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A ‘Small Revolution’ in Ecuador?: The world’s first national e-money platform has reshaped the ecosystem – but will a government-led model work?
In December, the government of Ecuador launched the world’s first state-run e-payment system. The platform addresses the interoperability problem that has plagued the mobile ecosystem in other countries, and it’s affordable to the poor - though questions remain about whether a top-down approach will prove effective. The experiment could have repercussions for other countries in the region.
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Banks Challenge M-PESA in Kenya: What their emergence could mean for the world’s leading mobile money market
Since its launch in 2007, Safaricom’s M-PESA has dominated Kenya’s mobile money market. However, new data from the Helix Institute of Digital Finance shows that this now seems to be changing, as banks are taking a growing slice of the pie. Helix explores why this could be a positive development for customers – and for the overall market.
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PRESS RELEASE: Bangladesh Government joins the Better Than Cash Alliance
Aligned with the nation's Digital Bangladesh Vision 2021, the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh today announced it will accelerate its transition from cash to digital payments, marked by a new partnership with the Better Than Cash Alliance.
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- Region
- South Asia
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The inside story of Alibaba’s strategic partnership with Indian mobile wallet company Paytm
It was personal chemistry as much as business rationale that led to Alibaba's financial arm investing $500 million in Paytm.
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- Region
- South Asia
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NexThought Monday – Needed: A New Kind of Infrastructure: Digital infrastructure must be a priority – and the need goes beyond technology
For decades, the development community has stressed the importance of infrastructure, usually focusing on things like roads and water systems. But to ensure that the benefits of the mobile revolution reach the world’s poor, we now need to consider digital infrastructure as well. And as USAID’s Nandini Harihareswara describes it, this must include more than cell phone towers and Internet cables.
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- Technology
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Ecuadorian Banks Must Adopt Official Electronic Currency – or Else
While companies worldwide are embracing the rise of decentralized cryptocurrency bitcoin, Ecuadorian officials have chosen to make local banks adopt a home-grown state digital currency — whether they like it or not.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- Latin America
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Recognizing a Neglected Opportunity: The multiple benefits of electronic wage payments
Consumer goods companies rely on massive supply chains with millions of workers in developing countries. Many of these workers are women, and many are still paid in cash – and herein lies an opportunity for change. Digitizing these wage payments could help workers and employers, while boosting financial inclusion.
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Report: Simple mobile services can boost Indian farmers’ income
The introduction of a number of simple mobile services in India has the potential to boost the income of two-thirds of the country’s small-scale farmers by up to $9 billion a year by 2020, according to a report by Vodafone.
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- Agriculture
- Region
- South Asia
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