Mobile‑money services processed more than $2 trillion globally in 2025, with wallets in Sub‑Saharan Africa handling about $1.4 trillion of that total.

The GSMA’s State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2026, released in March 2026, provides the figures that make the region the global centre of phone‑based finance.

Sub‑Saharan Africa’s share translates to roughly two‑thirds of worldwide mobile‑money value, with the rest of the world moving about $0.69 trillion.

The region moved $1.43 trillion in 2025, a 27 percent increase over 2024, while the global total rose 23 percent to $2.09 trillion.

East Africa led the market with $806 billion, followed by West Africa’s $498 billion; together they accounted for 91 percent of Africa’s mobile‑money value.

The region also processed about 74 percent of all mobile‑money transactions by number – 92 billion of the 125 billion recorded worldwide.

Across Africa there were 1.2 billion registered mobile‑money accounts, representing roughly 52 percent of the world’s 2.3 billion accounts.

Only about 29 percent of those African accounts – roughly 347 million – were active in any given month, highlighting a large usage gap.

Mobile‑money activity now spans more than personal transfers, with merchant payments reaching $155 billion, bill payments $99 billion, cross‑border remittances $45 billion and bulk disbursements such as salaries and social transfers $139 billion in 2025.

Despite the growth, sending $200 to Sub‑Saharan Africa still costs 8.46 percent – the highest price globally – underscoring ongoing cost challenges.