13 September 2019, Kathmandu
In a sign that Nepalis are fast adopting digital payment methods, digital payment service provider Khalti’s Android app has crossed 500,000 downloads. The app has hit this milestone shortly after two years of its launch in the Nepali market.
Elated by the achievement in this very short period, Manish Modi, Managing Director of Khalti said,
“Every day, tens of thousands of users load money to their Khalti wallet and consume it to make various digital payments. Similar to Android app users, feedback from Khalti’s iOS app and web users is also equally exciting. We are working to create digital payment habits among all Nepalis. We are extremely overwhelmed and excited to get love and support from users like this. Now we have a lot more responsibility added on us. We feel this is dopamine given us to bring lots of services to our platform and take Khalti to the next level.”
As per Nepal Telecommunication Authority’s latest MIS report, the country has over 137% mobile telephony penetration and 65% broadband internet penetration. Likewise, NRB’s latest statistics show that over 83 lakh people use mobile banking in Nepal, and the number of internet banking users is over 9 lakh. However, as per WorldBank’s 2017 Global Findex Database, only 45% of Nepal’s population is banked. So, a digital payments system like Khalti can play a significant role to bring the unbanked population to the digital platform and provide financial services.
Started in January 2017, Khalti is an emerging mobile payment solution in Nepal. So far, Khalti’s service has reached 70 districts of Nepal and it’s working to enable people in the remotest corners of the nation to use digital payment service. Payment facility on mobile means one doesn’t have to travel to district headquarters to perform tasks as simple as electricity bill payment, ultimately saving countless productive work hours for the nation. Meanwhile, Khalti recently conducted a ‘Smart Chhori’ campaign and trained 10,000 girls and young women with digital and financial literacy and skills. With its digital payment service and various such initiatives, Khalti is working to transform the lives of people in Nepal.
Currently, Khaltihas been providing various utility bill payment services, mobile recharge, DTH recharge, domestic flight booking, movie ticketing, event ticketing, hotel booking, newspaper subscriptions, online shopping payments, and insurance premium payments among various other digital payments services. Khalti is a licensed Payment Service Provider from Nepal Rastra Bank. Currently, more than 8 lakh people regularly use Khalti for various bill payment services.
