CGAP 6d ago

Three out of four adults in low- and middle-income countries now have access to formal financial accounts. But 1.3 billion remain unbanked, 4 billion are uninsured or underinsured, and many remain financially vulnerable. We are at the threshold of a new wave of inclusive finance — and the policy choices made today will determine whether it becomes a force for shared prosperity or deepens existing divides. CGAP's recent research presents a policy roadmap for navigating rapid technological change in inclusive finance, outlining six key priorities for financial sector authorities: ✦ Level the playing field for diverse players across the financial ecosystem ✦ Make payment systems fit for purpose for low-income users and markets ✦ Expand open finance frameworks to open data ✦ Establish an approach for inclusive AI ✦ Create a framework for the responsible use of tokenization ✦ Build adaptive, innovation-ready regulatory ecosystems Innovations such as generative and agentic AI, open data, tokenization, and embedded financial services offer transformative promise — but also introduce new risks. Effective, intentional policymaking is crucial to ensure these benefits are widely shared and do not deepen existing divides. RESOURCES & LINKS 📄 Read the full CGAP policy roadmap: https://www.cgap.org/research/innovation-for-inclusion-roadmap-for-inclusive-finance-policy ▶ Subscribe to CGAP: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUO7nlegYLiGPNm5R0cfOiA #FinancialInclusion #InclusiveFinance #DigitalFinance #AIPolicy #OpenFinance #Tokenization #FinancialInnovation #GlobalSouth