拉丁美洲金融包容性的新时代：金融科技如何推动金融服务普及并实现可持续盈利

The new era offinancial inclusionin Latin America How fintechs are driving financial servicesaccess and achieving sustainable profitability By Mastercard and Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence Contents Introduction...................................................................3The current state of financial inclusionin LatAm........................................................................6Fintech’s role in financial inclusion.........................19Evolving in LatAm’s market.....................................28The fintech fast track to profitability....................31#1: Revenue stream diversification: Innovatingin products and services.....................................................31#2: Fine-tuning the value proposition..............................33#3: Seeking partnerships and ecosystemintegration.............................................................................34#4: Implementing data managementstrategies...............................................................................34#5: Leveraging AI technologies.........................................37Conclusion...................................................................38About Mastercard.....................................................40About Payments and Commerce MarketIntelligence (PCMI)....................................................40Legal notice................................................................40Appendix: Consumer survey demographics.........41Sources........................................................................44 Introduction According to the World Bank, financial inclusion means that “individualsand businesses have access to useful and affordable financial products andservices that meet their needs.”1But in practice, it means much more thanthat. Financial inclusion has the potential to boost economic growth andwell-being, helping to reduce poverty levels and promote social progressin a country. It allows an increasing number of people to save and investtheir money, offsetting the effects of inflation on their budgets. It alsoenables people to make and receive online payments, get loans to start newbusinesses, buy homes, send money to distant relatives, and digitally accesswages or financial aid—just to mention a few examples. That is what Latin Americans have been experiencing in recent years, as aheightened focus on financial inclusion has reshaped the region’s economicand social landscape. In 2017, only 55% of the population of Latin America(LatAm) had an account at a financial institution or with a mobile moneyservice provider. By 2021, the level of account ownership had jumped to 74%,according to the latest World Bank Global Findex Database.2Currently, PCMIdata indicates that the rate has surpassed 80% in several countries in theregion. Access to a myriad of other financial services has also been expandingrapidly—from credit lines to investment options and alternative paymentmethods—which has resulted in comprehensive financial inclusion for theregion’s underserved or underbanked populations. LatAm’s financial inclusion has been driven by several factors, startingwith the high level of support from local authorities for innovations inthe financial sector. Many governments across the region have adoptedmeasures to boost competition in the financial industry, including pro-fintechregulations, open banking systems, the payment of subsidies throughdigital channels, and so on. Others have focused directly on developingcost-effective and seamless digital payment methods, like Pix, the real-timepayments platform created by Brazil’s central bank. Improvements in internet and mobile phone penetration have also helpedclose the financial inclusion gap in LatAm, allowing more people to accessfinancial services online. By the end of 2023, 418 million people in the region(65% of the population) used mobile internet—an increase of 75 million overthe last five years.3In some countries, such as Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, andChile, over 80% of the population currently has regular access to the internet(including both fixed and mobile connections).4However, progress would nothave been as impressive if it weren’t for the work of an increasing number ofinnovative fintechs, which have created a variety of easy-to-use platformsand solutions tailored to the unique needs of the region’s population. Today, LatAm is home to 3,069 fintechs spread across 26 countries,compared to only 703 fintechs in 18 countries in 2017.5Many of thesenew companies have thrived by catering to groups that were previouslyunderserved by traditional banks, such as low-income families and youngerpeople. They also recognize the importance of building trust and havingclear, reasonable fee structures. With the help of these companies, millionsof Latin Americans have stepped into the spotlight for the first time asonline consumers, borrowers, savers, investors, and/or entrepreneurs,creating ripple effec