Welcome to New America, redesigned for what’s next.

A special message from New America’s CEO and President on our new look.

Read the Note

Report / In Depth

Beyond the Buzz: The Allure and Challenge of Using Mobile Phones to Increase Youth Financial Inclusion

We Need to Protect Low Income Workers—And There May or May Not Be an App for That_image.jpeg

The recent application of mobile phones for financial inclusion among adults and the rising use of mobile phones among youth suggest that mobiles can catalyze financial inclusion for youth in developing countries. However, financial inclusion advocates must overcome many barriers because they can realize the full potential of mobiles in the field. This brief outlines these barriers and highlights the policy levers that could be tapped—enabling regulatory environments, incentives to innovate, strategic alliances, advanced data collection, and experimentation with “nudges”—that might allow proponents of youth financial access to circumvent these barriers to youth-centered mobile financial solutions and therefore speed up the pace of exploration and innovation.

Click here to view the report. 

More About the Authors

Vinay Rao
Elizabeth Carls
Lex Nowak
Julia Arnold

Programs/Projects/Initiatives

Beyond the Buzz: The Allure and Challenge of Using Mobile Phones to Increase Youth Financial Inclusion