Digital payments and electronic clearing systems

Abstract

This rapid review was looking for experience and lessons for establishing digital payment systems where there are weak banking systems, and particularly areas affected by conflict. The main findings are: considerations must be given to technical infrastructure, for example the need for sufficient ATMs and management information systems; regulation is important and regulators must be given the power to act when required; financial literacy and e-money promotion is required; reaching rural areas continues to be challenging for infrastructure and logistics; interoperability, the ability of information to flow between different systems and platforms, is needed for effective functioning; consumer protection must be considered including consumer data privacy, fraud risk, risk of fund loss if there are bank failures, and the possibility for consumers to make uninformed choices. This report was prepared for the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and its partners in support of pro-poor programmes