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Priorities for Branchless Banking (Part 2 of 3)

In order for branchless banking to prove to be transformational, it needs to demonstrate not only that it can be scalable (priority #1), but also that it can work for a range of providers and for a range of customer segments – including the poor. These are the two next priorities for branchless banking.

Priorities for Branchless Banking (Part 1 of 3)

It is easy to foresee that in the future normal neighborhood stores will be used by poor people everywhere to conduct basic financial transactions, that technology based on real-time communications will be used to make those transactions reliable and secure, and further that providers will increasingly rely on people’s own mobile phones rather than on deploying cards and dedicated point of sale terminals.

Microfinance & M-banking Virtual Conference Recap

Thank you to everyone who participated in CGAP’s virtual conference over the past two days on the topic of microfinance and mobile banking, coinciding with the release of our latest Focus Note Microfinance and Mobile Banking: The Story So Far.

Are Banks the Bad Guys in the Mobile Money Innovation Debate?

Maybe the next wave of innovation will still be related to the channel, but just a different channel. Is the hype around mobile technology really panning out?

How Can Regulators Protect Funds Held by Mobile Money Providers?

The success of mobile money services such as M-PESA has raised the question of how to regulate nonbanks—most notably mobile network operators, which are often well-placed to reach customers with affordable financial services due to their existing customer base, marketing capabilities, network of agents, physical distribution infrastructure, and experience with high-volume, low-value transactions.

Mobile Money’s Innovation Crisis

MNOs and device manufactures have been excellent at innovation and product design. Oftentimes taking the lead from poor customers, they are quick to spot new trends and to harness them into new products and services.

How Can Microfinance Take Advantage of Mobile Banking?

A wide gulf separates those institutions that are in countries with existing m-banking services and those that are not.

Learn How M-PESA Reached 10 Million Kenyans in 3 Years

We write a lot about M-PESA. That’s because it is the most successful mobile money service launched (so far).

What Should We Look for with the SKS IPO?

The most important and contentious issues about the IPO will take more time for us all to weigh carefully. It will be particularly important to see how the proceeds of several Mutual Benefit Trusts are used given the philanthropic purpose for which these MBTs were first created.

Mobile Banking Iptake: Sim Card vs. Phone, Ownership vs. Use

Is it possible to experience the core benefits of mobile phone ownership without having a mobile phone?

Interview with Greg Reeve from Vodafone

Greg Reeve is the Head of Mobile Payment Solutions at Vodafone.

West Africa Switches on Mobile Money: Headlines for June 22, 2010

We’ve been saying for awhile that mobile money will be less compelling in places where good alternatives to cash already exist, for example, in developed markets such as North America. Despite that, the folks who look after how payments get cleared has opened a door for mobile.

Dakar Dispatch: Mobile Money and Financial Inclusion

The regulatory questions around branchless banking are often not black and white, but usually gray. What is quite clear, however, is that the private sector is raring to go in many Francophone African markets, and policymakers need to be informed now more than ever on the appropriate ways to respond.

CGAP Releases Pricing Tool for Mobile Banking for the Unbanked

A few weeks ago, CGAP released a study comparing the prices of 16 branchless banking pioneers and 10 traditional banks across eight use cases. We found that the average monthly cost of using a branchless banking service is $3.90 (PPP adjusted) compared with US$4.80 when using a traditional bank. The conclusion: branchless banking is cheaper than traditional banking, but the gap is not as wide as some may think.

My Mobile, My Neighbor and $20: A Dispatch from the U.S.

For all the talk about financial services over mobile technology and our aspirations for a cashless society, it is striking to me how far the economies in the U.S. and Europe still have to go.

Mobile Banking: Agents as Mediators

Following on from last week’s post on the concept of ‘mediated use’ – asking someone to complete all or part of a task that the user is unable, or unwilling to do – how motivated are agents in helping customers complete all or some of the task?

South-South Replication in Africa

A special session at the CGAP Annual Meeting explored the phenomenon of Greenfield banks and South-South replications in sub-Saharan Africa.

Managed Chaos: Keeping Track of Agents

The key is pattern recognition. That’s where the color coding, scoring and sortability of FINO’s system comes into play.

Can Branchless Banking Be Distributed Like Coca-Cola?

In India, a single distributor for a company like Coca-Cola (or Airtel or Nestle) works with several hundred retailers who sell Coca-Cola’s products. The distributor is responsible for selecting retailers, managing inventory, picking up/delivering cash and managing paperwork (e.g., for SIM registrations). Is it feasible for a distributor to add mobile banking to the other products they sell?

India’s Doorstep Banking: FINO Starts Something New

FINO agents in Karnataka offer no-frill bank accounts from the State Bank of India (SBI). Some agents also sell insurance products.