Research Insights: How Can Digital Payments Drive Financial Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean?

Between 2021 and 2024, the share of consumers in Latin America and the Caribbean using digital wallets rose from 2% to 10% for receiving wages, and from 7% to 18% for making purchases. Consumers with higher socioeconomic status, higher education, younger age, non-indigenous background, and urban residence have adopted digital payments more rapidly. Similarly, larger firms, exporters, and those located in capital cities have transitioned faster than their counterparts. Consumers mainly fail to adopt digital payments due to technological, economic, informational, and behavioral barriers.