Category: Finance

Financial exclusion remains a significant barrier to economic participation for millions globally, particularly among low-income, rural, and marginalized communities. Traditional banking systems often overlook these populations due to factors like low income, lack of collateral, and limited access to financial infrastructure. In response, various alternative financial instruments have emerged, demonstrating effectiveness in promoting financial inclusion. […]

The Mexican security forces tracking Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes – the leader of a deadly drug cartel that has been a top driver of violence in Mexico and narcotic addiction in America – thought they finally had him cornered on May 1, 2015. Four helicopters carrying an arrest team whirled over the mountains near Mexico’s southwestern […]

Understanding SAFE Agreements: A Clear Guide for High-Growth Startups and SMEs For startups scaling fast or SMEs seeking strategic funding without immediate valuation pressure, securing capital can be challenging. Traditional routes like bank loans or equity sales often involve complex negotiations, legal hurdles, and upfront ownership dilution. One increasingly popular alternative is the Simple Agreement […]

In the fast-paced world of finance, ongoing digitization is disrupting the traditional rules of banking with profound consequences.  Our lives have also become more digital through shopping, social interactions, news, and information gathering, to name just a few.  A burgeoning amount of personal data is now being produced daily. The total amount of data created, […]

In 2024, CGAP and MFR research explored trends and challenges in trying to close the gender gap for small borrowers, specifically examining how different institutional structures link to different outcomes. Smaller institutions, often organized as NGOs or providing group loans, such as cooperatives, demonstrated the best outcomes for women borrowers. However, even though they deliver […]

Visit just about any downtown on a weekend and you will likely happen upon a farmers market. Or, you might grab lunch from a food truck outside a local brewpub or winery. Very likely, there is a community-shared kitchen or food entrepreneur incubator initiative behind the scenes to support this growing foodie ecosystem. As rural […]

Just a few years ago, South Africans paid a hefty price to keep their money safe, shelling out between $2 to $5 as monthly account maintenance fees and 50 cents in transaction fees – equivalent to 1.5% of the average person’s monthly income. With the country’s big five banks controlling 95% of the market, there […]

Republican lawmakers have been battling over a bill that includes massive tax and spending cuts. Much of their disagreement has been over provisions intended to reduce the cost of Medicaid. The popular health insurance program, which is funded by both the federal and state governments, covers about 78.5 million low-income and disabled people – more […]

SoftBank Group has obtained a $15 billion bridge loan with a one-year maturity to support its growing investments in artificial intelligence, according to reports from veritable sources. The financing will be used to accelerate the company’s AI initiatives, including the development of large-scale infrastructure projects such as the Stargate data center in collaboration with OpenAI. […]

You’ve probably heard the adage about not putting all your eggs in one basket. It’s an especially meaningful one for newspapers. For decades, they relied heavily on advertising revenue. That arrangement stopped working about 20 years ago, as audiences moved online and advertisers followed. News media outlets moved online as well, but they found themselves […]