In 2020, the cash preferring segment in Latin America significantly decreased, as more people adopted fintech platforms. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, around 45 percent of the population did not use any financial product, while five months after quarantine, this share dropped to 34 percent. People willing to try jumped from 10 percent to a quarter of the population during the same period.
Distribution of the adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America in 2020, by financial inclusion stage
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Distribution of the adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America in 2020, by financial inclusion stage
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the study focuses on Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia. It consisted of an intensive review of data made available by governments and financial institutions, as well as in-depth interviews with 18 financial service providers, including the most relevant traditional banks and neobanks/fintechs
Supplementary notes
The source establishes an approach to financial inclusion, which categorizes consumers according to six pre-defined stages within the financial inclusion cycle:
1. Cash-only consumers: people who do not use financial services.
2. Cash preferrer: people with access to at least one financial product but who uses it rarely.
3. Willing to try: People with a financial account who make small deposits.
4. Cash displacer: People with a financial account who use their basic features, such as transfers, purchases, and bill payments.
5. True believer: People with a financial account who use more advanced features like personal loans, insurances, investments, etc.
6. Master: people with frequent use of advanced banking products.
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MasterCard. (October 12, 2020). Distribution of the adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America in 2020, by financial inclusion stage [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved April 06, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1229110/latin-america-financial-inclusion-stage/
MasterCard. "Distribution of the adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America in 2020, by financial inclusion stage ." Chart. October 12, 2020. Statista. Accessed April 06, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1229110/latin-america-financial-inclusion-stage/
MasterCard. (2020). Distribution of the adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America in 2020, by financial inclusion stage . Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: April 06, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1229110/latin-america-financial-inclusion-stage/
MasterCard. "Distribution of The Adult Population before and during The Covid-19 Pandemic in Latin America in 2020, by Financial Inclusion Stage ." Statista, Statista Inc., 12 Oct 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1229110/latin-america-financial-inclusion-stage/
MasterCard, Distribution of the adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America in 2020, by financial inclusion stage Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1229110/latin-america-financial-inclusion-stage/ (last visited April 06, 2025)
Distribution of the adult population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America in 2020, by financial inclusion stage [Graph], MasterCard, October 12, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1229110/latin-america-financial-inclusion-stage/
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