Digital banking and its impact on Moroccan system

Abstract

The Moroccan banking sector's new turn towards a new era of digitalization has led to the closure of several bank branches. Since the outbreak of the health crisis, the Moroccan banking network has been shrinking to optimize the mobilization of its resources. Won't this pose a problem, particularly for a certain segment of the population who prefer direct physical contact with digital technology? Many people don't have access to the Internet, don't have computers or smart phones, and don't know how to use them. Could easy access to online banking services have the opposite effect on financial inclusion, particularly in the presence of digital illiteracy? In this article, we attempt to provide some answers through a review of the empirical literature. The aim is to identify the key factors in financial inclusion and digital banking. The presentation of these indicators will enable us to identify and analyze the impact of implementing these new policies. Two hypotheses have been adopted. The first assume that digital banking amplifies disparity and marginalizes a certain category of the population. Based on our analysis, we conclude that mobile banking may accentuate this financial exclusion, even if the percentage of 10% remains mediocre, but it does represent the most vulnerable part of society. And the second hypothesis is based on the fact that the digitalization based of banking services will have a negative impact on the employability of people in the banking sector. We note that in the short term it has no impact, but negative effects can be observed in the long term.  

Keywords: Financial inclusion; Banking digitization; Moroccan population; Employability

Classification JEL : C35, G2

Paper type: Theoretical Research