Over the past decade, mobile money has evolved from a niche product in a small number of markets to an emerging market phenomenon, bringing reliable financial services to previously unbanked populations. As of December 2017, the mobile money industry processes a billion dollars a day and with 690 million registered accounts worldwide, mobile money has evolved into the leading payment platform for the digital economy in many emerging markets. A key ingredient in the success of mobile money has been trust. The Certification will help to take the industry to the next level by improving the quality of services and customer satisfaction, facilitating the implementation of trusted partnerships, building trust with regulators and encouraging the implementation of appropriate and proportional regulatory standards.

The GSMA Mobile Money Certification is the result of years of collaboration between GSMA and the mobile money industry, to increase trust and transparency in the provision of mobile money services. Beginning with the launch of the GSMA Code of Conduct for Mobile Money Providers in late 2014, the GSMA worked together with providers in Africa, Latin America, and Asia to understand the challenges of their business and the best practices in these markets. The GSMA led a three-year consultative process to develop the certification criteria, which were tested through the self-assessments of 39 mobile money providers. In 2024 the GSMA contracted Certi-Trust, an independent certification management company, to manage the scheme.