Level One Project

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation believes that everyone benefits from an economy that includes everyone. Yet today, billions of people – particularly in the world’s poorest countries—are excluded from a formal economy and miss out on the many advantages these financial systems offer.

We need to change this. And thanks to the rapid rise of digital payment systems, as well as the ubiquity of mobile technology, we now have the power to build upon existing infrastructure within individual countries to address this inequality.

This belief is at the heart of The Level One Project—our initiative to help level the playing field by working across public, private and nonprofit sectors to create inclusive, interconnected digital economies in every country around the world.

If we do, it’s in everyone’s best interests. It will help billions take a step toward financial stability and advance the goals of those in a position to make a difference: bankers, mobile operators, payment technology companies, government regulators and more.

Now is the time to build on lessons learned, leverage available resources, and strive to create easy, secure digital financial systems that benefit everyone.

A level playing field for everyone by building one digital financial system in every country around the world. That’s The Level One Project.