4.2. What does it all mean? For Funders and Investors Capital is becoming more consequential. As concessional resources become scarcer and commercial pressures increase, funding decisions will increasingly shape the direction of financial inclusion itself. Choices about what is financed will also become choices about which business models, innovations and client groups are able to survive and scale. The challenge is becoming less about mobilising more capital than deploying it where markets alone are unlikely to do so. For Policymakers and Regulators Governance is becoming a strategic capability. Artificial intelligence, digital finance, climate adaptation and consumer protection are no longer separate policy domains. Respondents consistently point towards regulation that can enable innovation while maintaining trust, transparency and inclusion. The institutions that succeed may be those able to govern rapid change rather than simply respond to it. For Sector Support Organisations Connecting may become as important as convening. The survey suggests growing demand for organisations that can generate evidence, translate knowledge across disciplines, build partnerships and help institutions navigate increasing complexity. As financial inclusion becomes more interconnected, the value of organisations that work across thematic and institutional boundaries is likely to increase. 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