In an increasing number of countries around the world, National Financial Inclusion Strategies (NFIS) are being developed to increase access to, and usage of, quality financial services for underserved and unserved populations.

In advancing these strategies, the implementation of appropriate regulatory frameworks, including adoption of appropriate global standards for financial stability and integrity, is of great importance to ensure that financial inclusion is pursued in tandem with a safe and sound financial system. However, application of global standards in an overly conservative manner that is not proportionate to the risks can have unintended consequences, with an adverse impact on financial inclusion.