Mobile money in Africa, explained

What is mobile money?

Mobile money lets people hold and move funds through a mobile network operator account tied to a phone number, rather than a traditional bank account. It has become one of the most widely used ways to send, receive and pay for things across many African markets, especially where bank branch access is limited.

Why it matters for remittances

For cross-border transfers, mobile money is often the fastest way for a recipient to collect funds: no branch visit, no waiting for a bank transfer to clear. Dutch Remit is designed to route payouts to supported mobile money rails alongside bank transfer, depending on the destination corridor.

Mobile money and Dutch Bank

Dutch Bank digital accounts are designed to connect with mobile money and bank rails so balances can move between a digital account and a mobile money account where supported.

Mentioning a mobile money provider or network does not imply a current formal partnership unless publicly confirmed. Availability depends on jurisdiction and connected providers.

Certain financial, payment, banking, digital asset and other services available through our platforms may be provided or enabled through third-party infrastructure and regulated service providers. Availability, corridors, currencies and payment methods vary by jurisdiction, product and applicable requirements, and may change as our infrastructure develops.

See Dutch Remit corridors