Abstract
This Financial Insights report examines the growing use and effectiveness of technology in microfinance. Two short case studies from Indonesia and India are presented. The leveraging of biometric and smart card technology by these banks promises a bright future of growth for microfinance initiatives in the banking industry in developing countries in Asia.
Abhishek Kumar, senior research analyst, Asia/Pacific Banking Advisory Service, notes, "Banks in Indonesia and India have emerged as the front-runners in deploying advanced technologies to grow their microfinance businesses. The success of these programs invites banking peers in these and other Asian countries that may not have previously considered microfinance as a viable business." Kumar concludes, "These banks have also been able to dispel the myth of biometric authentication systems' being an expensive technology for use in consumer and mass financial services."
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Financial Insights Opinion
- In This Report
- Brief Description of the Solution
- Situation Overview
- Microfinance Players
- Informal
- Semiformal
- Formal
- Microfinance Characteristics
- Relatively High Administrative Costs
- Figure: Grameen Bank' s Portfolio-at-Risk Ratio, 2002-2005
- Heavy Reliance on Personal Contact with Clients
- Growing Focus on SMEs and Micro-Enterprise
- Microfinance Technology
- Current Technologies in Use
- Biometrics and Smart Cards
- Biometrics
- Smart Cards
- Microfinance in Indonesia
- Bank Rakyat Indonesia
- Figure: Bank Rakyat Indonesia' s Loan Composition by Segment, 2006
- Figure: Bank Rakyat Indonesia' s Kupedes Loan Value, 2002-2006
- Figure: Bank Rakyat Indonesia' s Nonperforming Loan Ratio, 2002-2006
- Case Study 1: Bank Danamon' s DSP Program
- DSP Units
- Figure: Bank Danamon' s Number of DSP Units, 2004-2006
- Biometric and Smart Card Utilization
- Success of the DSP Program
- Figure: Bank Danamon' s Outstanding DSP Loans, 2004-2006
- Figure: Bank Danamon' s Loan Share by Segment, 2005
- Figure: Bank Danamon' s Loan Share by Segment, 2006
- Microfinance Players
- Future Outlook
- Microfinance in India
- Figure: SKS Microfinance' s Outstanding Loans, 2004-2007
- Case Study 2: ICICI Bank' s Rural Banking Program
- Biometric Account Access
- Figure: ICICI Bank' s Rural Banking Assets, 2004-2007
- Case Study 2: ICICI Bank' s Rural Banking Program
- Essential Guidance
- Actions for Financial Institutions
- Actions for Vendors
- Learn More
- Related Research
- Synopsis

