Financial Inclusion: How Can It Truly Be Achieved?

In 2024, 76.5% of the population aged 18 and 70 had at least one financial product.

In the same year, 69.1% used mobile applications to manage their accounts.

In recent years, financial inclusion has become one of the primary objectives of the global financial ecosystem. Traditionally, this concept has been measured by the number of people who have a bank account, download a financial application, or make digital payments. However, the real challenge lies not only in access, but in people’s and businesses’ ability to use these tools in a practical, secure, and sustainable way.

In Mexico, progress in this area has been significant. According to the latest National Survey of Financial Inclusion conducted by INEGI (National Institute of Statistics and Geography) in 2024, around 76.5% of the population aged 18 to 70 years old had at least one financial product, such as bank accounts, cards, retirement funds, or insurance[1]. This growth reflects greater access to formal services, but it also highlights the need to ensure that these products generate tangible value in users’ daily lives.

Additionally, the use of digital services has grown significantly in the country. The percentage of people who use mobile applications to manage their accounts increased from 54.3% in 2021 to 69.1% in 2024[2], reflecting a clear transition toward greater financial digitalization.

Recognizing that this evolution creates new opportunities to expand the reach of financial services, especially when supported by accessible, secure, and interoperable solutions, Evertec, a leading transaction processing and financial technology company, highlights several key factors to help close the financial inclusion gap:

1. Ease of access: for financial inclusion to be truly effective, it is essential to facilitate simple and secure digital payment acceptance for small and medium-sized businesses, which represent a key driver of the economy. When merchants can accept multiple payment methods easily and securely, they not only expand their growth opportunities but also allow more consumers to participate in the digital economy.
2. Interoperability: the ability to connect banks, fintech companies, and other participants in the financial ecosystem enables more seamless user experiences, reduces technological barriers, and fosters greater competition and innovation within the sector.
3. Cybersecurity: trust in digital systems is one of the most important factors driving the adoption of new financial technologies. Solutions that integrate fraud prevention, data protection, and transaction monitoring help strengthen the ecosystem and allow more people to use financial services with confidence.

“Talking about financial inclusion is not only about ensuring that more people have access to financial services, but also about enabling them to use these services easily, securely, and effectively in their daily lives. To achieve this, it is essential to develop solutions that connect users, merchants, and institutions within an interoperable ecosystem where technology acts as an enabler of real economic opportunities,”, said Juan Ignacio Rial Hawila, Commercial Head of Evertec in Mexico.

In this context, financial inclusion goes beyond being merely an access indicator and becomes a comprehensive strategy that drives economic development, encourages business formalization, and helps reduce social gaps. The challenge ahead will be to continue building solutions that combine technological innovation, collaboration among industry stakeholders, and an experience centered on people’s real needs.

[1] [2] https://www.inegi.org.mx/contenidos/programas/enif/2024/doc/enif_2024_resultados.pdf