Financial Technology Frontiers’ Post

🗨 How advancements in digital payments and infrastructure can drive financial inclusion, particularly for small businesses vital to economic growth? 🗨 The paper proposes that by improving digital payment systems, we can empower marginalized groups, fostering not just access but also beneficial usage, stimulating economic and entrepreneurial growth.   ✒ Download and read this paper at SSRN: https://lnkd.in/gRtbBzn7

In a joint effort, auctusESG and IEEFA Asia Pacific present "Blended Finance: Bridging Energy Transition Gap in Developing Countries." This report tackles the pressing need for a structured approach to low-carbon transition in developing economies, particularly within the energy sector, the largest global carbon emitter. The guide is a go-to resource for financial institutions navigating blended finance structures in pursuit of sustainable energy transition. It strategically combines the strengths of development and commercial financiers to drive impactful change across technology, capacity building, and other critical dimensions. Namita Vikas | Sourajit Aiyer | Vibhuti Garg | Shantanu Srivastava, CFA Download the report: https://lnkd.in/eyiekT5m #SustainableFinance #EnergyTransition #BlendedFinance #ClimateAction

Have you wondered how to structure a #blendedfinance transaction, considering the varied contexts, situations, objectives & compulsions each transaction poses? Going beyond the usual definition in grey literature, to a step-by-step practical guide on how #blendedfinance, a key component of #sustainablefinance, is put to action. Read this practical guide we wrote on blended finance, to fund #energytransition in certain situations in #developingcountries, written by auctusESG and IEEFA Asia Pacific. Download the report using this link https://lnkd.in/dEE9ye6P

Financial independence is key to achieving sustainable development goals, but many face hurdles accessing formal financial systems. In the paper "Access to Finance under United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Building Digital Payment Ecosystems," Professor Douglas Arner, Sijuade Animashaun, Dr. Kuzi Charamba and Yixiao Cai, investigate how advancements in digital payments and infrastructure can drive financial inclusion, particularly for small businesses vital to economic growth. The paper proposes that by improving digital payment systems, we can empower marginalized groups, fostering not just access but also beneficial usage, stimulating economic and entrepreneurial growth.   Download and read this paper at SSRN: https://lnkd.in/gRtbBzn7 The University of Hong Kong | HKU Law | UN SDG Action Campaign | UN SDG:Learn

[Feb 21, 2024 – Beijing] The first monthly webinar hosted by the Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI) was held on Wednesday February 21st, 2024. Entitled “2024 Sustainable Financial Market and Policy Outlook”, the webinar attracted over 110 participants from global financial firms, financial associations, international organizations, service providers and universities. In this two-hour event, speakers from both advanced and emerging markets were invited to share their insights, through keynote speeches and a panel discussion, on the latest market trends for sustainable finance products as well as policy and regulatory outlook.    In the keynote speeches, top experts in global sustainable finance sector, including Dr Ma Jun, Chairman of CASI and President of the Institute of Finance and Sustainability (IFS); Sean Kidney, CEO of Climate Bonds Initiative; Jingdong Hua, Vice-Chair of International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and Nicholas Pfaff, Deputy CEO of ICMA - International Capital Market Association, shared the latest international trends and innovative practices in sustainable finance.   Their speeches covered different perspectives of sustainable finance, including policy frameworks, standards, green bonds, capital markets and sustainable disclosures, while all of them called for enhanced international cooperation and emphasized the importance of capacity building, especially in the emerging markets and developing economies where CASI is actively engaged to promote green finance and sustainable investment.   In the panel discussion, panelists from both advanced and developing economies, including Sang Lye See from DBS Bank, Timothée Jaulin from Amundi, Yin Hong from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Gemma Lawrence-Pardew from Loan Market Association (LMA), and Onon Ganbaatar from Trade and Development Bank of Mongolia - TDBM, shared valuable insights on sustainable finance trends and market expectations from the perspectives of banks, asset managers and industrial associations. They also shared concerns about the risks of greenwashing given their roles as market participants of sustainable finance.   A summary of discussions will be posted on CASI’s website, which is under development and scheduled for launch in March. At the event, CASI Secretariat also indicated co-hosting opportunities in future Monthly Webinar/Seminars and announced the next event scheduled for March 25th in Hong Kong. CASI will also update other upcoming events and activities on its website, including the first major in-person event in Sao Paulo, Brazil for Latin America in early April and second one in Hong Kong for Asia in June. #sustainablefinance #capacitybuilding #sustainability #sustainableinvestments #greenfinance #climatefinance

📰 2nd article of the Ultimate Value Chain Series: Exploring the intersection of finance, geopolitics, and sustainability Reshaping value chains to serve the greater good, adapting to regulatory mandates, and addressing sustainability concerns in our ever-changing world. Thanks for collaborating on this article: Federico Caniato, Maex Ament, Sunil Mascarenhas, and Raymond Van der Loos. 💡 About the series: Journalist Tom Holmes and Professor Michiel Steeman embark on a journey interviewing academia, companies, NGOs, and various industry experts to explore the dimensions of the ultimate value chain. 💬 Read the article and let us know your thoughts in the comments! Atradius, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Politecnico di Milano, Crane Earth, Centrifuge #ultimatevaluechain #sustainability #skillupforchange #togetherwecan

Excited to share insights from CASI's "2024 Sustainable Financial Market and Policy Outlook" webinar. This event was a key platform for over 110 finance professionals to explore the dynamic world of sustainable finance, emphasizing the necessity for a unified approach towards sustainability in emerging markets. In my panel contribution, I focused on three significant 2023 trends in sustainable finance as observed by DBS Bank: the surge in green and sustainability-linked loans reflecting corporate sustainability commitments, innovative solutions for managing Scope 3 emissions within supply chains, and the indispensable role of collaboration in advancing sustainable finance across sectors and borders. These discussions not only highlight the evolving strategies in sustainable finance but also stress the importance of mutual efforts in fostering a green economy. Looking forward to CASI's next event on March 25th in Hong Kong, and eager to continue these vital conversations on shaping a sustainable financial future. Your insights on these evolving trends are highly valued. Let's discuss! #sustainablefinance #capacitybuilding #greenfinance #dbs #dbsbank

🍁As we step into the second month of the enchanting #autumn season, let's take a moment to reflect on the noteworthy developments that #September brought us in the realm of green finance! 📕In September, IIGF published two insightful #books that comprehensively delve into the realms of green #fintech and green trade finance. ✏️Beijing unveiled guidelines for the establishment of institutional mechanisms in green finance within the banking sector. Notably, Sichuan expanded its commitment to green finance by establishing two provincial-level green finance innovation pilot areas, while the Ministry of Finance introduced special fund management measures to promote the high-quality development of inclusive finance. Furthermore, China signed a significant marine biodiversity agreement and hosted three substantial forums addressing various facets of green finance, including the IIGF Annual Meeting. Furthermore, we witnessed the integration of Artificial Intelligence (#AI) into the development of green finance, paving the way for #innovation and #progress. 📗As always, we've curated a selection of recommended #reads to help you gain deeper insights into the current trends shaping the landscape of green finance. Explore our September newsletter for detailed insights, and ensure you stay informed about crucial updates in the realm of green finance by subscribing to it: https://lnkd.in/gCk5n6Az] You can also have a look at our previous newsletters:https://lnkd.in/g-m7A4c4 Let's continue to make a positive impact on our world. #GreenFinance #Sustainability #FinancialInnovation #EnvironmentalResponsibility #IIGF #Newsletter #Green #SustainableDevelopment

It was an informative first day of AFME European Sustainable Finance Conference #AFME_SF! The diversity of perspectives and views expressed by investors, banks, public officials, financial infrastructure providers and corporates was energising and reassuring that sustainability and sustainable finance are attracting more nuanced conversations. Some thoughts that stuck with me: - Material #sustainabilityrisks are not priced into financial markets, otherwise we would not be talking about sustainability strategies separately. - Reported #ESGdata of high quality is very important, but it's not the only basis for making investment decisions. Making sense of the data still requires in-depth and contextualised analysis. - #Regulation has certainly been making an impact. #EUTaxonomy is working in certain sectors (such as power and utilities) but it's important to recognise that some industries and activities, critical to the transition (such as telecom and digital infrastructure) have been left out. So again, Taxonomy is not the only way to demonstrate sustainability of an activity or investment. - Capacity building towards fulfilling the new laws and legislation is in progress. Regulatory certainty is important to facilitate that process (last moment changes to rules and guidance do not help!).

News from our funds: We are excited to share the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) signed an investment of EUR 10 million with NLB Banka Sarajevo in a senior preferred facility, the first of its kind in the country! This renewed partnership strengthens access to sustainable finance in the region and highlights the importance of incorporating ESG principles into management and lending practices across the banking sector. The deal signing occurred during a day-long summit organized by EFSE titled “Investing for the Common Good: ESG Risks to Rewards” which focused on innovation and sustainable growth in the region’s financial sector. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dA5FaQhq #sustainablefinance #sustainablegrowth #ESG #MSME #banking