Pakistan is easily one of the top five leading digital finance markets in the world; yet also certainly one of the least understood.  Anyone striving to learn about it must first understand how the Over-the-Counter (OTC) methodology adopted in Pakistan works, as it operates uniquely compared to other markets, especially those where it is unregulated.  […]

Since the launch of M-PESA in 2007 the story of digital finance in Kenya has been synonymous with that of the story of M-PESA.  However, data just released from The Helix Institute of Digital Financeshows that this now seems to be changing, which is exciting to watch, and also important understand. In 2013, The Helix Institute survey of over 2,000 agents […]

How much does an agent need to earn to be satisfied, and stay motivated enough to provide a high quality of service to customers?  Behavioral science teaches us that people anchor their appraisals of value to other numbers around them in the ecosystem. Marketing firms understand this concept well, often enticing us to perceive a […]

Having industry giants develop and own distribution channels can provide the scale needed for providers currently struggling to drive revenues from small margins. This blog explores ways in which providers can build big backbones for Innovation for DFS to thrive.

Advanced Liquidity Management: While liquidity management is consistently cited as one of the most challenging elements of managing an agent network, there are times when it is more difficult than others.  People’s need to deposit, withdraw and send value fluctuates quite considerably, and so while an agent might understand how much e-float and cash to […]

Service Offerings at Agents are Static & Rudimentary Across East Africa The Helix Institute’s research (2013) is showing that even after seven years of market development in Kenya, six years in Tanzania and five in Uganda, agents are still providing the same very rudimentary services that they did from the beginning.  The graph below shows that just about all […]

Bangladesh has created many unique systems for agent network management which are yielding world-class results especially with regards to liquidity management.  However, transaction volumes and profits are low compared to East Africa and support structures are still developing. The research is based on 2,490 nationally representative agent interviews, carried out between March and April 2014. […]

This blog explores the opportunities for agent banking in Nigeria following the passage of the 2009 Regulatory Framework for Mobile Payment Services by The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)