YANGON—The World Bank (WB)’s latest survey on Myanmar has revealed that nearly half of all businesses in the manufacturing and service sectors do not expect to recover from the economic effects of the pandemic, while a reduction in sales is the top concern of businesses in the country. The WB’s latest survey for October covered […]
COVID-19 Taking Huge Toll on Myanmar Manufacturing, Service Sectors, World Bank Says
December 14, 2020 by
Finland-backed fund invests in Myanmar microfinance sector
December 4, 2020 by
Finnfund, which invests in responsible and profitable businesses in developing countries, has injected US$5.5 million in Early Dawn Microfinance Co Ltd, the third largest microfinance company in Myanmar in terms of client outreach. The financing will support Early Dawn’s expansion in Myanmar’s underserved townships and peri-urban areas. Finnfund gets its funding from the State of […]
Myanmar’s ThitsaWorks bags funding from BOD Tech Ventures to scale operations
October 22, 2020 by
ThitsaWorks, a digital solutions provider for microfinance institutions (MFI) in Myanmar, has bagged an undisclosed amount of minority investment from early-stage venture capital firm BOD Tech Ventures. The new funds will allow the company to further scale their operations as well as working with the country’s financial institutions to provide credit access to farmers who […]
Forced collection of loans by microfinance firms to face legal action
October 21, 2020 by
Microfinance Supervisory Committee (MSC) will take legal action against the microfinance institutions if they forcibly collect loans in the pandemic period, according to the committee’s announcement released on 13 October. The committee also announced that the microfinance businesses should not forcibly collect the loans plus interests when the members’ businesses and income are lower in […]
Microfinance institutions in Myanmar face COVID-19 cash flow crisis
May 28, 2020 by
Travel restrictions, government orders to defer repayments and lend at lower interest rates have reduced the ability of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Myanmar to operate at a time when there is a pressing need for capital from the rural population due to COVID-19. The inability to collect repayments from some borrowers has led to road […]
Ongo digitises microfinance loan repayments
August 30, 2019 by
Digital payment service provider Ongo is partnering with microfinance lender Advans MFI Myanmar Co to digitise loan repayments. The move will enable Advans borrowers to pay back their loans more quickly and easily with a mobile app or with an QR Card at any Ongo agent, the company said in a press statement. Advans Myanmar […]
Growing mobile penetration gives Myanmar fintech a big boost
August 26, 2019 by
Financial technology services in Myanmar have boomed following an increasing number of mobile users, according to a report from Fitch Solutions Macro Research. The rise in mobile subscribers began after the government opened up the telecommunications sector in 2014, though enforced supportive regulations and point-of-sale (POS) payment solutions are still lagging behind. Fitch Solutions, a […]
Microfinance growth expected to drive higher financial inclusion
July 25, 2019 by
Efforts are being made to raise the rate of financial inclusion in the Myanmar. Under the Myanmar Financial Inclusion Roadmap for 2019 to 2023, authorities are working with the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to raise the percentage of the population covered by the financial sector to 60 percent from 48pc currently, said Willian Naing, […]
Foreign insurers bring disruption in untapped Myanmar market
June 20, 2019 by
Myanmar’s insurance market will soon face a sea change led by technologies and expertise brought in by foreign companies. A total of 14 foreign insurers will enter the Southeast Asian country’s market by the end of this year through either wholly owned subsidiaries or joint venture companies with local peers, the Nikkei Asian Review has […]
Finance ministry cuts microfinance loan interest rates
June 18, 2019 by
A new directive from the Ministry of Planning and Finance (MOPF) has reduced interest rate for microfinance loans and compulsory saving. The new rates are to take effect at the beginning of this month but the announcement was released after four days of the effective date, causing microfinance institutions to be in a difficult position. […]
