As a cornerstone of the modern financial safety net, the Lender of Last Resort (LOLR) is essential in mitigating liquidity crises and containing financial contagion. However, during periods of economic stability, risk-taking incentives in the banking sector may undermine its effectiveness. Using...

This Focus Note explores why this remains the case— even after significant efforts to narrow the financial inclusion gender gap—and what can be done to achieve equality in this sphere. Since closing the gap will require contextually adapted solutions, Ghana and Tanzania were selected as two...

This report, developed under the World Bank’s technical assistance program “Financial and Private Sector Development Policies for Fostering Sustainable Growth in Brazil,” examines strategies for strengthening disaster risk financing in response to floods. It provides an overview of federal...

This paper develops a functional and historical appraisal of finance. We start by proposing a taxonomy of three core, theory-driven functions of the financial system - intermediation, entrepreneurial, and accumulative - that coevolve throughout the history of capitalism. We build an empirical...

This paper examines how digital financial platform engagement influences financial inclusion in the Philippines and explores how financial institutions are deploying artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing these platforms. It combines nationally representative data from the World Bank Global...

This paper revisits the "too much finance" hypothesis by reassessing the relationship between financial depth and economic growth using an expanded dataset (1960-2019) and a systematic estimation strategy that avoids reliance on any single, potentially arbitrary sample window. We estimate both...

In essence, the currently large stablecoins are electronic money issued by narrow balance sheet vehicles into a distributed ledger (or a "programmable platform"). Many believe that they will have significant success as a new form of money. Members of the current US administration expect that US...

The Seoul Center for Finance and Innovation (SCFI) Trust Fund, established in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Korea, aims to support financial sector stability, resilience, and private sector–led growth and innovation in the East Asia and Pacific...

Palau’s financial system faces structural challenges that inhibit effective financial intermediation, mobilization of domestic savings, and payment system efficiency. The authorities have been striving to address these challenges through digital initiatives. While these initiatives are...

Economic benefits of financial inclusion, meaning a broadening access of the population to financial services, have been studied extensively, but less is known about its potential effects on financial stability. We explore the complementarity between credit booms and episodes of rapid expansion...

The rise of fintech lenders has intensified competition in the banking industry. This study utilizes Brazilian bank-level data to examine the causal impact of increased competition on commercial banks’ lending rates and profitability. Employing a bank-specific Bartik exposure, constructed from...

We propose a quantitative framework to track systemic risk arising from cyber vulnerabilities of the U.S. financial system. Synthesizing financial, economic, cyber, and network data that covers thousands of financial institutions and technological firms, we develop an index that tracks...

This study examines the role of financial infrastructure in shaping child health outcomes in rural India, with a particular focus on whether access to rural banking mitigates the adverse effects of agricultural income shocks. Using data from the National Family and Health Surveys (NFHS), I...

Firms differ in the extent to which they get access to formal and informal credit sources in developing economies. In developing economies, banks ration credit due to higher perceived borrower risk, information asymmetry, lack of collateral, and market inefficiencies. Due to financial...

This study examines the relationship between green finance and environmental sustainability in Nepal from 1990 to 2023. Constructing the index for financial development by using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the relationship is explored using Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) followed...

Financial institutions face increased reputational, regulatory, and ethical risks as the frequency and complexity of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) controversies increase. Whistleblowing mechanisms are essential in the context of institutional resilience and the mitigation of...

As Thailand's financial sector accelerates its digital transformation, cybersecurity has transitioned from a mere technical support function to a strategic imperative that governs operational risk and financial stability. This study empirically examines the efficacy of cyber risk controls and...

This paper examines how financial development shapes total factor energy efficiency (TFEE) across the European Union (EU-27) and Western Balkans (WB-6) via a two-stage methodology. We develop DEA-based TFEE indicators from 2006 to 2021 via a window approach that reflects short- and medium-term...

This study examines the impact of financial inclusion on income inequality across 33 provinces in Indonesia from 2015 to 2023, while controlling for human development and investment-related factors. Specifically, it investigates the effects of the Financial Inclusion Index (FII), Human...

The World Bank asserts that reducing extreme poverty and achieving shared prosperity are both made possible through financial inclusion. Digital finance may enhance financial stability, thereby supporting more inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Despite its potential benefits, the link...

This paper examines the interplay between financial inclusion and FinTech in shaping banking stability, with a focus on economies in the Asia and Pacific region. Using an unbalanced panel dataset from 21 economies from 2000 to 2021, the paper finds that financial inclusion enhances banking...

Asia presently houses some of the top and dynamic economies in the world. These economies have also experienced high fintech adoption in their banking sectors. This paper examines the impact of fintech adoption and integration on the efficiency and stability of banks in 9 Asian countries, using...

This paper examines the impact of fintech adoption and financial inclusion on financial stability in selected countries. Using panel data from 30 countries spanning 2011-2024, the study employs an empirical strategy based on Two-Way Fixed Effects, a dynamic two-step System GMM estimator, and...

In this paper, we analyze the impacts of financial innovation and financial deepening on the economic growth of 14 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries from 1995 to 2023. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach and error correction model (ECM) were used to assess short- and long-run...

The study examines how cost of credit, digital finance and bank capital shape MSME lending and performance in Kenya. Using FinAccess 2024 microdata and bank-level panel data (2011-2024), we estimate a control-function Probit, Mundlak Random Effects Logit and System-GMM model. Results show that...

This study empirically investigates the performance of Elastic Machine Learning, an industrial, unsupervised anomaly detection tool, in the identification of fraudulent behavior in banking transactions. Using AI-generated datasets that were designed to simulate realistic banking environments,...

I develop a framework analyzing how artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes monetary policy through three interrelated channels: cyclical transmission, structural transition, and financial stability. In the short run, AI can alter inflation dynamics by changing how supply and demand disturbances...

This study explores the drivers of economic growth in the BRICS economies-Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa-over the period 1994-2024, focusing on the roles of digital infrastructure and financial development. Using a balanced panel, we examine how internet connectivity and access...