Understanding How Consumer Risks in Digital Social Payments Can Erode Their Financial Inclusion Potential
Digital Social Payments (DSPs) offer a variety of potential benefits over traditional cash, voucher, or in-kind methods. Proponents most often cite increased efficiency, reduced leakage, and faster, more convenient and more secure payments to recipients. When linked to bank accounts or mobile wallets that offer store-of-value opportunities or access to additional financial services, DSPs to the bottom of the pyramid could pave a way to fuller financial inclusion. However, evidence shows that the financial inclusion benefits of DSPs have thus far been limited: most recipients withdraw 100 percent of their payment at once and by and large do not use the account again until the next transfer takes place, let alone take advantage of additional financial services that may be available to them. This lackluster use has led some to question the promise of DSPs as a financial inclusion gateway.