Knowledge that Transforms

ABSTRACT We present results from a field experiment that introduced digital payroll accounts to unbanked factory workers to examine how inexperienced consumers learn to use a new financial technology. We find that exposure to payroll accounts leads to increased account use, accelerated learning, and avoidance of common consumer protection risks. Those receiving electronic wage payments gradually build trust in the technology, learn to use accounts without assistance, and avoid illicit fees. Using experimental variation in assignment to bank versus mobile money accounts, we show that these impacts are concentrated in mobile money accounts, the newer, more complex, and less trusted financial technology.

ABSTRACT We introduce a simple measure of informed trading risk, , the residual to liquidity quote‐improvement‐to‐deterioration ratio times . When facing with increased informed trading risk, liquidity providers compete less to provide liquidity, reducing their undercutting activity. Reductions in undercutting leave footprints in trade and quote data that are captured by . Unlike prior measures, is easy to construct, can be computed intraday, and is orthogonal to liquidity. The measure outperforms prominent existing alternatives in reflecting the extent of information asymmetry before earnings announcements, predicting unscheduled press releases, and identifying informed trading spillovers around them.

ABSTRACT We study the asset allocation and investment performance of U.S. private foundations that support the charitable sector. Large foundations generated positive risk‐adjusted returns before 2008, driven by early access to private equity and venture capital funds, but have underperformed since. The median foundation underperforms by more than 100 bps. Foundations with concentrated stock holdings achieve higher returns but assume more risk. Due to the constraints imposed by the 5% minimum spending rule and accommodating monetary policy, foundations increase risk‐taking and reach for yield. Over time, a conservative asset allocation decreases real wealth, reducing charitable giving.