Our Inclusive Financial Systems (ISF) program works to advance financial inclusion by expanding the availability of low-cost, digital financial services. Our strategy includes accelerating the development of digital payment and identity systems, advancing gender equality to ensure that women share in the benefits of financial inclusion, and supporting the development of national and regional strategies that provide replicable models.
To support financial inclusion advocates and our partners in this sector, the FSP program has developed a research brief that outlines key findings on the impact of mobile money on poverty. The document shares rigorous evidence from a range of studies about the effects of mobile money on individuals and households and about the user experience of payment transfers enabled by mobile phones.
The data in the brief is sourced from a variety of mobile money providers and platforms in countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Uganda, Malawi, Niger, and Sri Lanka.
View The Impact of Mobile Money on Poverty
Topics covered in the brief include:
- Risk sharing and resilience
- Digital remittances and migration
- Occupational choice and productivity
- Relationship between mobile money use, savings, and investment
- Impacts on consumption and poverty
This document summarizes experimental and rigorous nonexperimental evidence from the development economics literature. Opinions expressed in the brief do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Disclaimer
This work is provided as is, without any warranty of any kind and for noncommercial, informational use only. Any further use may require the consent of third-party content owners. The materials are not intended to convey or constitute legal advice. You should not act on any such information without first seeking qualified professional counsel on your specific matter.