
Agency banking: bridging the gap between users and bank
Agency banking solutions are an effective way for traditional banks to cut costs and to extend their services with the help of several authorized agents.
- Boost financial inclusion
- Increase product availability
- Advanced risk management
Participants in Agency banking ecosystem
Agency banking consists of many components which works in sync to achieve a common goal. Below mentioned are all the components involved in the agency banking ecosystem.

Agent Banking Service Provider
An agency banking service provider is responsible for cash handling, marketing, branding, operating service, license and regulatory compliance for services.

Banks and Financial institutions
Banks and financial institutions acts as a host which consists of agents and consumers accounts. Banks are the entities from where the real cash flow via services.

Banking agents
Banking agents are retailers that are authorized by the banks and the financial institutions to perform various banking functions like cash deposit, withdrawal, and many other.

Mobile Operator
Mobile operator provides their network and carries out all the mobile transactions, SMS, USSD connectivity, and all the processes taking place over the phone.

Consumer
Ultimately the one who gets the benefit of the agency banking is the consumer. Consumer is generally an un-banked individual who has access to the mobile services.
How agency banking works?
Agency banking allows consumers to access a large range of banking services at retail outlets, supermarkets, and many other places without going through the complicated procedures of a bank. Few of those services are mentioned below.
Banking Agents
- First, the banking service provider enrolls and authorizes a retailer or any other person as a banking agent.
- Once a retailer is enrolled as an authorized banking agent, he/she then carries an operator signage on their retail outlet.
- The banking service provider then creates an mWallet for the banking agent in which the banking agent must deposit a prepaid balance to initiate the process.
- Banking agent performs functions like deposits and transactions either via super-agent or directly with the banking service provider.
- At last, the banking agent executes transactions by accessing various services via user friendly options on their mobile.
Consumers
- For consumers to create their bank account, they simply need to visit the nearest banking agent with a valid ID.
- To deposit money in the account, consumers pay cash to the banking agent. The banking agent then transfers the same amount of money from his/her mWallet to the consumer’s account.
- For cash withdrawals, consumers use USSD menu on their mobile phones.
- In the first step, the consumer transfers the amount to be withdrawn to the banking agent’s mWallet. The banking agent then pays corresponding amount to the consumer in cash.
- Consumer can also withdraw cash from the ATM.
Use cases of agency banking
Agency banking allows consumers to access a large range of banking services at retail outlets, supermarkets, and many other places without going through the complicated procedures of a bank. Few of those services are mentioned below.
Agency Banking Partner Types
Agency banking is versatile in nature and thus it offers various solutions in the form of partnership with the below entities.