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World mobile money transaction rises to $1.26 Trillion in 2022

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By Mojahidul Islam

Mobile money services are growing faster than predicted around the globe, as digital services continue to rise in popularity, according to the GSMA’s annual ‘State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2023’, published today.

The report, published annually by the GSMA and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, demonstrates that rates of adoption are even quicker than expected, with the number of registered mobile money accounts growing by 13% year on year, from 1.4 billion in 2021 to 1.6 billion in 2022. While it took the industry 17 years to reach the first 800 million customers, this is extremely significant growth as it has taken just five years to reach the next 800 million. 

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In 2022, daily transactions via mobile money reached $3.45 billion, exceeding the $3 billion amount predicted in 2021. Total transaction value for mobile money grew by an incredible 22% between 2021 and 2022, from $1 trillion to around $1.26 trillion.  

However, in many areas worldwide, more work is still needed to help give underserved communities access to safe, secure and affordable financial services. With 1.4 billion people worldwide remaining unbanked, the GSMA Mobile Money Programme (https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/mobile-money/) is working with mobile operators and industry stakeholders worldwide to create a robust mobile money ecosystem,  increasing the relevancy and utility of these services and ensuring their sustainability. 

The 2023 report shows there are now 315 live mobile money deployments across the globe, with peer to peer (P2P) transfers and cash-in/cash-out transactions still among the most popular use cases. Bill payments using mobile money grew by 36% year-on-year – faster than any other use case – and the industry continues to focus on use case diversification, playing an important role in digitising economies.   

Pandemic-driven uptake

As the world increasingly moves on from COVID-19, mobile money services have continued to show resilient growth that was instigated during the pandemic. Up to 400 million accounts were added during the pandemic alone. This rapid uptake is largely due to the technology’s role in enabling millions of people across low- and middle-income countries to access digital financial services. This upward trend continues, with the number of accounts active on a 30-day basis also growing by 13 per cent year-on-year to 401 million in 2022.

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The report also shows that, during 2022, mobile money-enabled international remittances grew by 28% year on year – to $22 billion. During the pandemic, many diasporas sent more funds via mobile money to friends and family than ever before. As a result, international remittances grew significantly in both 2020 and 2021, as many senders favoured mobile money for its efficiency, speed, safety and cost-effectiveness. The trend continued in 2022, albeit at a slower rate.

Closing the gender gap

Mobile money is also continuing to drive financial inclusion for the world’s unbanked, particularly amongst women in rural communities, where access to mobile money can play a transformational and empowering role.

However, according to the latest GSMA data, there is still a mobile money gender gap that has shown signs of widening over the last year, particularly in India, Indonesia and Pakistan. Mobile phone ownership is one of the main drivers of the mobile money gender gap, however, a number of other barriers and cultural norms also prevent women from adopting mobile money. As a result, women in low- and middle-income countries are currently 28% less likely than men to own a mobile money account. 

Growing agency networks

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The number of mobile money agents also increased significantly last year, with a 41% increase between 2021 and 2022. The overall number of agents went from 12 million in 2021 to 17.4 million in 2022. The number of active agents increased by 25% to 7.2 million in 2022. A lot of this growth came from Nigeria, where a more liberal regulatory regime meant an increase in mobile money providers. Agents continued to prove to be an invaluable part of mobile money services and were responsible for two-thirds of all cash-in transactions in 2022.

“It is promising to see the continued growth of mobile money worldwide. Mobile money has afforded millions of unbanked and underserved people in low- and middle- income countries access to digital financial services, for the first time,” said Max Cuvellier, Head of Mobile for Development, GSMA. “However, even with this significant growth, there is still a long way to go to bring those services to over a billion people worldwide who remain unbanked. The GSMA is therefore encouraging governments worldwide to keep developing the enabling policies that can support mobile money deployments and further boost the growth of this crucial ecosystem. Doing so helps accelerate the digitization of national economies and build financial resilience, allowing communities to support themselves in uncertain times.” 

To find out more, download the 2023 State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money here (https://www.gsma.com/sotir/) . Further information on the GSMA’s Mobile Money programme is available at www.gsma.com/mobilemoney.

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PriyoShop Secures Top 30 Spot in Prestigious StartUp Wheel Competition

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PriyoShop has taken the Bangladesh flag to new heights by securing a Top 30 spot in Startup Wheel 2025, one of Asia’s most competitive startup competitions in Vietnam, competing against 2,144 startups from 28 countries. With this milestone, Bangladesh has established itself as a significant player in the global startup ecosystem through PriyoShop.

This achievement shows that Bangladesh is growing fast in the digital world and becoming a strong player in retail innovation. PriyoShop stood alongside top startups from countries like Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, and Indonesia. After six months of tough evaluation, PriyoShop was chosen as one of the most promising international innovators sharing our mission, vision, and real stories about Bangladesh’s retail industry with the world.

Asikul Alam Khan, CEO of PriyoShop, expressed his enthusiasm about the recognition: “This is a significant success for the PriyoShop Team. We have impacted millions of retailers by simplifying the supply chain and empowering them with embedded credit. Through us, Bangladesh will always stand high on the global stage. This recognition provides access to create a global footprint and inspires young entrepreneurs to bring innovative ideas and create international standard startups.”

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As PriyoShop advances, the company remains committed to transforming Bangladesh’s retail landscape while inspiring the aspiring entrepreneurs across the region. The journey from local startup to consistent international recognition exemplifies the potential within Bangladesh’s growing retail sector and demonstrates how innovative solutions can have an impact both locally and globally.

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Bajloor Rashid Elected Chairman, Mezanur Rahman Elected Vice Chairman of Progressive Life Insurance

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In a recently held board meeting of Progressive Life Insurance Company Limited, a renowned listed insurance company in the country’s capital market, Bajloor Rashid MBE, was elected as Chairman and Mezanur Rahman as Vice Chairman.
The formal election took place at the 203rd board meeting of the company held on Sunday, 29 June 2025, for the term 2025-2026.

Bajloor Rashid MBE, is a distinguished and successful businessman and social worker. He is also one of the founding shareholders of Progressive Life Insurance Company Limited. In the early 1980s, he established himself as an ambitious young entrepreneur in the growing catering industry. Notably, from 2006 to 2012, he served successfully as the President of the UK-based association of catering restaurant owners.

On the other hand, the newly elected Vice Chairman, Mezanur Rahman, is an established and successful businessman. He is a founding director and former Vice Chairman of Progressive Life Insurance Company Limited. He holds a degree in Architecture from Leeds Metropolitan University, United Kingdom. He is also actively involved with various humanitarian and social organizations.

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Progressive Life Insurance successfully settles claims totaling nearly Tk 40 crore in 2024

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Progressive Life Insurance Company Limited (PLICL) settled down insurance claims of approximately 40 (forty) crore taka in 2024 which has fortified clients’ confidence on the company. Progressive Life Insurance Company Limited entered 25th year on 6 January 2025. PLICL was founded on 6 January in the year 2000. Discussion programs, slicing a cake, offering dua and a colourful rally were organized to mark the company’s founding anniversary on Monday at PLICL corporate office in the capital. 

The rally moved around different parts of Dhaka city and the officials of the company held a gathering in front of PLICL head office on Monday morning at 10:30 am. 

PLICL Chairman (Acting) M Shoeb Chowdhury joined the 25th founding anniversary celebration virtually as the chief guest. M Shoeb Chowdhury said that the top management of Progressive Life Insurance Company Limited has been able to uphold the dream cherished by expatriate Bangladeshis whose contribution led to the establishment of the company. Shoeb Chowdhury laid emphasis on working with unity and solidarity for the company’s further advancement and to generate many more success stories.

PLICL Executive Committee Chairman Mezanur Rahman , Chairman of Audit Committee Dr. Md. Jamil Sharif, PhD, FCMA and former entrepreneur Prodeep Sen also attended the program. The event was presided over by the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Md. Saidul Amin. The 25th founding anniversary of Progressive Life Insurance Company Limited was celebrated in 32 districts and divisional offices across Bangladesh. Senior officials of the insurance company expressed hope and determination to transform PLICL into a top notch institution in days to come. The speakers at the program stated that Progressive Life Insurance Company Limited appointed 1200 development officers in 2024 and training courses have been initiated to upgrade their skills.

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PLICL Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Mohammad Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy, Senior DMD Shahjahan Azadi, Company Secretary Abdullah Al Mansur and Senior DMD Jaseem Uddin Prodhan addressed the program among other dignitaries.

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