Issue 4 Summer 008
MASTERCARD FOUNDATION PARTNERS
WITH MICROFINANCE INFORMATION
ExCHANGE TO ENHANCE TRANSPARENCY
OF MICROFINANCE INDUSTRY
The MasterCard Foundation awarded a two- Foundation. “Improving access to real-time data
year, $740,000 grant to Microfinance Information and ensuring greater transparency will drive
eXchange (MIX) to launch MIX Market 2.0, a next- performance in the microfinance sector.”
generation Web platform for sharing reliable,
comparable and publicly available information “MIX provides vital financial and social performance
on the financial strength and performance of data on microfinance institutions, investors and
microfinance institutions. MIX, a not-for-profit private networks through our online platform MIX Market,”
company, has received industry-wide recognition said Peter Wall, executive director of MIX. “With the
for its efforts to increase the transparency of the MasterCard Foundation’s grant, MIX will be able
microfinance sector. to deliver critical data and analysis to the public
with a new platform that is robust and scaleable,
The grant underscores the MasterCard providing users with the data and tools they want,
Foundation’s commitment to building the capacity and in easily downloadable formats.”
of the microfinance sector, which provides financial
Source: The MasterCard Foundation
services to low-income populations in developing
countries. MIX Market 2.0 will improve the speed,
accuracy and usability of the current MIX Market
Web platform, which serves more than 25,000
visitors per month. The platform provides annual
financial and operating information on more than
1,150 microfinance institutions, as well as profiles
funders that invest in microfinance and partners,
including evaluators. However, significant
technological improvements are needed to expand
and upgrade the platform to support the growing
demand for real-time information.
“We are pleased to support MIX to fuel the
continued growth of the microfinance sector,” said
Reeta Roy, president and CEO of the MasterCard
 | Perspectives on technology
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