Mobile

Financial inclusion grows through mobile money usage

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.

Bringing direct-to-cell satellite connectivity to 4G smartphones in no coverage areas

Airtel Africa and SpaceX have confirmed the successful trial of data and messaging services using Starlink Mobile in Kenya, marking a major step forward in extending satellite to mobile connectivity across Airtel Africa’s 14 operating markets

The demonstration was carried out in remote locations with no existing network coverage, where conventional terrestrial signals were unavailable. In these areas, Starlink Mobile was activated seamlessly, enabling standard 4G smartphones to connect directly to Starlink’s network of more than 650 deployed satellites and maintain communication.

Sunil Taldar, CEO, Airtel Africa, said, “We are thrilled to move from announcement to actionable steps with our partners at SpaceX. This testing phase in Kenya is a testament to our commitment to expanding global access. By integrating Starlink Mobile’s technology, we are ensuring that our customers remain connected even when they travel beyond our terrestrial network.”

Building on the results of the Kenya trial, Airtel Africa and Starlink Mobile intend to use the findings to support a broader rollout across Airtel Africa’s footprint, subject to regulatory approvals in each market. The collaboration also includes plans to introduce voice services and enhanced data capabilities through Starlink Mobile V2 technology, which will deliver broadband connectivity directly to mobile devices.

Digitally track and locate tools with Brady’s RFID solution. (Image source: Brady Corporation)

Get a real-time list of equipment present in a vehicle and see what is missing versus an established vehicle equipment list. Select missing tools on-screen. Quickly home in with proximity-increasing sounds and visuals on a portable RFID reader

Discover the affordable RFID Scan & Drive solution from Brady!

Have you ever arrived at an intervention without the necessary equipment? Ever lost tools during field interventions? How much time do you spend to make sure all equipment is accounted for, and present in your vehicles? Now you can confirm vehicle inventories digitally and automatically, highlight any missing assets, and home in on misplaced items to quickly complete your vehicles. How much time could you save?

Everything present

Instantly see which tools are present in a vehicle - and what is missing. Easily save substantial time per vehicle, per intervention, with automated equipment inventory checks that take only seconds.

By labelling equipment with passive, battery-free UHF RFID labels, we can let an RFID reader in your vehicle detect which tools and items are present. The RFID reader can check detected tools versus a list of expected items to confirm a complete vehicle inventory or to highlight missing equipment on your phone.

Be fully equipped before leaving for a field intervention. Avoid losing tools after interventions. Don’t waste time checking visually where every piece of equipment is. Just scan, get confirmation in seconds, and drive to your next destination.

Home in on assets

Quickly find misplaced equipment. Home in on specific items with a portable RFID reader and proximity-increasing sounds and visuals.

Passive, battery-free UHF RFID labels bounce back radio signals from a portable RFID reader up to 15 metres. By measuring the strength of the returning radio signal with patented data capture technology, our portable RFID readers guide users towards a unique RFID label applied on a specific tool. When closing in, auditive and visual feedback strength from the reader increases.

RFID labels can include an LED, powered by an RFID reader from a 1.5 metre distance, to let a tool light up or to find it in a dense inventory of equipment.

Solution components

Brady develops and manufactures every component in our solution. Tested in in-house laboratories, each component is designed to withstand the wear and tear of field interventions, including exposure to UV, dust and moisture. 

• RFID labels: Brady offers industrial grade on- and off-metal RFID-labels and tags that stay attached and remain legible on your equipment.
• Fixed RFID readers: Equipped with patented data capture technology, Brady’s fixed RFID readers collect data on items passing through their read range.
• Portable RFID readers: With intuitive displays, Brady’s portable RFID readers and SLEDs deliver unmatched mobility, data collection and interaction.

Are you interested in automated inventory checks solution from Brady? Visit our website, watch the short video and download the free RFID labelling guidebook.

Find out more now!