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Maryam Behmard
MWC 2017 · BarcelonaMar 31, 2017Tech & Innovation1:39

Michael Joseph with Maryam Behmard on Mobile Money in India

In a country where cash has long been king and 90% of villages have no bank branch, the phone becomes the bank account.

A cut from MWC 2017 · Barcelona - screen the full programme.

In this segment

  • Uber and Ola both team up with telecoms operators so riders can pay from a phone wallet.
  • Vodafone's M-Pesa also covers TV, water and electricity bills.
  • State governments pay social grants directly into the wallet.
  • M-Pesa leads the Indian market but reaches just 0.3% of the population.
  • The GSMA's Alasdair Grant: with no bank branch in 90% of villages, a smartphone means a first bank account.