The shaded areas of the map indicate ESCAP members and associate members.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. [...] The significant advances in affordability and accessibility offered by digital financial services (DFS) have the potential to reach billions of new customers, offering financially excluded segments of the population, including the unbanked and those who are engaged in informal financial ecosystems, the chance to enter the formal financial sector. [...] Policy Guidebook: Harnessing Digital Technology for Financial Inclusion in Asia and the Pacific 3 Chapter 2 – Digital financial inclusion for the poor 4 Policy Guidebook: Harnessing Digital Technology for Financial Inclusion in Asia and the Pacific Chapter 2 – Digital financial inclusion for the poor Chapter 2 Digital financial inclusion for the poor Supported by the proliferation of mobile phones. [...] Key constraints and risks for the poor While it is generally agreed that the diffusion of information and communications technology (ICT), particularly mobile phone penetration, has the potential to accelerate financial inclusion and contribute to poverty reduction, the impacts of digital advancements on the financial transaction needs and behaviours of low- and irregular-income households remain. [...] When and how should Governments intervene in the market? How can Governments facilitate meaningful and effective access to and use of DFS for everyone? And what types of regulatory frameworks are necessary to enable the potential of fintech products and services to be harnessed while at the same time ensuring financial stability and the protection of the consumer’s rights? The varying country-spec.