Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of most economies around the world. They account for about 90 percent of businesses worldwide, and they are the primary job creators in developing countries, providing 7 out of 10 formal jobs. Despite their importance to the world economy, most SMEs have a hard time accessing the financing they need to grow, especially in emerging markets. They are less likely to qualify for bank loans than large firms, and tend to rely on family and friends to start up and run their businesses. The World Bank estimates that about 50 percent of SMEs have no access to formal credit.

What can you find in this Topic Hub?

Curated by FinDev editors, this Topic Hub offers you access to key resources contributed by organizations around the world who work on the topic of financial inclusion for small and medium-sized enterprises. Our latest blogs and publications on this topic are featured here (in the Resources Tab above), and you can find a collection of papers, case studies and guides to explore further. When there are upcoming webinars, events and recent news on this topic, they will be featured in the Topic Hub as well, so make sure to come back regularly for the latest on this topic. Finally, we’ve selected some key additional resources, which are listed on the right here, where you can learn even more about this topic.

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