On the Cusp of Change: Migrants’ use of the internet for remittance transfers

This study presents the findings of a migrant survey conducted in November 2016 about remittances, new technologies, and financial access among Latin American migrants in the United States. The survey is part of the Inter-American Dialogue’s ongoing research about migrant remittance transfers and issues of economic inclusion in the United States.

The findings continue to support the importance of financial access through competition, internet-based technology applications as payment vehicles, and their link to a broad range of financial services. Central to market competition and financial access are technologies that make payment systems more efficient and compliant. Specifically, while financial access enables people to handle their financial demands, the tools for access include the use of a wide arrange of services, the accessibility to a wide range of banking and non-banking financial institutions, compliance with rules enforcing financial practices, and technological innovation that provides usable payment instruments.