Financial inclusion
Access to cash a priority for UK’s PSR this year – report
Regulator criticised for response to earlier report which said 17% of population would struggle without cash
Fed official suggests reforms to tackle ‘credit deserts’
Brainard advocates greater geographical flexibility in banks’ obligations; FDIC chair appears to agree
Bank of Mexico and Amazon to co-operate on mobile payments system
Central bank aims to tackle low banking levels through digital payments
Sub-Saharan Africa could be fintech hub – IMF author
Wider adoption of mobile banking provides platform for further developments, says Amadou Sy
Central banks disagree over cash regulation
The BoE has issued legislation demanding banks supply certain denominations, but other regulators remain on the fence about how they should manage the future of cash
UK cash system needs revamp, says Payment Systems Regulator chair
Charles Randell tells lawmakers the regulator will look at entire cash provision infrastructure in 2019
Arab countries must improve funding of small businesses – IMF’s Lagarde
SMEs make up 96% of Arab world’s businesses but get only 7% of bank loans – IMF chief
RBI can remove barriers to micro-credit – Acharya
Central bank looking to solve information problems in a “fundamental way”, says deputy
Second round of 2019 Central Banking awards winners revealed
Winners include Warren Coats, St Louis Fed, Bank of Israel, RBA and National Bank of Ukraine
UK’s Link implements new fees in bid to halt ATM closures
Subsidy paid by banks to cash machine operators rises to up to £2.75
Financial inclusion initiative: Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis
Improvements in the bank’s financial inclusion initiatives are helping tackle the polarisation of economic education in the US and across the globe
Fed launches banknote app for children
App provides details of security features, mimicking raised intaglio print through vibrations
Nigerian central bank to set up national micro-lender
Leading presidential candidate says he will not give governor a second term
Islamic finance is for everyone, Malaysia’s Zahid says
Bank Negara Malaysia assistant governor stresses inclusiveness of Islamic finance but says SMEs are still not taking advantage
Mexico unveils measures to foster financial inclusion
Plan intends to promote digital payments, facilitate access to credit and deepen capital markets
Divergent motives fuelling CBDC discussion, BIS survey reveals
Majority of central banks are researching the various forms of CBDC, but very few expect to launch in the next six years
Mozambique sources new payments IT provider after dispute
Payment dispute pushes central bank to speed up unification of payment systems; US-based firm chosen to supply computer system for interbank network
People: Kenyan and Samoan governors named to UN digital task force
Kenya’s Njoroge and Samoa’s Ainuu-Enari to investigate digital impact on financial inclusion
Palestine launches financial inclusion strategy
PMA hopes to push inclusion rate up to at least 50% by 2025
Fintech could help financial inclusion - South African deputy governor
Sarb’s Groepe praises Singapore’s one-stop data repository
Podcast: More women, greater stability?
Recent research from the International Monetary Fund reveals the inclusion of women in supervisory roles has a significant impact on financial stability
Interview: Clair Mills on the meaning of fintech
The Bank of England’s head of change and data management discusses why fintech is so important for a financial sector going into uncharted territory
Mobile phones boost financial inclusivity in Cambodia – paper
Phone users more likely to open financial accounts and invest using microcredit
Lagarde urges central banks to consider CBDCs
IMF chief sees obvious benefits to central bank digital currencies, but design is crucial