Over the counter transactions: A threat to or a facilitator for digital finance ecosystems?

• by Graham Wright and Anup Singh
• Apr 1, 2019
• 1 min
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This report provides an analytical perspective on the pros and cons of mobile money over the counter (OTC) transactions.

The digital finance industry is both young and dynamic, and as it grows, it is constantly innovating to address the issues it faces. One of the key contemporary issues is over the counter (OTC) transactions. The delivery of mobile money over the counter raises a number of questions since it can: 1) limit product and ecosystem evolution; 2) decrease provider profitability; and 3) lead to unregistered transactions, which run the risk of money laundering and terrorism financing. This report explores these questions and, with the help of data from the Helix Institute, InterMedia, and the Groupe Spécial Mobile Association (GSMA), provides an analytical perspective on the pros and cons of the OTC to arrive at conclusions and key considerations which move the industry forward. This report was first released by The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)