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Worldwide, 76% of adults had access to a bank or mobile money account in 2021, up from 51% a decade ago, according to the Global Findex 2021 database.

While these gains in access represent progress, they are just the first step in ensuring financial services enable everyone to thrive in an increasingly digital economy.

Financial inclusion is more than connecting people to bank accounts. It’s about helping women garment workers gain more control over the wages they earn. It’s about enabling small family-run shops to participate in the digital economy and access the capital they need to grow their business. It’s ensuring smallholder farmers get paid quickly and efficiently, while also helping them sell their produce at a fair price.

At the Center for Inclusive Growth, we’re bringing together knowledge and assets within Mastercard, and across private companies, government institutions and global development organizations, to lift up solutions that enable people to earn, save and invest for the future, while building an inclusive and sustainable economy.

Meet six people who have benefited from inclusive financial services, and learn more about the solutions that are enabling them to thrive and be more resilient.

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Learn more about actions business leaders and policymakers can take to advance financial inclusion.

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