Research & Analysis

Innovation for Inclusion: A Roadmap for Inclusive Finance Policy to Navigate Rapid Technological Change

This paper presents a policy roadmap that outlines six key priorities for financial sector authorities, including leveling the playing field for diverse players, making payments systems fit for purpose, expanding open finance frameworks to open data, establishing an approach for inclusive AI, creating a framework for responsible use of tokenization, and building adaptive and innovation-ready ecosystems.

Advancing Competition for Financial Inclusion: Six Policy Considerations for Financial Sector Authorities

This Focus Note provides practical policy considerations for financial sector authorities to act on competition concerns using their existing mandates and regulatory toolkit. By applying a competition lens, authorities can promote competition in ways that advance financial inclusion while safeguarding stability, integrity, and consumer protection.

Solutions to Protect Consumers from Fraud in Digital Finance

This working paper presents a curated set of solutions for fraud (many of which are AI-powered), with more than 50 examples that have shown varying levels of success in protecting consumers from fraud in digital finance, across education, prevention, detection and disruption, and response and recovery.

Confronting the Climate and Health Nexus: Lessons from Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)

This case study is the third in CGAP's series on scaling inclusive insurance while preserving consumer value. Aimed at distribution networks — specifically grassroots networks — and insurers, it takes a deep dive into SEWA's innovative heat insurance product, developed with partners and grounded in direct insights into the needs and risks of its members.

Built to Adapt: Inclusive Financial Institutions in a Changing Climate

This Focus Note draws on CGAP’s multi-year engagement with dozens of institutions to examine how inclusive financial service providers can adapt their strategy, risk management, and product offerings to remain financially viable, whist also strengthening client resilience, in the face of increasingly frequent and severe climate shocks.

Widening the Lens: Mapping the Evolving Landscape of Financial Inclusion Funders

CGAP has identified 2,015 "new", largely commercial capital providers extending beyond the traditional pool of funders—creating opportunities to scale solutions while also raising risks as ODA declines. This brief maps the financial inclusion funding landscape and what it means for legacy supporters driving development impact.

Scaling Inclusive Insurance through Government Systems: Lessons from the World Food Programme

Drawing on WFP's work in Zambia, Ethiopia, Cuba, and Guatemala, this case study shows how inclusive insurance can build food-secure nations at scale. Key lessons: government integration cuts costs and drives uptake; forecast-based payouts protect smallholder livelihoods faster; and risk reduction is no longer optional — it is a prerequisite for insurability.

When Cash Can't Wait: Reimagining Payment Distribution in Sudan

Three years ago, conflict erupted in Sudan, and its toll continues to be devastating. The crisis has caused profound human suffering and dismantled the systems households once relied on to absorb shocks. In this episode, we explore an emerging solution: the Shared Distribution Network (SEND), designed by CGAP and the Cash Consortium of Sudan to cut delays and improve cost-effectiveness.

Open Finance Oversight and Supervision: Emerging Practices and Early Lessons

This working paper brings new insights on the supervision of open finance to inform policy and regulatory design in emerging markets and developing economies.

Loans to Lifelines: How Lending Innovations Enhances Climate Resilience

This episode explores two approaches that are flipping the script on how inclusive finance institutions respond to climate shocks. We dive into real-world examples from Malawi and Colombia, where these approaches are helping MFIs stay engaged during crises and unlock faster recovery for climate-affected communities.