Asia Financial Services

In the three decades before the 2007-08 global financial crisis, the world’s financial networks became increasingly interconnected. Financial system regulatory convergence and the growing penetration of World Trade Organisation rules, as well as the creation of currency unions such as the euro, resulted in a surge in cross-border capital flows...

As part of ongoing efforts to liberalise the financial services sector and increase credit to the private sector, the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) has introduced regulations to facilitate foreign investment in domestic lenders. In January 2019 the CBM issued Regulation No. 1 of 2019, allowing foreign banks and financial institutions to hold...

In a country where 70% of the population work in rural communities, and around a quarter of all citizens live below the poverty line, microfinance is one of the few available sources for personal and business funding. Myanmar’s microfinance institutions (MFIs) are thus a vital part of efforts to boost access to credit. Indicators of financial...

The successful implementation of the second wave of reforms associated with the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan will focus on peace, stability and good governance, and will help us achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Although the economy slowed to about 6.2% between April to September 2018, due to weakening external and...