Banking the Unbanked? Evidence from Three Countries

Dean Karlan, Pascaline Dupas, Jonathan Robinson and Diego Ubfal

No 242442, Center Discussion Papers from Yale University, Economic Growth Center

Abstract: We experimentally test the impact of expanding access to basic bank accounts in Uganda, Malawi, and Chile. Over two years, 17%, 10%, and 3% of treatment individuals made five or more deposits, respectively. Average monthly deposits for them were at the 79th, 91st, and 96th percentiles of baseline savings. Survey data show no clearly discernible intention-to-treat effects on savings or any downstream outcomes. This suggests that policies merely focused on expanding access to basic accounts are unlikely to improve welfare noticeably since impacts, even if present, are likely small and diverse

Keywords: Consumer/Household Economics; Financial Economics; Institutional and Behavioral Economics; International Development; Labor and Human Capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 54
Date: 2016-07
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (25)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Banking the Unbanked? Evidence from Three Countries (2018)
Working Paper: Banking the Unbanked? Evidence from three countries (2016)
Working Paper: Banking the Unbanked? Evidence from Three Countries (2016)
Working Paper: Banking the Unbanked? Evidence From Three Countries (2016)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:yaleeg:242442

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.242442

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