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Cash-In / Cash-Out for Rural Agent Networks

This page showcases content that CGAP has produced, often in collaboration with partners, about what we know around making agent networks work at the last mile.

Key publications

Reading Deck

Rural agent networks are critical to “last mile” financial inclusion. This reading deck for regulators does three things: (i) it shows how expanding rural Cash-in/Cash-out (CICO) agent networks is key to ensuring more inclusive digital financial systems; (ii) it illustrates industry innovations that are making rural CICO more viable; and (iii) it presents a set of regulatory considerations that can enable such innovations within a stable financial system. 

Reading Deck

Rural agent networks are critical to “last mile” financial inclusion. This reading deck for Financial Services Providers (FSPs) shows: (i) how rural Cash-in/Cash-Out (CICO) agent network expansion leads to increased customer value and sustained market growth; (ii) the barriers FSPs face to expand rural CICO networks; and (iii) successful new practices carried out in different markets that address barriers and result in improved rural CICO reach and quality. 

Reading Deck

Rural agent networks are critical to “last mile” financial inclusion. This reading deck for policy makers does two things: (i) it shows how rural Cash-in/Cash-out (CICO) agent network expansion is key to ensuring poor people can capture the benefits of digital financial ecosystems; and (ii) it presents a set of policies that have been effective in enabling rural CICO in a way that benefits vulnerable segments, like rural women, and that reinforces the effectiveness of social programs targeting these segments. 

Publication

CGAP's analysis reveals three distinct journeys country stakeholders have taken to extend the reach and quality of rural agent networks.
Publication

Most digital financial services users require agents to help them switch between worlds of cash and digital currency. Global evidence suggests six principles for building viable agent networks in rural areas home to poor, financially excluded populations.

How should funders approach CICO?

Publication

Funders are uniquely positioned to help expand rural Cash-in / Cash-out (CICO) agent networks by leveraging their financial resources, technical knowledge and convening power to align the incentives and build capacity of market actors, so that they design and implement self-sustaining solutions.
Blog

Agent networks are crucial for advancing financial inclusion and other development goals. Here are six ways funders can encourage the expansion of agent networks in rural areas home to many of the world's low-income populations.
Events

Development funders have a critical role in supporting the expansion of rural agent networks. This webinar highlighted four ways in which they can make an impact, using CGAP’s market systems approach to financial inclusion.

Key blog posts

The variety of posts cover innovative approaches that providers are taking to improve the viability of their agent networks at the last mile, highlights from specific countries, and key partnerships. To view all blog posts CGAP has produced around distribution, view here.

Blog

Based on pilots in five countries (Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, India, Indonesia, Morocco and Pakistan), we share early insights on how funders can engage with stakeholders in Cash-in Cash-out (CICO) rural agent networks to kickstart innovation. 
Blog

Agent networks serve an important role in delivering digital financial services in rural areas, and they present an opportunity for funders to achieve development goals.
Blog

Building out rural agent networks isn’t just about harnessing digital innovations. Global experience shows that it’s also about the public and private sectors working together.
Blog

A recent CGAP publication identifies six principles for viable agent networks in rural areas. In this post, we look at how where Indonesia stands against these principles.
Blog

Getting cash into and out of the digital system remains one of the main barriers to financial inclusion in emerging markets — even in markets where digital financial services are on the rise.
Blog

E-commerce doesn't come up very often in conversations about agent networks for digital financial services - but it should.
Blog

Agent regulations often treat agents like extensions of bank branches. But the reality is that many agents conduct a far more limited range of financial activities and should be regulated differently.

Webinars

Review materials from past webinars, including videos.

Events

CGAP and its partners conducted deep dive studies in five leading financial markets and presented findings from Kenya, Colombia, India, Indonesia and China.
Events

How can digital financial services providers build viable cash-in/cash-out agent networks in rural areas? Remote areas pose special challenges for providers, as low population densities often mean low transaction volumes and weak incentives for businesses to serve as agents. As described in a new CGAP publication, “Agent Networks at the Last Mile" (2019), digital financial services providers are finding new ways to tackle this challenge around the world.

Events

In this webinar, expert panelists discussed key findings from CGAP’s research on rural agent networks, with a focus on emerging lessons for policy makers and regulators.

Collaborator highlight

MSC

MSC Consulting The Agent Network Accelerator (ANA) program identifies the factors responsible for the success or failure of specific agent networks, based on agent data from across 14 countries. For more information, see here.


BCG

BCG has launched a research initiative to fully understand the role of cash-in/ cash-out services in advancing financial inclusion. Based on assessments in 9 countries, the initiative clarifies the size of the CICO coverage gap, the economics of CICO networks and proposes possible interventions that could enable the establishment of new CICO networks. For more information, see here.