Advances in Inclusive Finance and Microfinance Institutions: Risk, Resilience, and Development
A special issue of International Journal of Financial Studies (ISSN 2227-7072).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 20
Special Issue Editor
Interests: finance; microfinance; pricing theory; credit risk; Basel III banking regulations in microfinance Institutions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue titled “Advances in Inclusive Finance and Microfinance Institutions: Risk, Resilience, and Development”. This Special Issue focuses on the critical role of inclusive finance and microfinance institutions (MFIs) in fostering sustainable economic growth, improving access to credit, and reducing financial exclusion for vulnerable populations and small enterprises.
The increasing complexity of financial markets, combined with global challenges such as economic crises, digital transformation, and climate-related risks, highlights the urgent need for innovative approaches to ensure the resilience and sustainability of MFIs. At the same time, inclusive finance is essential to promoting social equity, entrepreneurship, and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In this Special Issue, we seek to advance both theoretical and empirical research on inclusive finance, with particular attention to risk assessment, institutional performance, and the use of financial technologies (FinTech) in supporting microfinance and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We welcome contributions that provide new insights, innovative methodologies, and practical implications for academics, policymakers, and practitioners in the field.
The scope of this Special Issue includes (but is not limited to) the following themes:
- Credit risk management and default prediction in MFIs and inclusive finance;
- Financial technologies (FinTech) and digital innovations in microfinance;
- Regulation, supervision, and governance of microfinance institutions;
- The role of inclusive finance in fostering SME growth and resilience;
- Sustainable finance and the contribution of MFIs to the SDGs;
- Access to finance for vulnerable groups and financial inclusion policies;
- Case studies on innovation, resilience, and best practices in inclusive finance.
We look forward to receiving your contributions to this Special Issue and to advancing knowledge in the fields of inclusive finance and microfinance. Your expertise and research will be essential to the success of this project.
Prof. Dr. Juan Lara-Rubio
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Financial Studies is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- inclusive finance
- microfinance institutions (MFIs)
- financial inclusion
- credit risk and default prediction
- banking regulation and supervision
- sustainable finance and development
- financial technology (FinTech) in microfinance
- SMEs and access to finance
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