Asia Program

Gender View: Female Entrepreneurship in Asia

Posted May 15, 2019

An estimated 163 million female entrepreneurs across the globe are running their own business. While economies in Asia have relatively high levels of gender parity compared to other regions, women’s entrepreneurial participation still lags behind men. The local business ecosystem, cultural perceptions, and women’s advancement opportunities all play a role in encouraging women’s entrepreneurial pursuits.

The Slow Introduction of Open Banking and APIs in Japan

Posted May 2, 2019

We continued our series on fintech in Asia with Toshio Taki, the co-founder of Money Forward, a Japanese fintech firm, and director of an association that promotes open APIs in Japan. Toshio talked about the open banking and API landscapes in Japan, comparing Japan to global peers. Toshio is pushing for greater adoption and integration of financial technology services among Japanese clients, and looking to shift Japan from its reliance on cash.

Asia Focus

How Digital Innovation Can Increase Small Business Access to Finance in Asia

This Asia Focus summarizes the small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) credit gap in Asia and assesses ways certain emerging technologies and innovative business models—commonly known as “fintech”—can improve SME access to financial services in Asia and boost long-term economic growth in the process.

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