Inclusive Digital Banking: Emerging Markets Case Studies

Digital technology has greatly expanded access to financial services over the past decade. Yet even today, the range and quality of services available to low-income customers remain limited because of constraints in the business models, management culture, and operating procedures of traditional banks. A new generation of fully digital retail banks has emerged and promises to offer more and better services through branch-lite distribution channels that reach underserved areas.

This Working Paper tells the stories of three of these banks: TymeBank in South Africa, Kotak 811 in India, and UnionBank in the Philippines. It takes a detailed look into how the selected businesses operate in their markets, what they do differently from traditional players, and how they are contributing to financial inclusion.