by Michelle Fleming -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP UP: “A New Kind of Conglomerate: Bigtech in China,” published by Institute of International Finance

This is a summary of a paper published by the Institute of International Finance, November 2018, 33 pages, available at https://www.iif.com/portals/0/Files/private/chinese_digital_nov_1.pdf

This paper focuses on the five largest technology firms in China – Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, Ping An and JD.com – and their reach into both the daily life and broader economy of China. The number of internet users in China

by Michelle Fleming -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Voyager Innovations of the Philippines Raises $215m in Equity from Tencent, KKR, IFC to Bring Digital Financial Services to Rural Areas

Voyager Innovations, which is controlled by the Philippines Long Distance and Telephone Company (PLDT), recently raised a total of USD 215 million in equity from China’s Tencent Holdings; KKR, a US-based investment fund formerly known as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts; and the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC). IFC pledged