MIX and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) present the first set of rankings of Asian microfinance institutions (MFIs) – the 2007 MIX Asia 100. The report draws on year 2006 outreach and financial performance results of 392 MFIs across 23 countries to highlight the achievements of the microfinance industry within the region. Asian microfinance has long been touted for its extensive outreach to the poor, but a number of questions remain on the performance of MFIs across the region.

What is the range of performance for leading institutions? How deep is the sector in each sub-region and what are the major intra-regional differences and similarities? Where do regional strengths (and weaknesses) lie? Which types of institutions are strongest along which dimensions of performance? By taking a look at individual institutional performance, using a sample that is both broad and deep, MIX and ADB provide the framework in which to answer these important questions.

About the Asian Development Bank

ADB's vision is an Asia and Pacific region free of poverty. Its mission is to help its developing member countries substantially reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their people. Despite the region's many successes, it remains home to two thirds of the world's poor. Nearly 1.7 billion people in the region live on $2 or less a day. ADB is committed to reducing poverty through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.

Based in Manila, ADB is owned by 67 members, including 48 from the region. Its main instruments for helping its developing member countries are policy dialogue, loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants, and technical assistance. In 2007, it approved $10.1 billion of loans, $673 million of grant projects, and technical assistance amounting to $243 million.

About MIX

The Microfinance Information eXchange (MIX) is the leading provider of business information and data services for the microfinance industry. Dedicated to strengthening the microfinance sector by promoting transparency, MIX provides detailed performance and financial information on microfinance institutions, investors, networks, and service providers associated with the industry. MIX does this through a variety of publicly available platforms, including MIX Market (www.mixmarket.org) and the MicroBanking Bulletin (www.mixmbb.org).

MIX is a non-profit organization founded by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), and others, and sponsored by CGAP, Citi Foundation, Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation, Omidyar Network, Open Society and the Soros Economic Development Fund, Rockdale Foundation, and others.

Download 2007 MIX Asia 100: Ranking of Microfinance Institutions

PDF format, 4.4MB, 52 Pages.

ISBN: 978-971-561-687-4
Publication Date: April 2008

Asian Development Bank
6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City
1550 Metro Manila, Philippines
www.adb.org
Publication Stock No. BBK105908

Visit 2007 MIX Asia 100: Ranking of Microfinance Institutions Download Page

Forward:

The modem microfinance industry, which began in the 1970s with a number of pilot microcredit programs providing small loans to poor and low-income households, has seen a remarkable growth in the Asia and Pacific region in the last three decades. The rate of growth in the industry has been spectacular, particularly in the last decade. The current status of the industry clearly suggests that the growth trends may continue in the future or even gather further momentum. The past growth has taken place along many different dimensions: outreach of credit, outreach of deposit services, expansion of services to poorer households, and the increasing efficiency with which the services are provided.

Despite these positive trends, the fact remains that the industry has not even scratched the surface when compared with the market potential. Hence, an enormous gap between the demand for and the supply of microfinance services remains, and a large number of people in the region are still unserved and underserved. If we are to harness the potential of microfinance to reduce poverty and promote inclusive development, this gap must be narrowed as much, and as early, as possible, effectively and efficiently. Such is the challenge faced by all stakeholders in microfinance development-be they funding agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), governments, retail institutions, or other stakeholders such as private investors in the industry.

This situation, however, presents a formidable challenge for the stakeholders. Reliable, accurate, and timely data and information playa critical role in facilitating the ways in which industry players can face this challenge. Financial service is an informationintensive industry, and the supply ofbetter quality data and information undoubtedly underpins its growth.

This report provides reliable and timely information on almost 400 leading microfinance institutions in Asia and uses rankings for key variables to indicate where they stand in relation to their peers. The report also provides useful insights not only to those institutions covered therein but also to others who are active in the industry and have not yet become regular providers of information to the Microfinance Information eXchange. We also hope the report will be valuable for microfinance sector investors.

Recognition ofthe wide range of possible benefits of a comprehensive report of this nature induced us to collaborate with the Microfinance Information eXchange in bringing this report out to you. We hope the report will contribute to on-going efforts to build a robust microfinance industry in the region to serve millions of unserved and underserved poor and low income households effectively and efficiently.

We thank the Microfinance Information eXchange for making this collaboration a reality.

Nimal A. Fernando
Practice Leader (Microfinance)
Asian Development Bank

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