How crypto assets can strengthen financial inclusion

How crypto assets can strengthen financial inclusion

Crypto

Obtaining a transaction account is the first step towards financial inclusion, as it allows individuals to store money and conduct transactions. This account serves as a gateway to other financial services, which is why it’s essential to ensure that everyone worldwide has access to one. Without it, people’s ability to access critical services is severely limited.

What is financial inclusion?

Financial inclusion is about ensuring that both individuals and businesses can access useful and affordable financial products and services that cater to their needs. Such products and services may include transactions, payments, savings, credit and insurance, among others, and they must be delivered sustainably.

According to the WorldBank, financial inclusion is a critical enabler for achieving 7 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. However, as of 2022, 1.4 billion adults worldwide remain “unbanked”(have no bank account), with a disproportionate number of women and those with low education and income living in rural areas and developing nations.

How can digital assets support new forms of financial inclusion?

Digital assets, like cryptocurrencies, have emerged as a potential solution to the financial inclusion problem. Since cryptocurrencies can be stored digitally and don’t rely on physical banking infrastructure, they have the potential to enable direct access to a new form of finance for everyone – especially the “unbanked”. Here’s why.

  • Permissionless: There are no restrictions to join public blockchains and participation is not controlled by a centralised administrator. All that is required is access to the internet (and there are even solutions being built that work without internet – for instance Manchakura in Africa).
  • Non-physical: Cryptocurrencies can be stored and transferred digitally and do not require physical banking infrastructure. This is key for people who live in remote areas or are otherwise barred from opening a bank account (i.e., due to their gender, ethnicity, religion or political views).
  • Low-cost: Digital assets bring down cost since they remove the need of the “middlemen”, which is especially key for individuals with limited financial resources.

Digital assets support financial inclusion in many ways:

  • Broadening the scope of available services: Besides payments as the obvious use case, digital assets enable access to alternative financial services, such as loans (incl. peer-to-peer lending), savings or insurance.
  • Educating users: By using digital assets, individuals learn about personal finance and investing. Enabling people to use digital assets makes them more financially independent and empowered.
  • More transparency and less corruption: Moreover, through their decentralized and transparent nature, digital assets can help improve financial transparency and reduce corruption.
  • Protecting against debasement/hyperinflation: Hyperinflation and monetary debasement are more prevalent in developing nations and affect poor people the most. Digital assets provide individuals with an alternative to store part of their wealth in completely independent cryptocurrencies (e.g., BTC) or other FIAT currencies (e.g., stablecoins).

The rapid progress of digital assets towards promoting financial inclusion is not just a distant dream but a tangible reality – and it is happening at a fast pace. We might just be too financially privileged to see it. Consider the following examples:

  • The Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index shows that emerging markets are dominating crypto adoption
  • Jan 2023: Strike expands BTC Lightning network-powered remittances to the Philippines, one of the world’s largest remittance markets ($35 billion), making international payments faster and cheaper than the traditional financial systn Nigeria dem
  • Nov 2022: Digital assets adoption is soaring in hyperinflation-plagued Lebanon
  • June 2022: Digital assets usage soars iespite bank ban
  • May 2022: Digital assets adoption spreads in Argentina even as central bank tightens rules

Disclaimer: This information was prepared by Sygnum Bank AG. This information may contain forward looking statements and may be subject to change. The opinions expressed herein are those of Sygnum Bank AG, its affilitates, and partners at the time of writing. This is for informational purposes only and contains general material. It does not constitute any advice or recommendation, an offer or invitation by or on behalf of Sygnum Bank AG to purchase or sell assets or securities. It is not intended to be used as a general guide to investing, and it should be used for informational purposes only. When making an investment decision, you should either conduct your own research and analysis or seek advice from an expert to make a calculated decision. The information and analysis contained here have been compiled from sources believed to be reliable. However, Sygnum Bank AG makes no representation as to its reliability or completeness and disclaims all liability for losses arising from the use of this information.

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