New Delhi, June 19 -- How many of you know that digital wallets actually started in Kenya-launched by a telecom operator?

It was called M-Pesa, and it became a lifeline for many, especially women working in far-off towns and cities. At the time, there were no formal or affordable systems for sending money home. People had to rely on others traveling back to their villages with cash, a method that was risky and unreliable.

Vodafone, through its Kenyan subsidiary Safaricom, introduced a solution: a mobile wallet system. Every worker had a phone. Every family back home had one too. Using mobile SMS or a simple app, money could be transferred instantly. Family members could walk into a local shop (acting as an agent), show an ID, and withdr...