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Is Digital Credit Filling a Hole or Digging a Hole? Evidence from Malawi

Author

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  • Valentina Brailovskaya
  • Pascaline Dupas
  • Jonathan Robinson

Abstract

Digital credit has expanded rapidly in Africa, with opaque loan terms amidst low consumer financial literacy. Rich data from Malawi shows substantial demand for a digital loan with a base interest rate of 10% over 15 days, yet most borrowers are not aware of loan terms, repay late and incur substantial late fees. Regression discontinuity analyses show no evidence that access to small digital loans harms consumers’ perceived well-being. A short, randomised, phone-based financial literacy intervention improved knowledge, but did not increase timely loan repayment and modestly increased loan demand, ultimately increasing the likelihood of ever defaulting.

Suggested Citation

  • Valentina Brailovskaya & Pascaline Dupas & Jonathan Robinson, 2024. "Is Digital Credit Filling a Hole or Digging a Hole? Evidence from Malawi," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 134(658), pages 457-484.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:134:y:2024:i:658:p:457-484.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/uead083
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    Cited by:

    1. Burlando, Alfredo & Kuhn, Michael A. & Prina, Silvia, 2023. "Too Fast, Too Furious? Digital Credit Delivery Speed and Repayment Rates," IZA Discussion Papers 16451, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Ubfal, Diego, 2024. "What Works in Supporting Women-Led Businesses?," IZA Discussion Papers 16950, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Beck, Thorsten & Gambacorta, Leonardo & Huang, Yiping & Li, Zhenhua & Qiu, Han, 2022. "Big techs, QR code payments and financial inclusion," CEPR Discussion Papers 17297, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Hernández Romero, Karla & Vera-Cossio, Diego A. & Hoffmann, Bridget & Pecha, Camilo, 2024. "The Promises of Digital Bank Accounts for Low-income Individuals," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 13379, Inter-American Development Bank.
    5. Constantin Johnen & Oliver Mußhoff, 2023. "Digital credit and the gender gap in financial inclusion: Empirical evidence from Kenya," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(2), pages 272-295, March.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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