Financial Access 2010

Financial Access 2010 is the second in a series of annual reports by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) and the World Bank Group to monitor statistics for financial access around the world and to inform the policy debate. The series was launched in response to the increasing interest in financial inclusion among policy makers and the development community. The first report, Financial Access 2009, introduced statistics on the use of financial services in 139 economies and mapped a broad range of policies and initiatives supporting financial inclusion. Building on last year’s data, Financial Access 2010 reviews survey responses from 142 economies, updates statistics on the use of financial services, and analyzes changes that took place in 2009—a turbulent year for the financial sector in most economies. In addition, Financial Access 2010 expands on last year’s work by reviewing three policy areas relevant to the current financial access debate: financial inclusion mandates, consumer protection in financial services, and access to finance by small and medium enterprises (SMEs).