Problems in Fintech Design

Limited Coverage for Informal and Gig Economy Workers

Informal workers lack tailored health, accident, disability, and income protection products.

limited-coverage-informal-gig-workers

Limited Financial Capability Support from Banks

Banks rarely provide practical tools and education tailored to vulnerable customers' real decisions.

limited-financial-capability-support

Limited Integration Between Bank Accounts and Cash-In/Cash-Out Networks

Users struggle to move money between accounts, wallets, agents, and cash at low cost.

limited-integration-cash-in-out

Limited Integration Between Banking and Safety Net Programs

Accounts are not seamlessly connected to G2P or social transfers for resilience.

limited-integration-banking-safety-nets

Limited Integration Between Savings, Credit, and Payments

Payment products do not easily help users build buffers, repay credit, or automate good behaviors.

limited-integration-savings-credit-payments

Limited Integration of Insurance with Social Safety Nets

Opportunities to combine insurance with cash transfers or social programs are underused.

limited-integration-insurance-safety-nets

Limited Integration of Savings and Credit

Subprime borrowers lack products that blend emergency savings with small-dollar credit to build resilience.

limited-integration-savings-credit

Limited Local Capacity for Actuarial and Product Design

Shortage of local technical expertise slows inclusive product innovation.

limited-local-actuarial-capacity

Limited Open Banking and Data Portability

Closed data limits competition, tailored offers, and portability for underserved users.

limited-open-banking-data-portability

Limited Products for Climate and Resilience Investing by Households

Retail investors lack clear, credible channels to fund climate adaptation and resilience solutions.

limited-climate-resilience-investing-households

Limited Protection for Tokenized and Digital Asset Securities

Retail access to tokenized assets often outpaces clear rights around ownership, custody, and recourse.

limited-protection-tokenized-securities

Limited Recourse for Overcharged or Abused Borrowers

Subprime borrowers lack practical mechanisms to challenge unfair charges or abusive lender behavior.

limited-recourse-overcharged-borrowers

Limited Support for Financial Hardship and Restructuring

Subprime borrowers lack structured options for rescheduling, forbearance, or negotiated exits from small-dollar debts.

limited-hardship-support

Limited Support for Irregular and Cash-Based Incomes

Traditional accounts are not designed for informal workers with volatile, cash-heavy income streams.

limited-support-irregular-cash-incomes

Limited Support for Recurring and Subscription Micro-Payments

Systems are not optimized for safe, low-fee recurring micro-payments for low-income users.

limited-support-recurring-micro-payments

Limited Tailored Products for Migrants and Cross-Border Workers

Migrant workers struggle with account opening, documentation, and cross-border account linkages.

limited-products-migrants-crossborder

Limited Transparency on How Customer Data Shapes Offers

Customers are not told how their data is used to set prices, limits, or eligibility.

limited-transparency-data-driven-offers

Limited Usability for Persons with Disabilities

Payment channels are not designed for users with visual, hearing, cognitive, or mobility impairments.

limited-usability-persons-with-disabilities

Limited Use of Alternative Data for Inclusive Underwriting

Insurers underuse alternative data that could responsibly extend cover to thin-file customers.

limited-use-alt-data-inclusive-underwriting

Limited Use of Open APIs and Standards

Closed APIs and proprietary standards limit interoperability and entry of inclusive payment providers.

limited-use-open-apis-standards

Limited Use of Positive Data

Systems emphasize defaults and negative events rather than timely repayments, penalizing subprime segments.

limited-use-positive-data

Loan Stacking Across Multiple Providers

Borrowers take concurrent loans from multiple providers without consolidated visibility, amplifying risk and default.

loan-stacking-multiple-providers

Low Awareness of Insurance Concepts

Consumers have limited understanding of risk pooling, exclusions, and claims rights.

low-awareness-insurance-concepts

Low Claims Ratios in Credit Life and Microinsurance

Very low pay-out ratios in some bundled or group products indicate poor value for policyholders.

low-claims-ratios-microinsurance