Taking mobile financial services to the next level
A decade of innovation in financial services
Introduced in 2008, Orange Money set us on our path to becoming a multi-service operator. A decade on, millions of people in Africa and the Middle East are using it to carry out financial transactions from their mobile phones. Orange Money is a digital wallet linked to a mobile telephone number that can be used to carry out financial transactions from mobile phones. Our customers can keep their money safe in their digital wallet, transfer funds, pay utility bills, taxes and school fees and, in some countries, take out insurance and loans. In 2017, we launched Orange Bank, a pioneering service fully developed in-house for telecoms and mobile uses. Orange Bank is a one-stop shop combining all the financial services that our rivals – traditional banks, online banks, neo-banks, fintech companies, supermarkets, hypermarkets and GAFAM – have to offer. We are also teaming up with and investing in several fintech start-ups through Orange Digital Ventures. In 2018, for instance, we acquired stakes in Aire in the United Kingdom (solvency analysis), Yoco in South Africa (payment terminals and solutions for small retailers) and Africa’s Talking in Kenya (communication and payment APIs). Also in 2018, Orange and NSIA applied for a banking licence from the Central Bank of West African States, with a view to expanding the choice of mobile financial services we offer.
Suited to the varying maturity of each market
We adapt our mobile financial service strategy, and the range of existing solutions, to each operating country. In countries with a lot of banking services on offer (France, Spain, Belgium, Poland and Slovakia), we offer a comprehensive range of digital services through Orange Bank. In countries where banking is less developed like in Romania, we provide payment and credit services using solutions based on Orange Money. And in countries where only a small percentage of the population has a bank account (in Africa and the Middle East), we meet customers’ basic banking needs by offering daily services to make deposits, transfers, withdrawals and payments. In some countries, we are also using Orange Money’s solid reputation to offer microcredit, savings and insurance solutions in partnership with microfinance institutions. Orange Money, which was initially introduced as a way to enhance customer loyalty, is now used for up to 20% of our mobile phone top up sales.
Orange Money points of sale
worldwide
average monthly additional ARPU
generated by active Orange Money customers
Orange stores
authorised as intermediaries in banking operations and payment services in France
Orange advisors and managers
certified to act as intermediaries in banking operations and payment services in France
million
raised by the fintech companies in which
Orange Digital Ventures has invested since 2015
Synergies across the business
Our diversification into mobile financial services, in particular with Orange Bank, is increasing customer loyalty and opening up new revenue streams by promoting sales of connected devices (smartphones, smart watches, etc.) at a time when sales of SIM-only plans are on the rise. Meanwhile, we are also taking advantage of the strength of our brand and the reach of our store network to market and distribute mobile financial services. Furthermore, we use data from our telecoms and banking customers, in accordance with European, national and banking-sector regulations, to offer bespoke services that simplify account opening procedures and help swiftly approve personal loans for example.
Orange Money – a catalyst for inclusion
In 2018, Orange went even further by teaming up with PAMF (Première Agence de Microfinance) in Madagascar to use Orange Money to provide savings and credit services. More than 350,000 loans have been granted.
Interoperability is key to boosting mobile money transactions, reinforcing financial inclusion and assisting Africa’s economic development. To accelerate the continent’s development and interoperability, Orange and MTN set up a joint venture, Mowali, in 2018, with the aim of simplifying money transfers.
Mowali makes financial exchanges between individuals and States, non-governmental organisations and companies smoother and safer. In 10 years, Orange Money has become a world leader of mobile money. Our distribution network consists of 160,000 points of sale throughout Africa that serve 39.2 million Orange Money customers, including 15.1 million monthly users.
Orange Bank, the bank for right now
Orange Bank provides financial services that are suited to what customers want (including bank accounts, standard and premium bank cards, authorised overdrafts, a complementary insurance package and savings accounts). These banking services harness the unique possibilities of mobile technology. For example, customers can pay with their card or mobile phone, temporarily block their card, check their balance in real time and ask questions, which our virtual assistant Djingo answers 24/7. Orange Bank’s point of differentiation also comes from its Orange store network, where customers can speak to advisors who have trained as intermediaries in banking operations and payment services. In 2018, Orange Bank added a new personal loan service enabling customers to go through the entire process – from applying for the loan to using the funds – on the app. After having been extended to the French overseas territories of Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Mayotte and Reunion Island, Orange Bank will be launching in Spain in 2019.
- Over 1.5 million conversations between our customers and Djingo since it was launched
- 248,000 Orange Bank customers at end-2018