Publications

The Global Findex 2025 reveals how mobile technology is equipping more adults around the world to own and use financial accounts to save formally, access credit, make and receive digital payments, and pursue opportunities. Including the inaugural Global Findex Digital Connectivity Tracker, this fifth edition of Global Findex presents new insights...

Identifying which firms hire, where, and why is essential for delivering opportunity to tomorrow’s workforce in developing economies. While predicting which firms will create the most jobs and better jobs is challenging, research provides valuable insights on the attributes of firms with the greatest employment potential. Five themes consistently...

Summary In 2014, IFC partnered with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women to launch a first-of-its kind facility, designed to unlock finance for women-owned small and medium enterprises (WSMEs) in developing and emerging markets, and close the significant financing gap they face. The Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Facility’s (WEOF) mission was not only to...

Models sit at the centre of modern decision-making, risk management, and operational processes. From credit scoring and capital planning to fraud detection and customer personalization, they help organizations turn data into actionable insights. However, as organizations rely more heavily on models — and as these models become increasingly complex...

This paper conducts a meta-analysis of 24 studies evaluating the impact of formal loans on small and medium-sized enterprise performance. Using a Bayesian hierarchical model, the paper estimates that formal loans increase small and medium-sized enterprise employment by 12 percent, sales by 18.3 percent, and profits by 17.6 percent. Subgroup...

Summary Download Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of African economies; yet, historically, they have struggled to obtain the necessary finance because of the lack of collateral, financial records, and business plans. Recent advances in technology and data analytics are shifting the paradigm. The adoption of digital...

Highlights This reading deck provides guidance to funders on how to integrate inclusive insurance into their strategies, and drive impactful investments to address protection gaps in emerging markets. Opportunities include building household-centered risk management solutions, building scalable and innovative distribution networks, rethinking how...

The B20, Business at OECD and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) released a joint paper, underlining the need to mobilise further capital towards African nations by focusing on investment-focused strategies. Released in the context of the handover ceremony of the B20 recommendations to the G20, the three leading private sector...

This second edition of the Future of Global Fintech report aims to provide a clear view of the current fintech landscape. It builds on the first edition as well as earlier studies on the impact of COVID-19 on the fintech industry. Its insights are designed to support evidence-based decision-making by public- and private-sector leaders across the...

Emerging markets require approximately US$2.5 trillion to achieve their ambitious climate adaptation and resilience goals. The financial sector is integral to tackling the mounting economic and social impacts of climate change. This white paper examines how financial sector regulators and industry associations can guide the sector toward...