JAKARTA/STOCKHOLM: Increasing urbanisation in largely cash-based emerging Asian economies has boosted interest among consumers about using mobile payments, but take-up varies across the region, a new report has found.
According to a study by research firm Ericsson ConsumerLab into m-commerce activity in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam, Indonesians are the most frequent users of money transfer services although Bangladeshis are the most interested.
It found over half (54%) of respondents in Indonesia have used money transfer services compared with 45% in Vietnam and 34% in Bangladesh – yet 97% of consumers in Bangladesh are interested in using mobile payments.
Just under half (49%) of Indonesians are interested in mobile money transfer services, the report found, while 26% of Vietnamese feel the same.
Patrik Hedlund, senior adviser at Ericsson ConsumerLab, explained that growing urbanisation is driving much of the demand for quick and reliable money transfer services.
"While some family members move to the city, others stay in the countryside and remain dependent on those who moved, particularly concerning financial matters," he said.
"In these developing markets, where incomes are typically low, there is a need to quickly send and receive money," he added.
Other influences making consumers in these markets open to mobile financial services include concerns about receiving counterfeit cash and overcoming the inconvenience of having to go to a particular office at specific opening times.
This prompted up to 78% of respondents in Bangladesh to say they are interested in using mobile payments for service bills – a view shared by 57% of consumers in Indonesia and 37% in Vietnam.
According to a study by research firm Ericsson ConsumerLab into m-commerce activity in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam, Indonesians are the most frequent users of money transfer services although Bangladeshis are the most interested.
It found over half (54%) of respondents in Indonesia have used money transfer services compared with 45% in Vietnam and 34% in Bangladesh – yet 97% of consumers in Bangladesh are interested in using mobile payments.
Just under half (49%) of Indonesians are interested in mobile money transfer services, the report found, while 26% of Vietnamese feel the same.
Patrik Hedlund, senior adviser at Ericsson ConsumerLab, explained that growing urbanisation is driving much of the demand for quick and reliable money transfer services.
"While some family members move to the city, others stay in the countryside and remain dependent on those who moved, particularly concerning financial matters," he said.
"In these developing markets, where incomes are typically low, there is a need to quickly send and receive money," he added.
Other influences making consumers in these markets open to mobile financial services include concerns about receiving counterfeit cash and overcoming the inconvenience of having to go to a particular office at specific opening times.
This prompted up to 78% of respondents in Bangladesh to say they are interested in using mobile payments for service bills – a view shared by 57% of consumers in Indonesia and 37% in Vietnam.
Data sourced from Ericsson ConsumerLab; additional content by Warc staff
