Category: Finance

For years, there has been some hope that inclusive credit fintechs—those targeting micro and small enterprises (MSEs) with responsible digital credit—would narrow the financial inclusion gap. The expectation was that they could outperform traditional microfinance institutions (MFIs) by being faster, cheaper, more scalable, and better equipped to serve hard-to-reach clients. While some success stories have […]

The Bureau of Economic Analysis released the latest U.S. gross domestic product data on April 30. In the first three months of 2025, it said, GDP contracted by 0.3%. The GDP growth rate captures the pace at which the total value of goods and services grows or shrinks. Together with unemployment and inflation, it usually […]

European fintech venture capital (VC) funding has experienced a significant uptick, reaching $8.7 billion in 2024, a 10% increase from the previous year. This growth is attributed to several factors, including the resurgence of cryptocurrency investments and a robust pipeline of early-stage startups. Key Drivers of Growth Market Outlook The European fintech sector is poised […]

Venture capital firms are renewing calls for a tailored regulatory framework, arguing that existing investment adviser rules—originally crafted with Wall Street in mind—are stifling innovation and growth in the startup ecosystem. With a change in leadership at the White House and key financial agencies, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) and its partners are advocating […]

Whistleblowers – people who expose wrongdoing within their organizations – play a crucial role in holding governments and corporations accountable. But speaking up can come at a cost. People who report misconduct often face retaliation, job loss or legal threats, making whistleblowing risky and challenging. And when legal protections for whistleblowers are weakened, the risks […]

It’s telling that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration wants to fire bureaucrats. In its view, bureaucrats stand for everything that’s wrong with the United States: overregulation, inefficiency and even the nation’s deficit, since they draw salaries from taxpayers. But bureaucrats have historically stood for something else entirely. As the sociologist Max Weber argued in his […]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised its global economic growth forecast for 2025, attributing the downgrade to the escalating trade tensions stemming from U.S. tariffs. Key Forecast Revisions: Contributing Factors: Regional Impacts: Outlook: The IMF warns that continued trade conflicts could further dampen economic activity, increase financial market volatility, and tighten financial conditions. Medium-term […]

Global public debt is projected to surge to 117% of global GDP by 2027, according to a stark warning from Vítor Gaspar, Director of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Fiscal Affairs Department. The alarming forecast was made during the IMF’s latest Fiscal Monitor briefing, amid rising concerns over mounting geopolitical tensions and fragmented global trade. […]

The European Central Bank (ECB) has established a task force aimed at simplifying the complex regulatory framework governing European banks. Chaired by ECB Vice President Luis de Guindos, the group includes central bank governors from Germany, France, Italy, and Finland . This initiative follows a letter from these central bank governors to the European Commission, […]

Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), the world’s largest public pension fund with assets totaling ¥258.7 trillion (approximately $1.8 trillion), is under increasing pressure to enhance its domestic private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) investments. Currently, alternative assets, including PE, account for only about 1.6% of GPIF’s portfolio, well below its 5% allocation cap […]