A prerequisite for developing digital economies in which the most vulnerable people are empowered, is having an open, regulated payment ecosystem and ‘rails’ accessible by all individuals, providers and enterprises. The existence of such an ecosystem can increase digital payment usage and the business case to develop, test and scale up more digital innovations with the potential of speeding the path to reach the SDGs.

For us at the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), building the rails for open, inclusive digital payment systems and removing key barriers to access and usage of digital services are necessary steps to leaving no one behind in digital era.