Access and Accountability: The Trade-Offs in Data-Driven Lending
Egypt’s Commercial International Bank (CIB) is integrating alternative data—utility bills, telecom payments and recurring transfers—into its underwriting to broaden credit access while tightening risk assessment. The bank argues that real‑time transaction patterns give a dynamic view of borrower stability, enabling responsible expansion into underbanked segments. Similar approaches are emerging across Africa, with Nigeria’s Paga and fintech Cede leveraging behavioural signals to gauge reliability beyond traditional credit histories. However, the surge in data use raises governance, bias and accountability concerns that could offset inclusion gains if not managed carefully.
Africa’s Corporate Banking Push Hits Integration Headaches
Egypt’s Commercial International Bank (CIB) has rolled out a new mobile app for SME clients that bundles payments, cash‑management and credit visibility, while expanding API‑based connectivity for corporate treasury systems. The move reflects a continent‑wide push by African banks to...
Insights From DBS on Being a Trusted, AI-Enabled Bank with a Heart
DBS Chief Operating Officer highlights the bank’s rapid shift to generative AI, noting that more than 70% of staff now rely on the in‑house DBS‑GPT for daily tasks. A decade‑long data and AI foundation enabled the bank to re‑engineer processes,...
Banreservas: Expanding with Purpose
Banreservas has leveraged its New York, Madrid and Miami offices to originate roughly $57 million in mortgage loans for about 100,000 Dominicans and to process $1.8 billion in remittances, covering 60% of the diaspora market. Domestically, the state‑owned bank reports an active portfolio...
African Banks Face a Long Road to Lower Financed Emissions
African banks are beginning to measure financed emissions using the PCAF methodology, with Egypt’s Commercial International Bank (CIB) leading the effort in the region. While South Africa and Kenya have made notable progress in ESG integration, more than 80% of...
Euromoney Acquired by Triple Private Equity
Euromoney, the long‑standing provider of benchmarking and certification for the global banking and finance sector, has been acquired by Triple Private Equity. Triple, a growth‑focused private‑equity firm specializing in B2B software and data for financial infrastructure, risk and compliance, will...
From Vision to Ambition: Evolving ESG Strategies in GCC Banking
GCC banks are shifting from ESG ambition to execution as regional regulations tighten and net‑zero targets loom. Mashreq Bank leads the field by securing end‑to‑end AA1000AS assurance for its integrated ESG report and embedding sustainability KPIs into senior management objectives....
Tailor-Made Banking From High School to Retirement
Spain’s aging population, projected to hit 30% by the mid‑2050s, coincides with a surge in digital banking adoption—75% of Spaniards used online services in 2024. CaixaBank responded by creating a life‑stage ecosystem: the fully digital neobank imagin for youth and...
Bank-Backed Stablecoins: A New Chapter for Payments in Europe?
European banks, led by CaixaBank and peers, are creating a euro‑denominated, bank‑backed stablecoin. The initiative, organized through the Qivalis consortium, complies with the EU’s MiCA regulation and targets enterprise‑level payments. It aims to enable instant, programmable, cross‑border settlements that improve...