Pathways to financial health

Over the past decade, financial inclusion has made remarkable progress, with global account ownership rising risen sharply, connecting billions of people to the formal financial system. Yet access alone has proven insufficient. The defining challenge today is moving consumers from access to meaningful, consistent usage — and ultimately toward financial health.

This shift is not only critical for consumer resilience, but also a powerful driver of sustainable business growth, both of which are propelling Mastercard’s new commitment to connect and protect 500 million people and small businesses on their pathways to financial health by 2030.

A new Mastercard white paper analyzes pseudonymized transaction data, consumer insights and financial health indicators from four financial institutions operating in diverse market contexts: Nigeria’s Access Bank, Dominican Republic’s Banreservas, Brazil’s Nubank, and RCBC in the Philippines. Using a common financial health framework in which consumers progress from access to usage to security to health, the study examines how different strategies, products and market conditions influence whether consumers advance or stall along their financial journeys. Across markets and business models, three consistent insights emerge.

Simple, intuitive, onboarding and early exposure to relevant products (such as prepaid cards, debit cards, or bill pay) significantly increase the likelihood of sustained usage and multi‑product adoption.

Consumers deepen engagement when financial systems are dependable, secure and reinforced by community presence — whether through physical infrastructure, referrals or visible customer support.

Contextual education, behavioral nudges, and small, well‑timed rewards help consumers build confidence, develop healthy financial habits, and progress toward more advanced financial behaviors.

The data shows that consumers demonstrating consistent usage generate 2.9 times to 6.8 times higher gross dollar volume compared to those with basic access only, underscoring the strong link between financial health outcomes and commercial performance.

Despite growing digital access, many consumers remain stuck due to low trust in systems or security, customer support gaps, incomplete understanding of financial products and inadequate infrastructure. The study also highlights strategies tailed to different types of financial institutions, from digital‑native fintechs to established banks while emphasizing common priorities.

Financial inclusion is not a one‑time milestone — it is a journey. Institutions that intentionally guide consumers from access to confident usage and long‑term financial health can unlock meaningful social impact while driving durable business growth.