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Capacity-building
Innovation Lab (Innolab)
insight2impact (i2i)
Making Access to Financial Services Possible (MAP)
Risk, Remittances and Integrity (RRI)
Africa’s Digital Future
Research themes
Behavioural Science
Data and Analytics
Financial Policy and Regulation
Insurance for Development
Integrity – AML/CFT and Combatting Illicit Flows
Measurement in Financial Inclusion
Microinsurance and Health Financing
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Regulating for innovation: How to encourage responsible market innovation
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About us
About us
Our board
Our team
Our partners
Our independent research objectives (IROs)
Careers
Project opportunities
Contact us
Geographic scope
Programmes
Programmes
Capacity-building
Innovation Lab (Innolab)
insight2impact (i2i)
Making Access to Financial Services Possible (MAP)
Risk, Remittances and Integrity (RRI)
Africa's Digital Future
Research themes
Research themes
Behavioural Science
Behavioural science seeks to understand the underlying factors that influence judgements and decision-making. These can relate to the individual or to the contextual environment. Someone living with very little income, for example, will find it more difficult to make long-term decisions around savings or accessing credit. Their circumstances will force them to focus on their immediate needs compared to someone who might be under less constrained circumstances. A good example of this is when low-income adults borrow from informal providers at very high-rates for consumption. Integrating behavioural insights into our data collection and analysis strategies can advance our understanding and predictions of financial behaviour and guide us to design financial services that really help adults achieve their goals. With current innovations in survey design and data collection, we can test these insights quicker and learn faster. As part of our global i2i programme, we have looked into the barriers and opportunities for integrating new sources of data (e.g. social media) into financial service decision-making that can change the way we do business.
Data and Analytics
Financial Policy and Regulation
We use our expertise in a variety of financial sectors, in advising the development of inclusion-friendly financial sector policy and regulation. The work we do on any component of the financial sector is always placed within the broader financial policy and regulatory framework, and within a clear understanding of market dynamics and trends. Our work leverages all financial sector players, including commercial financial service providers, towards providing financial services to lower-income households. Whilst much of our work focuses on policy and regulatory outcomes, we do this in support of private financial sector development. Our extensive research in the area of financial policy and regulation spans Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Insurance for Development
Integrity – AML/CFT and Combatting Illicit Flows
Anti-money laundering (AML) and combatting the financing of terrorism (CFT) regulation in combatting illicit flows is currently one of the primary international financial sector standards which may, if not carefully implemented, impact on financial inclusion. We seek to support compliance with international standards in a manner that does not impact unnecessarily on financial sector development and inclusion. We have conducted extensive research in the area of financial integrity as part of our [Add link:] risk, remittances and integrity programme and beyond, across Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Measurement in Financial Inclusion
The increasing prominence of financial inclusion as a tool for development and growth has spawned extensive data-gathering initiatives to measure, understand and improve it. The result is a variety of new measurement frameworks leveraging this data. Early indications suggest that the financial inclusion strategies developed and guided by these measurement frameworks may not be leading to the results that policymakers want to achieve. Our work under the global [Add link:] i2i programme produces dedicated research in the area of financial inclusion measurement
Microinsurance and Health Financing
Microinsurance refers to the provision of insurance to lower-income households. If appropriately designed and intermediated, insurance products can play an important role in reducing vulnerability for low-income households as well as presenting profitable markets for commercial insurance providers. In addition, ensuring well-functioning health financing systems is a critical element of development policy and the delivery of health services. We have done extensive work on the regulation and development of microinsurance and health financing markets in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Remittances
Cross-border and domestic money transfers play a critical role in the financial strategies of low-income households and present many opportunities to extend financial inclusion. Our extensive research on remittances spans sub-Saharan Africa and forms part of our dedicated programme on risk, remittances and integrity.
Technology and Distribution
Distribution of financial services is a key constraint to extending financial services to low-income markets. Traditional networks are often costly, cumbersome and intimidating for low-income clients to use. As a result, much attention is currently placed on the development of new technologies (e.g. mobile phones) and business models (e.g. branchless banking) and on creating the regulatory space for these models to develop. Embracing technology in this regard will benefit not only the extension of banking networks, but also the distribution of all other non-bank financial services. We, therefore, see this as a key focus area in support of financial inclusion. Our work on new technology and distribution spans Africa and Latin America.
Insights
Insights
Databases
Interviews
Publications
Podcasts
Videos
Blog
News and events
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Podcasts
Listen to interviews and recordings about our latest research and activities
Regulating for innovation: How to encourage responsible market innovation
For regulators, the dual implications of innovation make it a critically important but challenging topic to address. Regulators with a mandate to [...]
Interview with Jessica Colaço, Co-Founder Brave Ventures Labs
Listen to the interview with Jessica Colaço, Co-Founder Brave Ventures Labs on the DataHack4FI Innovation Competition in [...]
Interview with Anthony Mabonga, Credit Risk Analyst at M-Kopa
Listen to the interview with Anthony Mabonga, Credit Risk Analyst at M-Kopa on the DataHack4FI Innovation Competition in [...]
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