By leveraging machine-learning algorithms and using nontraditional digital data derived primarily from borrowers’ mobile devices, digital lenders have vastly expanded access to credit in developing economies for millions of individuals without a prior credit history. At the same time,...

Combining administrative data on credit, internet penetration and a land reform in Rwanda, this paper shows that the complementarity between technology and law can overcome financial frictions. Leveraging quasi-experimental variation in 3G availability from lightning strikes and incidental...

Private banks often blame state guarantees to distort competition by giving public banks the advantage of lower funding costs. In this paper I show that if borrowers perceive the public bank as supporting economic development, private banks may be able to separate firms by self selection, enter...