World Bank Group member International Finance Corporation (IFC) is investing up to $10 million in the latest bond issuance of global impact investor Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), according to an announcement.
The investment is for the seventh issuance of the Women’s Livelihood Bond (WLB7), marking IFC’s first participation in the bond series led by IIX.
The investment is part of a $60 million first tranche scheduled to close on July 30, 2025, with the overall issuance expected to be the largest in the WLB series, per the announcement.
The WLB Series began in 2017 with an $8.5 million issuance and has since mobilised $228 million across six bond offerings, reaching more than 2.6 million women in emerging markets.
Once deployed, proceeds from WLB7 will fund high-impact enterprises led by or serving underserved women in India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. Target sectors include financial inclusion, agriculture, clean energy, and water and sanitation.
The bond will be listed on the Singapore Exchange and has received certification from Sustainable Fitch Ltd for alignment with the Orange Bond Principles, as well as compliance with the International Capital Market Association’s green, social, and sustainability bond frameworks.
It also meets securitization regulations in the EU and UK.
“Blended finance continues to be a powerful tool to address market shortcomings and mobilize investment for impactful projects in emerging and developing markets,” said Katia Daude Gonçalves, Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei at IFC.
In addition to the bond investment, IFC said it will provide $4.5 million in subordinated debt to the IIX Women’s Catalyst Fund. This facility is designed to de-risk investments and mobilise private capital toward gender-focused development.
The fund is supported by the Advancing Gender Equality, Resilience, Opportunity and Inclusion Worldwide (GROW) initiative in partnership with the Government of Canada.
IIX has mobilised nearly $500 million in private sector capital since 2009 and operates across 60 countries.
“By partnering with IFC and other trail-blazing allies, we are scaling this proven model across South and Southeast Asia and seeding the systemic shifts that will redefine finance in the Global South,” said Durreen Shahnaz, CEO and founder of IIX.
