International Finance Corporation

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is an international financial institution that offers investment, advisory, and asset management services to encourage private sector development in developing countries. It is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

IFC is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector in emerging markets and developing economies.As of 2025 it operates in more than 100 countries, employs over 3,400 staff — approximately half stationed in field offices — and has 186 member countries. In fiscal year 2025 (ended June 30, 2025), IFC committed a record $71.7 billion in total investment across its own-account and mobilized capital, making it one of the largest providers of development finance globally. IFC holds AAA/Aaa long-term credit ratings from Moody's, S&P Global, and Fitch, with stable outlooks.

IFC was established in 1956 as a sister institution to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to channel private capital into productive investment in the developing world. Unlike the World Bank, which lends to governments, IFC finances private enterprises without requiring government guarantees. Its stated mission is to promote economic development in emerging markets by supporting private sector growth, generating employment, and mobilizing private investment. The private sector creates nine out of ten jobs in developing economies — a figure IFC uses as the cornerstone of its development rationale. Managing Director Makhtar Diop, who assumed the role on March 1, 2021, is the first African to lead the institution.