more than three billion of the world’s adult population will be able to transact electronically via mobile and Internet technology

By 2014, more than three billion of the world’s adult population will be able to transact electronically via mobile and Internet technology.

Market Implications:

Two trends are merging that will drastically alter the future of the world’s trading economy:

— The rapid rise of mobile and Internet technology adoption in emerging economies.

— Advances in mobile payment, commerce and banking.

Together they will open the way for a significant portion of the world’s adult population to transact electronically. For many of these newly enfranchised consumers from emerging economies, the ability to use short message service (SMS), e-mail or payment accounts will constitute their first and only access to the estimated $1 trillion global economy.

For global firms such as Coca Cola and Carrefour, it will provide electronic reach and the ability to transact with a significant majority of adults on the planet.

For entities such as eBay, TaoBao or Craigslist, it will open a huge opportunity for

consumer-to-consumer transactions.

For mobile operators, Internet companies and financial institutions, it will open vast new markets for the provision of transactional and funds transfer capabilities.