How FinTech Can Help Unlock SME Financing in the MCD Region

As part of training of Indian senior bankers, the National Institute of Bank Management located in Pune, India, invited Chakravorti to teach three courses. This course is on the FinTech financing options of MSMEs. 

In his presentation in Madrid, Spain in April 2017, Bob Chakravorti discussed how the financial sector is rapidly changing because of new products and services brought to market by FinTech firms. Specifically, he discusses certain market segments where new entrants are reducing market frictions. He puts forth how incumbent financial institutions should respond to new entrants.

Greater digitization of commerce has brought enormous benefits to businesses and consumers. By using digital payment capabilities and online marketplaces, many micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are more able to compete with larger firms through greater customer choice and reach. This paper examines the results of a Visa Economic Empowerment Institute (VEEI) survey of MSMEs in five developing countries (Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Philippines, and South Africa) and finds that those firms that embraced digital commerce and cross-border capabilities before and during the pandemic have generally weathered the crisis better than those that continue to rely primarily on face-to-face transactions and that these firms are more optimistic for the future. Furthermore, survey responses indicate that more small businesses want improved internet connectivity, assistance with digital commerce, and help with cybersecurity than want direct financial support from governments. These findings help inform several recommendations to policymakers on measures they can take—and some they should avoid—to help their small businesses recover and thrive.