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The Potential of Using Digital Financial Services for Savings Groups in Bangladesh

Insights for the development and efficient delivery of group savings products
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This report includes the findings from an assessment conducted in Bangladesh by FHI 360 through the USAID mSTAR project that aimed to identify opportunities that may exist for leveraging digital financial services within informal savings groups, the majority of which are comprised of low-income rural individuals. The assessment looked into the challenges facing different savings groups with regards to cash management, required level of effort to manage a savings group (cost and time), literacy, and exposure to financial services.

The assessment also looked into the existing savings products and services that are being used by savings groups and informal savings and expense behaviors at an individual level.

Learnings from this assessment can provide guidance in formulating group savings products and increase understanding on how digital financial services can be used to bring about efficiency regarding delivery of these products. It also aims to provide mobile financial service providers with additional information about the poorest segment of the population and the value of targeting this segment through additional services.

About this Publication

By Parvez, J. & Chowdhury, M.
Published