This note examines the implications of digital innovation for market structure and attendant policies, including financial and competition regulation. There have been several surveys of regulatory responses. This note takes a step back, to look at what the economic theory of banking and...

The Thailand Economic Monitor (TEM) consists of two parts. Part 1 of the TEM reviews recent economic developments, examines the country's macroeconomic outlook, and analyzes the impact of key policy changes. Part 2 focuses on a specific subject with critical implications for Thailand's long-term...

This report is a stock-take of the state of prudential regulation and supervision of fintech. It focuses on prudential questions related to three primary products-transaction accounts (deposits and e-money accounts), credit, and payments. As such, the report covers e-money providers, P2P...

Islamic finance is a fast-booming segment of global finance. Serving a core population of 1.8 billion Muslims world-wide and a wider global ethical finance audience, its role is growing in global significance especially as it relates to global social financing needs. The global fintech...

This policy note summarizes the central health sector trends and challenges in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries of the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). These countries are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, and Qatar. The note also...

This engagement note provides a snapshot of financial development in the countries of the GulfCooperation Council (GCC), Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and identifies key areas of the financial sector reform agenda where the World Bank Group (WBG)...

The economic outlook for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies appears far rosier now than it did even six months ago. Increased investment and consumption both public and private are contributing to growth while inflation remains subdued in most economies except for Saudi Arabia where it...

The COVID-19 pandemic and the decline in global oil demand and prices dealt the GCC countries a health crisis and a commodity market shock. The GCC's aggregate GDP contracted by 4.8 percent in 2020 from 2019, with the growth outturns ranging from -3.7 in Qatar to an estimated -6.3 percent in...

This engagement note in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) aims to identify entry points that respond to the strategic goals and country development priorities announced by GCC member states. This note provides an overview of the recent progress and key economic challenges facing women in GCC...

This engagement note provides education sector policymakers with an overview of the status of education across the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and offers insight into the World Bank's strategies and approaches to supporting education reform in the GCC region. While the Gulf...