Evaluating Digital Retail Investment As A Tool To Improve Financial Well-Being In The Philippines

Abstract

In the age of financialization, retail investment is a crucial strategy for protection of individual assets to ensure financial security. This paper evaluates the potential of mass retail investment as a tool to drive financial inclusion in the context of the Philippines. By reviewing the landscape of financial markets in the Philippines and consumer behavior, we suggest that retail investment services may be important for the emerging middle class in the country to improve financial well-being and enhance longer-term financial security. This is an area that shows promising growth, especially with the rise of digital financial platforms in Asia. It is imperative that the proliferation of these services is accompanied with effective education and financial literacy. We analyze key barriers to investment and propose concomitant interventions to promote greater access to and awareness of retail investment services. Policy strategies are proposed to increase consumers’ confidence in retail investing.

Keywords: Income security, financial technology, retail investment, financial security, financial well-being