Myanmar’s nascent banking industry has urged the government to set up “credit bureaus” whereby banks could learn borrowers’ credit histories, giving a better insight into a customer’s background before granting loans. A borrower’s ability to pay back a loan is an important factor when evaluating their suitability for loans and credit bureaus would be useful for banks to assess the risks associated with lending.

As part of the current banking system, which is undergoing rapid reforms as the country attracts a surge in investment from abroad, a borrower must provide collateral as part of any borrowing, a hindrance to many businesses that do not have sufficient capital.