After the success of M-Pesa in Kenya, mobile money leapt to the forefront of development conversations about financial access and inclusion. In the years since, digitalization has proliferated and diversified, from digital payments systems, to digital currencies backed by a central bank (CBDC), to cryptocurrencies. What does this mean for financial inclusion? Which uses of digital money can solve real access and inclusion problems, and which are techno-optimistic “solutions” in search of problems?
Join the Financial Access Initiative’s Tim Ogden in conversation with Jesse McWaters, the Global Head of Regulatory Advocacy at Mastercard, to explore some basic frameworks for understanding the differences between the rapidly growing types of digital currencies. Through this session you’ll gain a better grasp of new and evolving digital means of exchange, how they interact, and what that means for pro-poor financial inclusion.
We’ll talk about how payments systems are different from digital currencies and how digital currencies are different from cryptocurrencies. Do digital currencies fundamentally change the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion? What does crypto add (or subtract) from the story? What should you be paying attention to, what questions do you need to be asking, and what can you roll your eyes at? Then, we’ll have lots of time for you to ask questions or share your perspectives.
Register here for the faiVLive on Wednesday, December 15 at 9:30am ET.
Featuring:
Jesse McWaters, Global Heal of Regulatory Advocacy, Mastercard
Timothy Ogden, Managing Director, Financial Access Initiative at NYU Wagner
This faiVLive is presented in collaboration with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.
Editor’s Note: I’m going to assume that you are seeing plenty of AI content (news and papers, not AI slop, though I’m sure you’re getting plenty of that too) from other sources, so I’m trying to think hard about the marginal value that the faiV can provide. As far as I’ve gotten so far: a) make sure that directly AI-related content does not take up more than 2 of the 5 items, and b) try to focus specifically on the cybersecurity issue for financial inclusion. Beyond that, I’m open to feedback on the value you get from the faiV in relation to AI to help guide us in the future. On a different note, I’ll be making a brief cameo appearance at the e-MFP Inclusive Finance Conference to moderate the opening plenary. If you haven’t registered, do so and I hope to see you there! - Tim Ogden