High-income-country respondents give greater weight to AI, changing capital flows and geopolitical risk. They are typically closer to global policy, capital and technology debates that focus on architecture and macro and systemic risk. Respondents based in low-income countries place more emphasis on climate adaptation, household resilience, funding volatility, last-mile delivery and meaningful outcomes. They are more likely to be client- or provider-facing: they encounter the immediate consequences: fragile livelihoods, weak infrastructure, high delivery costs and institutions with limited capacity to absorb another shock. High-income respondents are also more likely to conclude that no actor will replace the retreating public and donor finance. Low-income country respondents are more likely to be optimistic about local or regional actors filling the gap. 2.3. Where you sit shapes what you see What does this all mean? High-income country respondents more often read the sector from the level of global narrative , funding architecture, and technological disruption. Low-income respondents appear to be reading it from the level of lived exposure : climate shocks, household fragility, gendered exclusion, youth, and product relevance. Menu Menu Close Close 1. Introduction, context & respondents 1.1. Welcome to the Financial Inclusion Compass 2026 1.1. Welcome to the Financial Inclusion Compass 2026 2. Results 2.1. A sector adapting on several fronts at once: what respondents told us 2.1. A sector adapting on several fronts at once: what respondents told us Five themes Introducing five broad themes from the responses Introducing five broad themes from the responses Analysis & implication 4.1. Difficult choices ahead 4.1. Difficult choices ahead 1.2. A listening exercise, not a census 1.2. A listening exercise, not a census 1.3. A diverse field of voices 1.3. A diverse field of voices 2.2. Shared concerns, different exposure 2.2. Shared concerns, different exposure 2.3. Where you sit shapes what you see 2.3. Where you sit shapes what you see From access to resilience From Access to Resilience Adapting to the new normal Adapting to the new normal Promise without guardrails Promise without guardrails Who pays for inclusion? Who pays for inclusion? Navigating a fragmented and complex landscape Navigating a fragmented and complex landscape 4.2. What does it all mean? 4.2. What does it all mean? 4.3. Five questions that will shape the next phase of financial inclusion 4.3. Five questions that will shape the next phase of financial inclusion 4.4. About the Compass 4.4. About the Compass