Publication: Mobile Phones for Microfinance
Date
2006-04
ISSN
Published
2006-04
Author(s)
Ivatury, Gautam
Pickens, Mark
Abstract
Mobile phones can be used for financial
services in three different ways: for micro payments
(m-commerce), as electronic money (e-money), and as a
banking channel. The report examines who offers mobile phone
banking services to poor customers? Why is there so much
excitement about banking the poor with mobile phones? What
are some reasons to be cautious? This reports that the
Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP), in
partnership with the Vodafone Group Foundation and the
United Nations (UN) Foundation, is now doing research in the
Philippines and South Africa to find out what makes poor
people use or reject these services and how remote mobile
phone banking can go. This research can help banks,
microfinance institutions, mobile phone companies,
regulators, and donors steer mobile banking toward reaching
large numbers of the poor.
Citation
“Ivatury, Gautam; Pickens, Mark. 2006. Mobile Phones for Microfinance. CGAP Brief. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/90c32e42-768b-5198-b208-12be7cb0659a License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”