USSD, trust, and the future of payments: What Africa can teach the U.S.

When people think of culture, they often picture language, food, or tradition. But after living and working in over thirteen countries, both developed and emerging, I’ve found that how people pay is just as telling. Payment habits are deeply cultural. They reflect trust, social norms, and economic realities.

In the U.S., for example, credit cards are a way of life. They signal trust in…