[thoraces]

Maybe Alipay/WeChat can use their vast amount of money and deep connections to Chinese manufacturing to make simple devices that literally only act as a wallet (hopefully simply enough such that even the elderly and technically/actually illiterate can use them), and then partner with banks (or become ones themselves) to provision bank accounts for people who they sell those devices to.

If enough vendors stop accepting cash, then that alone ought to be reason enough for people in rural areas to make the effort to get/purchase these devices, assuming Wechat/Alipay makes the effort to distribute them.

Though it seems that there is limited market value to doing such a potentially expensive and politically tricky maneuver. Classic scenario in a capitalist world—the market doesn't see profit in protecting a helpless class like the poor and elderly, so the market proceeds to ignore them and screw them over.

[vorg]

This would be the banks moving into the cellphone market -- a good way for them to counter phone-based intrusion into their business model by WeChat/Alipay.