Catégorie : Financial Inclusion

Beyond Instant Payments: What Should Be the Next Frontier for Payment Infrastructures?

Over the last twenty years, payment infrastructures around the world have undergone profound transformation. Real-time payments, increased automation, enhanced resilience and greater integration have significantly improved the efficiency of financial systems. In Europe, infrastructures such as TARGET and TIPS have helped create a secure and integrated framework for the movement of money. Similar developments can … Lire la suite Beyond Instant Payments: What Should Be the Next Frontier for Payment Infrastructures? →

Stablecoins and Mobile Money

Same Promise, Different Risks The rise of stablecoins — digital tokens designed to maintain a fixed value, often pegged to a fiat currency like the US dollar — has reignited old questions about the nature of money, trust, and financial stability. Their promise of “stability” hides a paradox: they resemble traditional money in form, but … Lire la suite Stablecoins and Mobile Money →

COMESA’s Digital Retail Payments Platform: A Turning Point for Local-Currency Trade and Financial Inclusion in Africa

1. A milestone for Africa’s payment landscape In a move that could reshape the way African countries trade with one another, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) officially launched its Digital Retail Payments Platform in early October 2025. Designed to allow businesses and consumers to settle transactions directly in local currencies, the … Lire la suite COMESA’s Digital Retail Payments Platform: A Turning Point for Local-Currency Trade and Financial Inclusion in Africa →

When Openness Meets Strategy: What the EU’s FiDA Decision Means for the Future of Digital Finance and Inclusion

The European Union has taken a decisive step toward reshaping the architecture of digital finance. In late September 2025, EU finance ministers agreed to advance the Financial Data Access (FiDA) Regulation, a cornerstone of Europe’s “open finance” framework that builds on PSD2 but extends far beyond banking.Yet one aspect of the decision drew global attention: … Lire la suite When Openness Meets Strategy: What the EU’s FiDA Decision Means for the Future of Digital Finance and Inclusion →

Illuminating the “Darker Corners”: Why Lagarde’s Call to Rein In Non-Banks Matters for Inclusion

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde has recently renewed her call to extend greater regulatory scrutiny over non-bank financial intermediaries—hedge funds, private equity, credit funds, and other “shadow banking” actors—that currently enjoy lighter oversight than banks. Given the structural growth of these actors and their increasing links to the banking system, Lagarde warns of an … Lire la suite Illuminating the “Darker Corners”: Why Lagarde’s Call to Rein In Non-Banks Matters for Inclusion →

Is CBDC a Solution to Favor Financial Inclusion in West Africa?

The emergence of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) offers both hope and caution for West Africa, where nearly 60% of adults remain unbanked (World Bank, 2022). While mobile money has expanded access, critical gaps persist, particularly in savings, insurance, credit, and cross-border transactions. CBDCs could become a transformative tool for financial inclusion. They offer a … Lire la suite Is CBDC a Solution to Favor Financial Inclusion in West Africa? →

Les institutions financières et les fonds de la diaspora africaine

J'ai participé au podcast de Welly Diallo suite à sa charmante invitation et nous avons parlé de l'argent de la diaspora africaine, et des inititiatives des institutions financières dans ce domaine. Le podcast est disponible sur Apple Podcast, Spotify. Bonne écoute!

Du contexte – Et la Terre est devenue plate

Connaître le contexte local est primordial - bien évidemment - pour les phases de diagnostic de l'existant, du cadrage, de la mise en oeuvre et l'évaluation d'un projet. Chaque pays a ses spécificités multifactorielles - historiques, culturelles, géographiques, économiques - qui sont suffisamment nombreuses pour se combiner dans des possibilités infinies. On parle d'Europe ou … Lire la suite Du contexte – Et la Terre est devenue plate →

Crypto what?

As an expert in payments - or banking & financial services more broadly - I am often asked by my friends and family about what I am doing exactly. I try to explain but very often loose their attention... until I talk about crypto and Bitcoin. They guess I should have an opinion on new … Lire la suite Crypto what? →

Monnaies digitales, instruments d’inclusion financière pour les pays émergents ?

Les promesses de rapidité, de transparence et de moindre coût associées aux crypto-actifs séduisent les populations des marchés émergents faiblement bancarisés et qui pâtissent d’une monnaie fiat instable. Un essor qui est surveillé de près par les autorités. Les banques centrales émergentes sont ainsi en première ligne pour émettre leur propre monnaie digitale. Les avantages … Lire la suite Monnaies digitales, instruments d’inclusion financière pour les pays émergents ? →