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The transition from traditional brick-and-mortar banking to digital-first neobanking has introduced significant shifts in financial user interfaces and data models. A common source of confusion for new users of the Colombian digital wallet Nequi is the apparent absence of a traditional "account number" (e.g., a 10- to 18-digit numeric code). This paper argues that Nequi’s lack of a conventional account number is not a deficiency but a deliberate design affordance that reshapes user behavior around peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions, security, and financial identity. We explore what substitutes for an account number within Nequi’s architecture: the linked Cédula (Colombian national ID), the cell phone number , and the proprietary Nequi Tag (e.g., @username). We conclude that the "Nequi account number" exists as a sociotechnical fiction—a phantom limb of legacy banking—that masks a more fluid, phone-centric model of value transfer.
Legacy banking systems (e.g., Davivienda, Bancolombia) are predicated on the concept of a static, unique numeric account identifier. This number serves as the canonical reference for payroll deposits, bill payments, and wire transfers. In contrast, Nequi—operating as a digital subsidiary of Grupo Bancolombia—deliberately obfuscates this legacy identifier from its primary user interface. This paper addresses the following research question: What functions as an “account number” in the Nequi ecosystem, and what does this substitution reveal about the future of personal financial data? nequi account number
Author: [Generated for Academic Review] Date: April 14, 2026 Journal: Journal of Digital Banking & Financial Inclusion (Vol. 12, Iss. 3) We explore what substitutes for an account number
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