Toward a Financial Inclusion Agenda for the Global Majority

In today’s uncertain economic and geopolitical environment, comprehensive financial services—lending, payments, savings, insurance—have grown even more critical to economic resilience, participation, and growth. Yet, worldwide data shows a gap: most people globally lack access to these services. Individuals and communities at the greatest disadvantage more often than not face other challenges to economic or social empowerment, which compounds the inequality. At the same time, however, these workers, entrepreneurs, and consumers who belong to the global majority have the potential to earn, spend, produce, and invest in ways that unleash financial dynamism and well-being for their families while also promoting global prosperity and inclusive, sustainable development.

Despite their strength in numbers, the global majority has been largely overlooked in research and deliberative forums. To address knowledge and action gaps, this brief provides the basis for mobilizing policymakers, investors, and innovators to advance a new financial inclusion agenda designed for the global majority.