Banking Without Banks: How AI, Blockchain & Mobile Tech Are Reaching the 1.4 Billion Unbanked
Tech-Powered Equity – How Startups Are Redefining Global Banking Access
Description
Over 1.4 billion people worldwide remain unbanked—locked out of formal financial systems due to geographic, economic, or infrastructural barriers. But technology is rewriting that story. This panel explores how AI-driven credit scoring, blockchain-based identity systems, and mobile banking apps are revolutionizing access to financial services in underserved regions. From microloans in rural India to crypto wallets in sub-Saharan Africa, we’ll examine how fintech is not only bypassing traditional banks, but also building trust, inclusion, and resilience in communities long left behind. What does it take to build financial ecosystems from the ground up—and who gets to shape them?
Background
Over 1.4 billion people globally remain unbanked, excluded from formal financial systems primarily due to geographic isolation, economic marginalization, or inadequate infrastructure. Traditional banking institutions often find it economically unfeasible or logistically challenging to extend their reach into remote or economically disadvantaged regions. This lack of access leaves these populations…
Date: 2025-05-09
Time (ET): 7:30 PM EDT, May 9, 2025
Time (Local): 11:30 PM UTC, May 9, 2025
Agenda:
- Speaker Welcome Room - 19 : 00
- Guided Discussion - 19 : 30
- General discussion - 20: 10
- Interactive Q&A - 20 : 20
Location: online
Speakers
Jonathan Morgan
Co-Founder, Kotani Pay
Rumki Majumdar
Director and Economist, Deloitte India
Helen Wang
Visiting Scholar at Harvard University Wyss Institute , Founding Partner of TecoGlobal Group, Collective Intelligence Universe, and EcoGen Capital
Guided Questions
Jonathan Morgan
Jonathan, with your deep expertise in blockchain payments infrastructure at Kotani Pay, how can blockchain-based solutions effectively reach communities lacking reliable internet connectivity, and what specific innovations are most promising for connecting the world's unbanked populations?
Rumki Majumdar
Considering your research on consumer behavior and trade patterns, what cultural or structural factors do you think fintech startups should address to ensure widespread adoption of mobile banking apps and blockchain-based services in underserved communities?
Helen Wang
As a global AI and data strategist and Founding Partner of TecoGlobal Group, how do you see data-driven credit scoring and blockchain-based identity systems specifically tackling the challenge of reaching over 1.4 billion unbanked individuals, particularly in remote or economically disadvantaged regions?