The Future of Global Fintech: Towards Resilient and Inclusive Growth

The report finds that the global fintech industry remains resilient with customer growth rates averaging above 50%, primarily driven by strong consumer demand. However, growth is hindered by macroeconomic factors and a challenging funding environment. While 63% of fintechs view their regulatory environment as adequate, challenges persist in licensing and inter-authority coordination. The sector is actively expanding services to underserved populations, including low-income and rural customers, and is increasingly aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals. Looking forward, artificial intelligence is identified as the most critical driver for industry development over the next five years.

• The global fintech industry has maintained strong resilience post-COVID-19, with average customer growth rates exceeding 50% across different regions and industry verticals between 2020 and 2022.
• Consumer demand is the primary driver of growth for 51% of surveyed fintechs, while macroeconomic factors (56%) and the funding environment (40%) are the most significant hindrances.
• While 63% of fintechs rate their regulatory environment as adequate, specific pain points include the licensing and registration process and a lack of coordination among financial authorities.
• Fintechs are significantly serving underserved populations; globally, female, low-income, and rural/remote customers make up 39%, 40%, and 27% of customer bases, respectively.
• There is a positive correlation between gender diversity in leadership and customer reach, where fintechs with over 33% female executives see a 12% increase in their female customer base and a 30% increase in products targeting women.
• Artificial intelligence is viewed as the most critical topic for the development of the fintech industry over the next five years, cited by 70% of respondents.
• Regional disparities exist in growth challenges: Sub-Saharan Africa fintechs identify consumer education (71%) and lack of trust in the financial system (48%) as top hurdles, while those in Europe and North America cite highly competitive markets.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). The Future of Global Fintech: Towards Resilient and Inclusive Growth. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_of_Global_Fintech_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. The Future of Global Fintech: Towards Resilient and Inclusive Growth. 2024. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_of_Global_Fintech_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=The Future of Global Fintech: Towards Resilient and Inclusive Growth |date=January 2024 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_of_Global_Fintech_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024future, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{The Future of Global Fintech: Towards Resilient and Inclusive Growth}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_of_Global_Fintech_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }