Financial Inclusion in the U.S.
Payments professionals are often surprised to learn that 7.1 million American households don’t have a bank account. And 18.6 million “underbanked” households have an account but often turn elsewhere for financial services. Worse still, many believe that COVID-19 will further increase the number of Americans seeking out alternative (and often expensive) financial products. Despite being on the periphery of the banking system, the unbanked still pay bills, make purchases online, and send money to friends and family. Meeting the needs of these consumers requires creative solutions, for sure, but unlocks opportunities for payments professionals across use cases and domains.