Facebook’s Libra will, it is claimed, bring the unbanked into the financial system. However, in Africa this issue is being tackled in more innovative ways.
Latest articles from Comment

Is your bank frightened by the ecosystem?
September 24, 2019Open banking is spreading around the world. Banks need to do more than just tick compliance boxes if they are going to stay relevant, writes Brian Caplen.

How PPI profits hid a cost problem
September 17, 2019Focusing on income and ignoring costs will always bring trouble in the end, as the PPI scandal in the UK revealed, writes Brian Caplen.

Big banking profits should invite questions
September 10, 2019What the UK's PPI mis-selling scandal shows is that the source of bank profits requires careful analysis, writes Brian Caplen.

When the alternative becomes the norm
September 3, 2019Banks are safer but economic conditions are increasingly bizarre. Risk managers are struggling to understand the new dynamics, writes Brian Caplen.
How to restore the lost faith in banks
September 2, 2019As trust in banks has slumped, the regulations policing them have proliferated. Restoring this reputation is crucial, writes José María Roldan of the Spanish Banking Association.

ING’s strategy matures to Innovation 3.0
September 2, 2019Dutch bank ING is proud of its track record in innovating to improve the lives of its customers, as its chief innovation officer tells The Banker.

Citi proves there is life left in M&A mega-deals
September 2, 2019The death of global M&A activity is very much exaggerated, say Mark Shafir and Cary Kochman of Citi, which has advised on four of 2019's mega-deals.
Ripple and Swift: best of frenemies?
September 2, 2019The battle royal between incumbent infrastructure consortium Swift and challenger Ripple may be cooling after years of heated disagreement.

A new, circular mindset for the planet
September 2, 2019By moving to a circular economy, the world can create less waste, design better products and adopt healthier habits, says EIB president Werner Hoyer.