Global microfinance market will witness steady growth over the forecast period (2017 to 2025) and this growth can be attributed to the rapid rise in the number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Developing markets will drive expansion, a trend expected to continue until (and perhaps beyond) 2022, by which point the IMF expects annual growth for this group to have reached 5%.
With 139 million clients and a credit portfolio of USD 114 billion in 2017, microfinance has reaffirmed its position as a key tool in the financial inclusion of marginalized populations.
By using blockchain technology for microfinancing, AssetStream will create a layer of trust and security between borrowers and lenders. It is a new paradigm of the finance business to connect with the individual lender while enabling a new source of finances for small enterprises to fuel global economic growth anywhere, anytime.
Unbanked and underbanked opportunities
Bad credit history still is one of the most significant impacts on a loan application that could result in a decline in the productivity of small and medium enterprises. Despite every lending institution claiming to have the best credit terms, fees and accessible services for everyone, almost 32% loan applicants of good credit history applicants still get refused.
Microfinance is not only another asset class but also a powerful contributor to the alleviation of global poverty. By maximizing their social and financial performance and preserving a focus on the low-income clients they were created to serve, AssetStream taps an attractive and underserved market opportunity and intersects with their specialized expertise.
Lenders and borrowers ecosystem
AssetStream will develop the ecosystem that delivers services not only to lenders and borrowers but also to agencies that choose to partner up with it. AssetStream funds will be financed from purchasing of AST tokens.
AssetStream will scrutinize all credit ratings for SMEs as the loan will comprise of a higher amount. Here are some features of the process.
- The manual method for lending consists of a lender handpicking a loan application from the platform.
- In an automated lending process, the lender sets up a certain criterion for his ideal loan and the system will find projects that match and are in the fundraising phase.
- Examples of criteria are minimum credit rating of the borrower, minimum interest rate, maximum duration of the loan, maximum lend out the amount.
- The credit rating of small and medium enterprises will always be done manually but for individual borrowers, it will happen automatically.
- If individual borrowers are not satisfied with their credit rating or they can choose for a manual credit rating. This manual credit rating will have a fee in ASD token.
Social advocacy
Investors can expect small businesses to continue to operate in such a way as to maximize the achievement of both financial and social returns. Social return on investment in microfinance helps reduce poverty and increase economic opportunities for the poor.
Microfinance is not a panacea for poverty. However, in concert with other interventions in areas such as health, education, infrastructure, market access, and a functioning and responsive government, microfinance can play an important supporting role in helping poor families around the world create more secure and rewarding lives for themselves and their communities.
AssetStream Highlights…
AssetStream recently signed an MOU with Max Property Group (MPG), an international property investment company. Max Crowdfund is a crowdfunding platform and together with AssetStream, projects on massive numbers of their communities to support direct integration of their blockchain platforms.
250+Million Members applaud as the English Learning platform English Forward entered into an MOU with AssetStream to access microfinance resources for its teachers and learners community.
Finally…
AssetStream’s full beta platform is live and ready. The platform’s transactions are on the blockchain. To know how the whole ecosystem works, see the demo on the website now.
About the Author: Karnika E. Yashwant (KEY) is a multi-awarded CEO of a dozen brands. He has been advising blockchain projects since 2013.