Financial Inclusion and Fintech during COVID-19 Crisis: Policy Solutions

Abstract

This article offers a number of policy solutions to improve financial inclusion during the COVID-19 crisis. COVID-19 is a global health crisis to which some of the usual global solutions like greater financial inclusion can help. Financial inclusion remains a powerful development tool to improve access to finance and to support vulnerable individuals and households during the coronavirus or COVID-19 crisis. The documented policy solutions for financial inclusion can help mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 crisis through the combined use of Fintech and short-term policies.

Keywords: digital finance, Fintech, financial inclusion, access to finance, regulation, financial services, COVID-19, Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, lockdown, social distancing, pandemic, recession, financial crisis, policy

JEL Classification: G21, G28, I11, I18