Bangladesh seems on track to launch a mobile money transfer (MMT) service which could potentially reduce costs to 1 percent of the transfer amount. The project will be implemented by Grameen Phone (a subsidiary of Grameen Bank which has pioneered mobile access to rural areas in Bangladesh) and is being supported by the World Bank, according to India's Economic Times.
There are two new innovations compared to other developing countries with successful MMT implementation: (1) This service is targeted primarily for cross-border transfers (estimated at $9 billion annually), unlike other countries such as Kenya and Philippines where MMT has been focused on domestic transfers, and (2) It will use a network of ATM machines, where recipients can withdraw the money instead of having to go to a designated agent.
Entering the cross-border market will require developing settlement systems between Grameen Phone and banks and money transfer operators in the major remittance-sources (including in the Gulf) and extensive cooperation between the respective central banks and banking supervisors. The success of this venture will serve as a useful pilot for other countries that are considering such cross-border transfers.
Join the Conversation