The Cambridge Centre of Alternative Finance (CCAF) has revealed a new course on competition in digital financial services.
CCAF is the leading independent research entity chronicling the development of Fintech globally. The group is also a key partner with governments and regulators worldwide, providing guidance and evidence-based insights into alternative finance.
Led by Financial Innovation for Impact (Fii), in partnership with the CCAF and supported by the Gates Foundation, the course will target low- and middle-income countries. These include public and financial authorities, such as central banks, government ministries, financial regulators, and competition authorities.
The first phase, beginning in January, will focus on Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Indonesia. The course is free for those participants via scholarships funded by the Gates Foundation.
Philip Rowan, Head of Competition at Fii and Co-Head of the Cambridge Regulatory Innovation Hub at CCAF, says compeitiont in digital financial services is not just an ideal – it’s a catalyst for innovation, inclusion and economic empowerment.
“In many low- and middle-income countries, demand and supply side barriers to competition threaten to stifle progress and limit access to affordable, high-quality financial services. This course is designed to change that.”
As all financial platforms are quickly becoming digitized, and Fintech can serve to improve financial services globally for consumers and businesses. Over time, more can be achieved with less, and underserved segments and regions can gain access to sophisticated platforms that were previously unavailable.