Description
The Financial Inclusiveness report provides an integrated, data-driven assessment of financial inclusion across 139 countries by measuring three linked pillars: access, usage and barriers, through both traditional and digital channels. Built on transparent selection and treatment rules, the Financial Inclusiveness Index enables consistent cross-country benchmarking and highlights where financial ecosystems are succeeding in expanding infrastructure but failing to translate this into meaningful participation. Within the Arab region, progress in access and digital infrastructure is increasingly visible, while usage continues to lag. This is the case even in high-income countries, suggesting that constraints are related to adoption incentives, literacy, trust and regulatory/cybersecurity readiness. Comparison with 2023 shows infrastructure gains alongside a deterioration in ease of access, and a rise in traditional barriers driven by growing distrust in some contexts. The report translates these findings into actionable priorities, emphasizing payment digitization, simplified onboarding, targeted capability-building, and enabling frameworks for financial technology and mobile money to accelerate inclusive and resilient financial participation.