With support from the World Bank, the Western Balkan economies are making significant progress in aligning their national payment systems with EU standards as part of their accession goals.

KEP Trust plans to on-lend the proceeds of the senior, unsecured loan to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

The FINNIX mobile app, which is regulated by the Bank of Thailand, was developed by MONIX and offers microfinance loans through a completely digital process from loan application to approval and disbursement.

The initiative, known as the Debt Resolution Project, is expected to create a safety net for businesses and investors, improving access to credit, especially for small and medium enterprises.

The investment aims to support a resilient recovery by promoting business growth, creating jobs, and fostering financial inclusion.

Ongoing shifts toward e-commerce, digital payments (including contactless), and instant payments have all been significantly boosted during the pandemic with real-time payments surging by 104 percent.

The Bank of Thailand has been asked to review the ceiling of interest rates and supervise credit cards, personal loans and car loans, as the Thai government has vowed to tackle high household debt, incurred by credit card and personal loans.

Notwithstanding border restrictions, the region’s digital payments ecosystem is growing as countries collaborate to connect their domestic payment systems.

The facility has been provided under IFC’s Small Loan Guarantee Program (SLGP), a programmatic approach to risk-sharing that aims to strengthen the capacity of financial institutions to finance SMEs in low-income countries.