Webinar series: Finance, credit, and debt in South East Asia

Financial transformation, credit markets and household debt in Southeast Asia.
ISEAS Webinar series, 2020-21.


The Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore is running a webinar series on financialization, credit growth, and indebtedness in the emerging economies of South East Asia.

This webinar series explores the transformation of financial landscapes in Southeast Asia. Within the last two decades, most of the ASEAN countries have experienced an economic boom and become more integrated with global capital markets. Financial inclusion has also significantly improved even though it remains relatively low in some countries. An important aspect of this financial transformation is the development of traditional and digital credit markets in a context where informal finance remains well-entrenched. Another key component is the rise of household debt driven by the consolidation of a young and aspirational middle-class. Regulating the new financial landscapes and managing household credit booms are critical to ensure financial stability and balancing the benefits of consumer lending with the risks of overheating. The seminar will address these pressing issues by shedding light on household debt and the evolution of formal and informal credit markets including consumer lending, digital finance, peer-to-peer lending, microfinance, pawnshops, rotative credit associations, and moneylending.

The full program with abstracts and links to register for each session is available here.