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As I see it, traditional banks face some difficult decisions in trying to reach this market: they can make expensive multi-year investments in attempting to transform their legacy systems, while their margins and market share shrink over time, or they can embrace digital channels on a different infrastructure stack, with a different cost structure to roll out new products and services to reach new customers and compete with the new banking entrants. In effect, like the classic innovator’s dilemma, they need to be able and willing to disrupt themselves through a seperate business/spin-off brand.

Couldn't agree more. Global associations such as SEEP (who we joined as a member last month) as well as in-country local microfinance associations will play a critical role in helping microfinance organizations adopt new technology and maximize on the benefits that it can bring. Many microfinance institutions have historically shied away from really leveraging technology, perhaps partly due to lack of confidence and know-how, and certainly due to a lack of trust in service providers. Microfinance associations are uniquely positioned to provide leadership in this domain and may be the only ones who can drive the necessary change forward.

Taking that one step further, there is also an opportunity for microfinance associations to consider taking an even more active role in leading this evolution, by doing what many banks have done for years, by moving towards centralized BPO/technology centres. This would enable the association to not only provide knowledge leadership, but also be positioned to support organizations on an operating level and leverage the power of their network to lower barriers to technology adoption and integration.