Branchless Banking Country Notes

Over the past several months, we have taken a close look at the branchless banking industry in our focus countries. The links below provide summary notes on the industry in each of these countries.

• Brazil Branchless Banking Country Note: Brazil is seen as a global leader in branchless banking and as an example of how banks have created wide-reaching branchless channels that use cards and point-of-sale (POS) devices at various retail locations. However, challenges remain.
• Ghana Branchless Banking Country Note: Ghana is a promising market that should be ripe for branchless banking, but it has not grown as expected. CGAP believes there is potential for branchless banking to grow in Ghana and looks forward to engaging the market and helping its progression.
• India Branchless Banking Country Note: Enhancements to the regulatory environment for branchless banking have accelerated in the past three years and particularly in the past 12 months. Various banks and agent networks are actively pursuing branchless banking. Early efforts have opened tens of millions of new “no frills accounts” for the unbanked
• Mexico Branchless Banking Country Note:  Mexico’s financial sector is beginning a significant transformation that is setting the stage for a broader commercial offering that would reach lower income segments of the population through innovative products.
• Pakistan Branchless Banking Country Note: Although Pakistan’s population exceeds 170 million,it is estimated that there are only 16 million individual bank accounts, meaning that the vast majority of the population is without access to banking services.
• South Africa Branchless Banking Country Note: South Africa has a relatively high rate of access to financial services compared to other sub-Saharan Africa countries.
• WAEMU Branchless Banking Country Note: WAEMU, the West African Economic and Monetary Union is a customs and monetary union of the republics of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.