Mobile money hits US$2 trillion global transactions

Global mobile money transactions surpassed US$2 trillion in 2025, according to the State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2026 by the GSMA Mobile Money programme

This milestone highlights the sector’s extraordinary growth: it took two decades to reach US$1 trillion in annual transaction value, but only four years to double that figure.

Since its inception 25 years ago, mobile money has evolved from a simple money transfer service into a mainstream financial ecosystem, particularly serving populations underserved by traditional banks. By 2025, mobile money registered 2.3 billion accounts worldwide, an increase of 268 million from the previous year.

Vivek Badrinath, GSMA Director General, stated, “Mobile money has become one of the world’s most impactful financial services. What began as a simple way to move money has evolved into a global financial ecosystem, reshaping how hundreds of millions of people manage their financial lives. Adoption and regular use are surging, and value is scaling even faster than volume, with more than US$2 trillion flowing through mobile money in 2025 – doubling from the first trillion in just four years.

“Looking ahead, the industry’s growing scale and sophistication will bring new opportunities, and new responsibilities. By prioritising interoperability and cross‑border harmonisation; engaging in digital public infrastructure; strengthening consumer protection and fraud controls; and accelerating women’s inclusion and financial health outcomes, we can ensure mobile money continues to provide safe, inclusive, and sustainable digital financial services.”

Growing usage supports financial health

Active usage of mobile money continues to rise, with 593 million accounts active in the past 30 days, marking a 15% increase year-on-year. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for most of this growth, though usage rose across nearly every market where mobile money is offered. Monthly transaction activity reached 25.7%, the highest since 2021, although about 75% of accounts remain inactive each month. Challenges such as fraud and transaction taxes in some countries still encourage cash use, limiting financial inclusion.

Frequent mobile money usage contributes to improved financial health, enabling users to manage daily finances, withstand economic shocks, and invest for the future. The report also notes growth in adjacent financial services: mobile-money-enabled credit remains the most common, closely followed by savings services, while insurance offerings increased by one-third in 2025.

Regulation boosts financial inclusion

Supportive regulation is critical for mobile money expansion. Over 60% of providers report that interoperability standards, know-your-customer rules, and consumer protection regulations have helped their operations. Cross-border data transfer restrictions remain a challenge for 24% of providers. Strengthening regulatory frameworks can further enhance mobile money’s reach and foster greater financial inclusion, particularly for women. Despite progress in countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, women in most other surveyed countries are less likely than men to use mobile money accounts actively.

Innovation and social impact

Beyond financial inclusion, mobile money enables broader social benefits. It supports rapid humanitarian payouts in emergencies and provides access to digital financial services in remote areas. To fully realise these benefits, mobile money adoption should be complemented by digital financial literacy initiatives, ensuring responsible and inclusive growth across regions and demographics.