This article shares key findings from qualitative research conducted by UNCDF Tanzania and CARE International on the digital financial services (DFS) that are most appropriate for informal savings groups.

The authors outline two key findings. First, while mobile money is appropriate for individual accounts, there are difficulties around the validation of group accounts. Also, agent banking is more appropriate than mobile money for linking informal savings groups to banks. Second, information is key in providing pathways for digitizing informal savings groups. Despite agent banking and mobile money being commonplace, savings groups are often reluctant to use them to interact with banks if they do not have the required knowledge.