The impact of merchant and mobile payments on financial inclusion in Asia-Pacific

Abstract

Financial inclusion is one of the biggest impediments to growth in South-east Asia. Access to financial products or even financial institutions is very limited in some countries, constraining both individual and company access to capital. This phenomenon has only intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is especially problematic for those individuals and companies with largely offline businesses. This paper argues that the roots of change are starting to take hold, as payment service providers and business-to-business players are helping bridge the digital divide. Payments services are increasingly likely not to be standalone products, but rather to include a myriad of both financial and non-financial products and services that can help individuals and companies increase their economic empowerment.