Tapping into Digital-First Opportunities in Emerging Markets

Well, if you still remember your first laptop, and the ones that followed with better speed, slimmer design, and fancier features, you probably saw technology evolve step by step.

In many emerging markets, it happened differently. People didn’t upgrade from desktop to laptop to smartphone. They skipped straight to mobile.

In countries like India, when affordable high-speed internet became widely available, millions of people came online almost overnight. They didn’t build habits around traditional systems first, they started with apps. Phones became their bank, shop, office, and main communication tool.

This changed the rules for how business is done.

Distribution is digital. You don’t always need physical branches or heavy infrastructure. Access happens through apps, platforms, and digital ecosystems. If a product isn’t built mobile-first, it risks being invisible to millions of consumers who live on their phones.

The scale is massive:

• In India, UPI handles around 700 million transactions daily, with about 500 million users.

• In Brazil, Pix reaches more than 150 million people.

• In Kenya, M-Pesa serves over 45 million users.

• In Indonesia, most adults use digital wallets or banking apps.

And this mobile-first mindset goes far beyond finance.

Take the rise of the “10-minute delivery” race. Groceries, meals, essentials delivered almost instantly. Companies are competing on speed, logistics, and user experience. Whoever cracks efficiency, trust, and scale will be the next big winner.

It’s also about demographics.

India has over 50% of its population under 30. Brazil around 45%. Kenya is one of the youngest countries globally, with roughly 65% under 25. Indonesia has around half its population under 30.

This generation expects everything to be fast, simple, and intuitive. Instant onboarding. One-click payments. Real-time updates. If something feels slow, they switch.

Of course, challenges remain: uneven connectivity, digital literacy gaps, regulatory complexity, and cybersecurity risks.

But the bigger picture is clear:

Emerging markets are not slowly catching up. They are jumping ahead. Entire ecosystems are being built around mobile speed, young consumers, and rapid adoption cycles.

In these markets, speed isn’t just a competitive advantage.

It’s the new standard.