Digitization

Accelerators to an Inclusive Digital Payments Ecosystem

This paper reviews 25 countries where digitization has had great impact and reveals 10 tangible steps, or “accelerators,” that governments and companies can take to build inclusive digital economies.

New United Nations Study: Digital payments could boost tax revenue by nearly US$500 million each year and drive economic modernization in Tanzania

Findings illustrate how the private and public sector could work together to modernize economies, improve transparency and support financial inclusion and growth…

2016 Mobile Industry Impact Report: Sustainable Development Goals

The report establishes how the mobile industry impacts the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and provides a set of commitments that will ensure that the SDGs are an enduring influence on our industry’s roadmap.

G20 High Level Principles for Digital Financial Inclusion

The principles, endorsed in 2016 during the G20 Chinese Presidency, catalyzes the adoption of digital approaches to achieve G20’s goals of financial inclusion, inclusive growth and increasing women’s economic participation.

Our 5 favorite recent digital payments stories

500 million Indian smartphone users in next 5 years: a huge market for digital payments

Responsible Digital Payments: Reducing the risks that come with new opportunities

It’s all at our fingertips. The possibility to make a payment. The delight of receiving one. From Peru to Rwanda to India, people, governments and businesses are increasingly making their p…

Mexico’s route to financial inclusion begins with commitment to reduce the use of cash

One of the largest economies in Latin America keeps growth momentum going by joining the United Nations’ Better Than Cash Alliance to foster a financially inclusive economy…

El camino de México hacia la inclusión financiera empieza con el compromiso de reducir el uso del efectivo

Una de las economías más grandes de América Latina mantiene el ritmo de crecimiento al unirse a la Alianza Better Than Cash de las Naciones Unidas para fomentar una economía de inclusión fi…

Done Right, Digital Finance Could Transform Humanitarian Response

Originally published on CGAP.org…

Five Ways Digital Payments Are Coming to the Rescue in Emergencies

The ability to make and receive payments electronically has emerged, in recent years, as a technology hero during natural disasters and health pandemics. At a time when more people than ever…

New United Nations study finds digital payments to Ebola response workers saved lives and $10 million

By using digital payments to pay Ebola response workers, Sierra Leone massively cut payment times, avoiding large-scale strikes and ensuring a stable workforce to defeat Ebola. Sierra Leone…

UNFPA joins the Better Than Cash Alliance to improve programme delivery

Today, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, joined The Better Than Cash Alliance, committing to boost the use of digital payments to improve programme delivery, by generating cost savi…

Could the digital revolution get more women into work?

Digital Finance Energy

This brief elucidates how digital finance is enabling pay-as you-go (PAYG) energy expansion, which delivers greater access to wide-ranging financial products to the unbanked. It discusses the evidence from Kenya, Uganda, and Ghana.

In the hands of women: A reflection on the gender gap in financial inclusion

Did you ever wonder why there is not an International Men’s Day? There actually is such a day, by the way—it’s on November 19th, but there aren’t too many people marking it with a night off …

Launched! World’s first interoperable shared mobile payments platform

The Alliance contributed to the strategy, design and launch of Peru’s new mobile payment system, Bim, which plans to bring digital payments to five million Peruvians over the next five years.

Guide to the Use of Digital Financial Services in Agriculture

This Guidebook provides an easy-to-use tool to understand how digital finance is helping addressing some of the challenges faced by smallholder farmers and includes some interesting use cases from Bangladesh, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

Ruth Goodwin-Groen: Driving Financial Inclusion in the Digital Age

A Present Scenario of E-Information Service in Rural India

The paper summarizes existing e-information services in India and discusses some of the main factors limiting access to information services such as irrelevant information, high level of illiteracy, unaffordable etc

How women can add $12 trillion to global economy

A new report by the World Bank, the Better Than Cash Alliance, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Women’s World Banking provides insights on how digital financial services can help close the gender gap.