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Financial inclusion programmes play an increasingly important part in international development but two researchers find that the effects on economic poverty are small and inconsistent.

The four major Belgian banks will follow the example of Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands and will pool their ATM networks under a single white label brand.

As bushfires devastate the south-east of Australia, many towns are suffering power, internet or phone outages. For many, cash is the only way to pay for water, food and emergency supplies.

In the latest move to promote digital payments, the Indian tax authority has announced that from February 2020, retailers with annual sales exceeding Rs 50 million ($700,800) will be fined Rs 5,000 ($70) per day if they fail to provide solutions for the acceptance of digital payments.

Speaking at Slush, a Finnish student-driven technology event, Alex Gladstein Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation makes a strong case for financial privacy. The lack of options in terms of transaction methods opens the door to exploitation by authoritarian regimes and surveillance capitalism.

The CFA Franc was established in 1945 and is used in two African monetary unions, one in Western Africa and the other in Central Africa. The West African CFA Franc will be replaced by the Eco in 2020.

The European Central Bank has delivered a legal opinion supporting the draft law proposed by the Swedish government, which aims at guaranteeing that the largest banks provide a minimum level of cash services throughout the country.

A new bike, a rewarding day at work or a train ticket to visit loved ones. There’s a whole list of things one can get without paying much. A few coins forgotten at the bottom of our pockets or the small notes kept in our wallets, there is no doubt that these small bills can bring big thrills and that a little cash goes a long way.

Following the launch of the Request an ATM scheme in October, LINK has received over 2,700 enquiries from across every part of the country. Link has announced a further £4 million in new investment from banks to fund new free-to-use ATMs.

Charity GiveDirectly gave US$1,000 each to poor households in Kenya, resulting to US$2.60 in additional spending or income for every US$1 cash delivered.

Cash and Crises, a series of financial literacy audiographics by CashEssentials releases its fourth episode with a social mission to support the relief and development community in understanding how cash is managed for society in times of crisis.

The Japanese government introduces incentives to promote electronic payments. The measure consists in a point-of-sale discount if approved digital payment are used. It poses challenges for the elderly and small shops.