Challenges and Progress: Financial Inclusion in Southeast Asia

Tobias Endress ()
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Tobias Endress: Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), School of Management

A chapter in Business and Management in Asia: Finance and Investments in the Digital Age, 2025, pp 191-204 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This chapter explores the challenges and progress toward financial inclusion across Southeast Asia, a region characterized by vast socioeconomic and infrastructural disparities. It highlights how the digital divide and socioeconomic barriers prevent many individuals and businesses, particularly in rural areas, from accessing essential financial services. While some ASEAN countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia, boast advanced financial inclusion due to robust digital infrastructure and literacy, others like Cambodia and Myanmar struggle with significant unbanked populations. The chapter also discusses the role of FinTech in overcoming these barriers, offering potential solutions through mobile banking, digital financial services, and regulatory reforms. However, it also acknowledges the challenges associated with FinTech, including digital literacy gaps and cybersecurity risks. By addressing these issues, the region can move closer to inclusive financial systems that promote sustainable economic growth and social equity.

Keywords: ASEAN; Digital Divide; FinTech Solutions; Digital Financial Services; Unbanked Population; Mobile Banking; Socioeconomic Barriers; Digital Infrastructure; Rural Financial Services; Trust in Financial Institutions; Financial Accessibility; Inclusive Financial Products (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-981-96-3452-1_12

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DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-3452-1_12

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