The World Bank’s Global Findex Database 2025 presents the most comprehensive insights yet into financial inclusion, savings, credit, and digital payments across 140 economies. The findings show remarkable progress but also persistent gaps that demand urgent policy and industry action.

Key Findings

• Financial Access Expands: Over 80% of adults worldwide now have access to a formal financial account, a leap from 51% in 2011.
• Digital Payments Surge: Three in four adults made or received a digital payment in 2024, with mobile money driving access in Africa and South Asia.
• Savings & Credit: Only 45% of adults save formally, while reliance on informal credit remains high, exposing households to financial vulnerabilities.
• Gender Gap Narrows, Slowly: The gender gap in account ownership fell to 4 percentage points globally, but remains wider in low-income economies.
• Resilience & Shocks: Nearly half of adults say they could not access emergency funds within 30 days, highlighting systemic risks in household resilience.

Challenges and Policy Implications

• Trust & Financial Literacy: Millions remain excluded due to a lack of trust in institutions and low financial literacy.
• Digital Divide: Gaps in internet connectivity and smartphone access hinder equitable participation in digital finance.
• Policy Role: Governments must strengthen consumer protections, digital ID systems, and cross-border payment frameworks to ensure inclusion benefits all.

The report underscores that financial inclusion is not just about access — it is about empowering people to save, borrow, invest, and recover from shocks. For Africa, scaling mobile money, building stronger credit systems, and bridging rural-urban divides remain top priorities.

👉 Read the full Global Findex Database 2025 Report here