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Leveraging Fintech for Women Entrepreneurs in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam

Cover for Leveraging fintech publication DOWNLOAD (4.48 MB)

Publication Type:

Report

Publisher:

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Publication:

July 2024

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This report explores how fintech solutions can help women entrepreneurs in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam access the finance they need to expand their businesses.

While most micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) face challenges of accessing finance, women-owned MSMEs face even greater challenges because of the sociocultural practices and societies’ perceptions of women, but some barriers are institutional or infrastrure related.

This report explores how fintech solutions can help women entrepreneurs in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam access the finance they need to expand their businesses. It outlines the challenges facing women-owned MSMEs and explains how fintech solutions can better assess the creditworthiness of women who are often unbanked and deemed to be higher risk. The report highlights the need to overcome low digital and financial literacy and sets out how digital lenders can use a mix of online and offline approaches to reach low-income female entrepreneurs.

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Issues Affecting Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises’ Access to Finance
  • Characteristics of Women-Owned Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises
  • Challenges of Expanding Access to Finance and the Potential Fintech Solutions
  • Fintech-Enabled Business Models
  • Fintech Lending Processes and Enabling Technologies
  • Fintech Companies’ Current Focus on Women-Owned Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises
  • Recommendations
  • Conclusions
  • Appendixes