Types Publications

How much does having a bank account help the poor?

Having a bank account is widely regarded as the first step toward financial inclusion of the poor. Funds deposited in a bank account are also observed to lead to higher savings. Exploiting special features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee…

The introduction of cashless wage payments and the spread of branch banking in post-war Germany

The period from the 1950s to the late 1970s saw an almost uniform decline of cash-to-GDP ratios in industrial countries. A closer look at the German payment system suggests that the factor causing such a change was a shift towards…

The opportunities and challenges of digitizing government-to-person payments

This paper reviews evidence on the benefits and challenges faced by governments migrating from cash to digital (electronic) government-to-person (G2P) payments. When supported by an appropriate consumer financial protection framework, digital payments enable confidential and convenient financial services, which can…

Wage digitization in readymade garment (RMG) sector in Bangladesh is crucial for women empowerment, social compliance and competitiveness

This research article on the reviews current practices of wage disbursement in the Readymade Garment (RMG) Sector, proposects of digital payments, and potential impact on women workers, compliance, and the industry as a whole.

Digitizing wage payments in Bangladesh’s garment production sector

The journey from cash to electronic payments in Bangladesh’s garment sector is gathering pace as garment production factories discover how digitizing wages can save time, reduce costs, increase transparency and empower workers by improving their access to finance. In short,…

Reducing the shadow economy through electronic payments

This report analyses the shadow economy in eight Central and Southern European countries. It estimates the potential impact of various regulations that, by replacing cash with electronic payments, or by increasing the share of registered consumer cash transactions, may lead…

Saving money, saving lives: Digital payments and the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone

This report and accompanying video by the Better than Cash Alliance present Sierra Leone’s experience using digital wallets for the payment of frontline Ebola response workers.

Mobile-izing savings with automatic contributions: Experimental evidence on dynamic inconsistency and the default effect in Afghanistan

Working with Afghanistan’s primary mobile phone operator, the authors of this working paper designed and deployed a new mobile phone-based automatic payroll deduction system at the country’s largest firm. Through a field experiment, they found that default enrollment in payroll…

Credit apartheid, migrants, mines and money

Various agents – rural patriarchs, traders, government authorities, appliance retailers – have used techniques to keep wages beyond migrants’ control. Paradoxically, similar techniques have, on occasion, been eagerly embraced by migrants themselves, who know that these resources will need to…

The ethics of payments: Paper, plastic, or bitcoin?

Individuals and businesses make numerous payments every day. They sometimes have choices about what forms of payment to make or accept, and at other times are effectively forced to use a particular form. Often there is an asymmetric power relationship…