Fintech and household resilience to shocks: Evidence fromdigital loans in Kenya

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Suri, Tavneet; Bharadwaj, Prashant; Jack, William
• 署名单位: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); University of California System; University of California San Diego; Georgetown University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2021.102697
• 发表日期: 2021
• 关键词: Digital loans; regression discontinuity; AFRICA

摘要

Developing country lenders are taking advantage of fintech tools to create fully digital loans on mobile phones. Using administrative and survey data, we study the take up and impacts of one of the most popular digital loan products in the world, M-Shwari in Kenya. While 34% of those eligible for a loan take it, the loan does not substitute for other credit. The loans improve household resilience: households are 6.3 percentage points less likely to forego expenses due to negative shocks. Fintech tools can be a crucial way to improve financial access and household resilience.