2012 Asia Regional Snapshot

This snapshot of the Asian microfinance sector looks at how the microfinance sector in Asia is performing in comparison to rest of the world. It analyses the outreach, funding scenario, and performance of MFIs in Asia.The snapshot states that according to the World Bank, 22 countries in Asia with a population of 3.6 billion have microfinance sectors. The total number of borrowers is 58.7 million and the number of depositors is around 34 million. The gross loan portfolio (GLP) of MFIs is more than USD 39 billion. Findings include:

• Asian MFIs capture more than 69% of total loans outstanding but only have 46% of the global GLP;
• Asia leads in the total percentage of deposits and depositors;
• Non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) top the list in terms of outreach with nearly 38% of total borrowers in all regions, followed by NGOs and banks;
• Countries such as Bangladesh and India, which have large populations, have outreach levels of 37% and 35% respectively of the total share;
• Asia has the highest female outreach globally;
• India continues to be the leader in loans outstanding;
• Funding composition trends have not changed significantly but reliance on deposits is increasing;
• South Asia has seen a steady increase in return on assets since 2007;
• East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) has picked up after 2009.