The association, known as the Congolese Fintech Network, will seek to enhance access to investment opportunities and promote information sharing in Congo, with a goal to accelerate financial inclusion.

The strategic partnership aims to facilitate financial inclusion by providing consumers and businesses with a new and effortless way to conduct e-commerce transactions in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The grant will allow Opportunity International to provide micro and small business loans, digital tools and specialized technical training to women-led small- and micro businesses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda.

With the issuance of this Green Bond, Zuoli will finance, amongst others, green buildings and energy efficiency projects in the Zhejiang province.

Li told Reuters in an interview that in “traditional finance” investing in SMEs was rarely worthwhile for global institutions as the due diligence was difficult, risks were high and funding amounts small.

The annual survey on mobile payments showed 98 percent of respondents indicated mobile was their most commonly used payment method, up 5 percentage points from 2019.

Hong Kong-based HKT Financial Services, the Fintech division of the HKT Group, has launched another Fintech project, HKT Flexi, a digital or online financing platform that allows users to make payments via the HKT Flexi App.

As contactless payments become the norm amid the worldwide pandemic response, China rolled out its digital currency this month in four cities, setting it up to become the world’s first cashless society.

Congo-based fintech Flash has launched a payment tool including a Visa card offering, Flash Money, for the Congolese market.