government policymakers, and others focused on supporting dynamic SMEs. This year had numerous ministers, as well as a large...

An effort to focus on the inventive uses of data

Tarun Sridhar

Non Financial Services

Youth Entrepreneurship

Feb 25, 2020

IFC MSME Finance Data Competition 2019 Recap Early Afternoon on the 19th of November 2019, the basement auditorium at IFC Headquarters was set up in beautiful blue colors to match the incoming enthusiasm and intellect. More than 85 graduate students, from the following universities – American University , Catholic Universit y, George Washington...

G20 support for data improvement

Matt Gamser

Gender Finance

Feb 24, 2020

My participation in the We-Fi MENA Regional Summit – Dubai 16-17 February 2020 The We-Fi Regional Summit was held in parallel with the Global Women’s Forum Dubai – the power of the women congregating for this event was evidenced by the presence, among others, of both President David Malpass of the World Bank and President Kristiana Georgieva of...

Panel Catalyzing Entrepreneurial Investment - MEA Summit 2020 - Milken Institute

About Policies, Fintechs, Entrepreneurs, and Paris Hilton

Matt Gamser

Feb 18, 2020

Blog on The 2020 Middle East and Africa Summit (MEA), by Matthew Gamser, CEO SME Finance Forum It was my great pleasure to reconnect with the Milken Institute after more than 10 years away from their very unique and stimulating gatherings. This time, I attended the 2020 Middle East and Africa Summit (MEA) held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the...

Podcast: SME Challengers - Breaking Banks Europe

Jessica Alfaro

Digital Transformation

Feb 03, 2020

SME businesses are "under-banked" in Europe. Why do incumbent banks find it so hard to bank with SMEs? What are the risks? The under-banked status of European SMEs creates niches of opportunities in the market. What are they? What are the opportunities? Listen in this podcast three formidable hosts share their views from an SME challenger...

A recap on Wells Fargo, Size Up, Veem and Kountable Study Visit

Hourn Thy

Credit Risk & Scoring

Digital Financial Services

Jan 29, 2020

The SME Finance Forum’s immersion visit to Wells Fargo , a member of the Forum, was successfully organized and held on January 22-23, 2020 in San Francisco, California with the participation of 12 representatives from seven institutions and five countries, namely BRAC Bank, Equity Bank, PhilipBank, PPCBank, Accion, Acremac, and Experian. I was...

An entrepreneur in Bangladesh puts the finishing touches on her clay pots. Photo: Moksumul Haque, 2015 CGAP Photo Contest

S-Commerce: a Catalyst for Women’s Financial Inclusion in Bangladesh

Jade Hachem

Gender Finance

Digital Financial Services

Jan 29, 2020

The SME Finance Forum’s team had the privilege to attend a presentation on Social Commerce and Women's Financial Inclusion in Bangladesh organized by the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor ( CGAP ). Mr. Pia Islam, Managing Partner at pi STRATEGY, was invited to share his key insights on the booming social commerce (s-commerce) sector in...

GPFI Seminar - Digital Financial Inclusion for Youth, Women and SMEs - Riyad

Matt Gamser

Policy & Regulation

Jan 23, 2020

It was my great pleasure to be asked to contribute to this seminar, which is kicking off the Saudi G20 presidency’s work on financial inclusion on 22 January 2020, in Ryad. The purpose of the seminar is to bring together experts, policymakers, scholars, businesses and more to share insights, as the presidency dives into producing high level calls...

The importance of investing in SME governance

Jessica Alfaro

Digital Financial Services

Dec 30, 2019

A recap of “Beyond Finance: SME Governance Gaps and Solutions" At our last webinar of 2019, two experts from the IFC and Business Partners, Ltd., shared good SME governance tools and best practice approaches to overcome challenges for small businesses in implementing good governance. Vladislava Ryabota, Regional Corporate Governance Lead, South...

How SME Credit Rating can Unlock Financing for Small Businesses

Jessica Alfaro

Credit Risk & Scoring

Dec 04, 2019

A recap of “SME Credit Rating Webinar" During a recent webinar , industry experts from the IFC, Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance, Experian, and Inbonis, discussed some of the challenges in lending to SMEs and how SME credit rating can mitigate the risk of lending to smaller firms. Shalini Sankaranarayanan, a Senior Financial Sector...