The Evolution of Community Development Banks Influenced by E-Payment and Its Social Impact on Brazil

Abstract

Microcredit involves offering credit in small amounts and at low interest rates to economically disadvantaged populations and those who cannot offer guarantees. The offer of microcredit for solidarity purposes is not aimed at increasing an organization's profits but rather toward local economic development and as an initiative to eradicate poverty. The first community development bank was founded in Brazil in 1998. Such banks offer financial, solidary-based, networked services of an associative nature and are aimed at reorganizing local economies through job and income generation and establishment of a solidarity economy. This chapter presents the following problem question: How has the mobile payment or electronic payment technology impacted the performance of Brazilian solidary digital banks? It also presents guidelines for replicating this model in developing countries.