Mobile Payments is one of the hottest industries globally. The advent of electronic money movement, coupled with the ubiquity of mobile handsets, promises convergence of two industries which will lead to a transformation in segments of the financial services space. Mobile Payments is attracting professionals from divergent industries, from experts in technology to wireless and handset providers, to microfinance, alternative payments and banking professionals. People claim that the intersection of mobile and finance has already, and will continue to, transform people’s lives, change the way business is conducted, and significantly impact GDP growth on a global scale.  Within two years, Kenya’s mPesa mobile money transfer system has achieved 8.5 million active users, or 40% of the adult population in a country where 85% of the population was previously unbanked. The industry is nascent, offering the opportunity for new innovations. It is also complex, providing challenges around regulatory constraints, consumer adoption, ecosystem relationships, and business models.

• What are “Mobile Financial Services” and what are the key trends driving this industry?
• What customer segments does it support? What are the value propositions for these segments?
• Who are the main constituents in the value chain? What are the value propositions for each?  What models are emerging?
• What are the most important initiatives underway today and how developed is this industry?
• What does this mean for the future in the US and Europe where established payment vehicles, including checks, credit cards and debit cards, reign?
• How will this industry change the path for emerging markets with unbanked customers?