Microfinance International Corp. Remittances as a practical way to expand Microfinance Services.

1. Microfinance International Corp. Remittances as a practical way to expand Microfinance Services.

2. Company Profile MFIC is a private-sector corporation headquartered in Washington, DC with an office in Tokyo and representation offices in The Netherlands and Ethiopia. The company was founded in 2003 by Atsumasa Tochisako after a 27 year career at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi. MFIC won various awards, including the first $1M Legatum Fortune Technology Prize and Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2009. Shareholders include FMO, a private-public investment bank of the Netherlands; Tokyo Marine and Fire Insurance; Development Bank of Japan; Global Brain, a Japanese Venture Capital Fund; and INES, a leading system integrator in Japan.

3. Company Mission Microfinance International Corporation (MFIC) aims to expand affordable and professional financial services to markets where such services have previously been unavailable or overpriced are overpriced or disconnected from mainstream banking. MFIC offers innovative payment solution and other services to financial service providers thereby builds an infrastructure to securely deliver value-added services to the markets of all levels worldwide. MFIC collaborates with various entities, including technology companies, mobile carriers, NGOs and the public sector, to better meet the demands of varied markets.  MFIC aspires to be an innovator, integrator and enabler in the financial sector.

4. MFIC’s Operations MFIC has three divisions that work hand in hand to support the expansion of financial services: ARIAS Remittance Platform as a low cost alternative for financial institutions to participate in remittances. Microfinance Institution in the US that serves immigrants with basic financial services, from remittances to loans and insurance products. Acts as a US partner for MFIs for product development and marketing. Consulting services for banks and other financial institutions in the area of regulatory compliance.

5. ARIAS Remittance Platform for MFIs ARIAS is a turn-key remittance solution that enables MFIs to offer a fast, reliable and compliant money transfer service. ARIAS is a centrally run application service so MFIs can use the system without operating hardware or software and a very low upfront and operational cost. As an open system the MFI is able to partner with any sending money transfer operator or bank. In addition, MFIs get access to the ARIAS network that contains many banks, retailers, card processors, mobile network operators and others originators of remittances. The system was designed to cope with basic technical infrastructure and offers in simple payment interfaces for branches (web-based teller interface for PCs) and PoS terminals that operate on the cell phone network.

6. How ARIAS Works

7. Cross-Selling Other Products ARIAS provides MFIs with an ability to manage customer data, making it easier for them to cross-sell other products, such as micro-loans or insurance to remittance recipients and using the customer’s remittance history to analyze their credit-worthiness. A cooperation with Alante Financial in the US enables the MFIs to offer their services to expatriate customers, for example transnational housing or small business loans. Immigrants get an opportunity to use their income generating power to support the creation of a business in their home country.

8. Cross-Border Products MFIC helps MFIs to use their remittance service to reach clients living in the US who wish to invest in their home country. MFIC’s unique business platform enables those financial institutions to serve immigrants in the U.S. through its Alante Financial retail branches. The goal of these products is twofold: to strengthen the financial infrastructure to serve the poor in developing countries, and to set up a mechanism for immigrant families to access financing for income-generating and asset-building activities in their home countries. Transnational Lending Products • Real Estate, Home Purchase • Home improvement • Start / Expansion of Business (microenterprise) • Education

9. MFIC Partners WSBI Remittance Switch: ARIAS is a service provider to the World Savings Banks Remittance Switch . The WSBI Remittance Switch is a remittance network that links Savings Banks and third parties for the processing of remittances offered by the World Savings Banks Institute in Brussels. Belgacom : ARIAS prefers to partner with Belgacom for the offering of mWallet applications and with Belgacom for the settlement of mobile payments.

10. IFAD - OXFAM - MFIC Remittance Project in Ethiopia MFIC is implementing a project funded by IFAD in Ethiopia to set up the three largest MFIs with combined over 600 rural branches to begin remittance services and offer financial products to Ethiopians in the Diaspora. MFIC provides the implementation of the project: • Installation of the ARIAS Remittance System at the MFIs in Ethiopia; • Development of compliance programs for the MFIs; • Training and local support for operations; • Support in the development of transnational products; • Establishment of partnerships with money transfer companies in the US • Creation of a project website promoting the MFIs and their services to expatriate Ethiopians and allowing them to send money online for payment through the MFIs.