MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Reveals Truth in Lending Tables Data Platform and Pricing Transparency Index

MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency), a US-based nongovernmental organization that provides information on microcredit products and their prices, recently revealed the Truth in Lending Tables (TILT) Data Platform that displays the interest rates and fees charged to 40 million microfinance clients of 429 institutions across 20 countries. The datasets also display the new Pricing Transparency Index (PTI), MFTransparency’s scale for rating the level of transparency of a price. PTI shows the percentage of the loan price that is communicated by the lender’s nominal interest rate to the borrower. As of March 2012, MFTransparency reported total revenue of USD 1.3 million.

By Jennifer Young, Research Associate

About MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency)
MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency) is a US-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) that was launched in July 2008 to provide information on microcredit products and their prices. MFTransparency collects data on the interest and fees charged on microfinance loan products in order to calculate and publicize the effective interest rates charged on those loans. As of March 2012, MFTransparency reported total revenue of USD 1.3 million. According to its website, 1341 industry stakeholders have endorsed its efforts as of 2013. As of January 2013, MFTransparency has collected data from 30 countries on four continents, including 16 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sources and Additional Resources

MicroFinance Transparency Press Release, “New Pricing Data Revealed,”
http://www.mftransparency.org/homeslide/new-pricing-data-revealed-2/

MicroCapital Story, April 11, 2013, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Launch Transparent Pricing Initiative in Morocco in Partnership with Netherlands Platform for Microfinance, Planet Rating, Centre Mohammed VI de Soutien a la Microfinance Solidaire,”
https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-mftransparency-launch-transparent-pricing-initiative-in-morocco-in-partnership-with-netherlands-platform-for-microfinance-planet-rating-centre-mohammed-vi-de-soutien-a-la-microfi/

MicroCapital Story, January 22, 2013, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroFinance Transparency, Pakistan Microfinance Network Partner to Collect, Publish Microloan Pricing Data,”
https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-microfinance-transparency-pakistan-microfinance-network-partner-to-collect-publish-microloan-pricing-data/

MicroCapital Story, August 15, 2012, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Partners with Planet Rating, Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) of India to Improve Pricing Transparency,”
https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-mftransparency-partners-with-planet-rating-microfinance-institutions-network-mfin-of-india-to-improve-pricing-transparency/

MicroCapital Story, February 7, 2012, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Releases Microfinance Pricing Data for Mozambique,”
https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-mftransparency-releases-microfinance-pricing-data-for-mozambique/

MicroCapital Story, January 27, 2012, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Releases Microloan Pricing Data for Ghana, Zambia, Tanzania,”
https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-mftransparency-releases-microloan-pricing-data-for-ghana-zambia-tanzania/

MicroCapital Story, January 19, 2012, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MFTransparency Releases Microloan Pricing Report on Ethiopia’s Microfinance Industry,” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-mftransparency-releases-microloan-pricing-report-on-ethiopias-microfinance-industry/

MicroCapital Universe Profile: MicroFinance Transparency
https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=MFTransparency

Do you know that MicroCapital publishes the MicroCapital Monitor newspaper each month? Find out more at https://www.microcapital.org/products-page/.

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