geo/south-asia
Online virtual conference
In response to COVID-19 and the unpredictability of travel plans for the short term, FinovateAsia is going digital in 2020.
FinovateAsia Digital won't be like other digital events you’ve seen before. With 500+ global attendees and 100+ expert speakers, there's no better way to stay informed and find the next big advantage, before your competition does.
Gender lens investing is on the rise, with bold initiatives such as the G7’s 2X Challenge led by development finance institutions (DFIs) which has committed to investing $3 billion in businesses that advance gender equality by December 2020.
Perhaps no sector has more to gain from innovations in financial technology than small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) finance, especially in Asia. SMEs accounted for 42 percent of Asia’s GDP in 2014 yet received only 18.7 percent of bank lending according to the Asian Development Bank.
Investors backed three India-based FinTechs and one Singapore-based FinTech, all targeting small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with their solutions designed to expand access to capital. More than $75 million in fresh funding hit the B2B FinTech community.
News via PYMNTS.
Aspire, a Singapore-based startup that helps SMEs secure working capital, has rais
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) signed a memorandum of cooperation today, agreeing to work together to establish and develop the ASEAN Financial Innovation Network (AFIN). The network aims to facilitate broader adoption of financial technology (FinTech) innovation and development, and enhance economic integration within the ASEAN region.
Cybersecurity risk management key to financial stability
In today’s rapidly advancing digitalized and globalized world, cybersecurity attacks are a question of ‘when’ not a question of ‘íf’ for financial institutions (FI) of all sizes in all markets across the globe. To build knowledge of best practices and raise awareness of the threats, IFC hosted a cybersecurity conclave for its financial institution clients in Mumbai on Dec 2, 2016.
Labor productivity in developing Asia has been slowing down since the global financial crisis. Declining global capital flows will gradually reduce capital accumulation in developing Asia, and as more Asian countries see an end to their population bonus, labor force accumulation will eventually diminish. Enhancing labor productivity is thus crucial to sustain growth in Asia.
So, how to achieve it?
This policy brief examines the gender-related constraints faced by women-owned SMEs and provides some policy recommendations to address this issue.
The growth of the trade finance gap in 2015 continues to be a drag on trade, and small- and medium-sized enterprises are the most affected, according to an Asian Development Bank (ADB) Brief released today.The report notes that the inability of financial institutions to provide $1.6 trillion in support to buyers and sellers of goods across countries resulted in forgone growth and job creation in 2015.
