Digital Money and Digital Futures for Value Exchange

Organized by

Emma Mavodza
Early-Career Fellow 2023–2024

Informations

Venue & accessibility info: Meridian Hall, Collegium Helveticum

This is a public event. Participation is free of charge and registration is not required. It is followed by a small reception.

A live stream with auto-captioning is available for this workshop.

Approximately one third of the world population has no direct access to formal financial institutions that link them to the global economy. However, the proliferation of mobile money services which repurpose and make use of existing mobile technology and telecommunication networks such as MPESA in Kenya for example, is proving to be an effective means of expanding access to digital money to diverse populations across the globe. Still, this raises the question of digital futures of the vulnerable users in the global South given that digital money may become a way to not only revolutionize the financial sector but also a foundation for the digital transformation of those societies beyond their everyday financial transactions. Apart from cryptographic digital tokens of different varieties, big tech firms including Google or Apple for example are changing the payment space by heavily investing in financial services (Google and Apple Pay).

This interdisciplinary conference serves as a platform to explore various frameworks for envisioning digital futures in value exchange in the context of our daily lives, where digital payment technologies are pervasive. As these technologies continue to reshape the global financial system, it is important to consider their impact on marginalized populations in the global south who rely on cash and non-monetary forms of value. Thinking beyond these critical questions, the aim is to discuss the role of digital payments in geopolitics, particularly considering the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the weaponization of global payment infrastructures like SWIFT. How do these actions affect the future of cross-border payments and digital payment options?

Program