economy
May 5, 2026
Lights and shadows of the financial market in Latin America: more access, but without improvement in economic well-being
The gap between access and use prevents financial products from generating real value. Photo: www.kaboompics.com - Pexels Karola G
TL;DR
- Financial inclusion in Latin America has high access rates, but only 40% of people know ten or more financial products.
- A gap exists between financial product access and their effective use, hindering economic well-being.
- Financial knowledge has increased but not enough to close the usage gap, with the pace of learning not matching access expansion.
- Decentralized finance (DeFi) has seen significant transaction volume in Latin America, offering new financing methods.
- Lack of understanding remains a barrier to utilizing financial tools, including DeFi, emphasizing the need for financial education.
- Financial inclusion is heterogeneous across the region, with the Southern Cone showing more progress than Central America.
- True success in financial inclusion depends on strengthening users' financial management capabilities and enabling informed decisions for sustainable economic well-being.