State of the Practice: Savings Group Linkages 2024

This report delineates the contemporary landscape of linkages between informal savings groups and formal financial services. Conducted as a follow-up to the initial Banking on Change partnership ecosystem mapping in 2016, this report is based on interviews with 46 practitioners across various sectors, unveiling a shift from the original Linkages 1.0 model to the more complex and diverse "Linkages 2.0."

The study identifies four main aspects of this evolution: roles of ecosystem players, distribution, product design, and technology. Notable shifts include changing roles and new entrants, with NGOs and financial institutions adapting to new business models, and the emergence of technology platforms. Agent dynamics at the last mile gain importance, as facilitators bring doorstep services to groups, aligning incentives to better serve them.