Work

Improving Financial Inclusion through Digital Savings and Credit

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: This paper examines the effects of promotions to increase participation in digital banking and improve financial inclusion. M-Shwari, Kenya's most popular digital banking platform, ran a promotion called Stawisha Na M-Shwari from mid-April 2016 to early June 2016. The promotion incentivized individuals to save and to repay loans. We find large and persistent effects of the promotion on loan-taking behavior. While savings ramp up during the promotional period, we do not see sustained increases in savings after the end of the promotion.

Source: AEA Papers and Proceedings

DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20201084

Authors: Prashant Bharadwaj, Tavneet Suri

Institutions: University of California San Diego, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Microfinance and Financial Inclusion

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W3025229894

FWCI: 6.645

Cites: 3

Cited by: 60

Related to: 10