On the Evolution over Time of Financial Inclusion: A New Multivariate Index for Mexican Municipalities

Abstract Access to financial services is unequal around the world. In many countries, less than half of the population has an account at a financial institution, and this lack of access to finance is often a critical reason behind income inequality and uneven growth. This is the case of Mexico, where financial exclusion affects large shares of the population, mainly in rural and poorer localities. This is an ongoing concern for policymakers, since it undermines socioeconomic opportunities for families and businesses alike, hampering economic growth and development. However, assessing the relevance of this issue requires a careful measurement of financial inclusion which, to date, has only been achieved to a limited extent. We contribute to the literature in this context by proposing a multivariate index of financial inclusion for Mexico, at the municipal level, for the period 2013–2021. This index covers several dimensions, including access, and usage. The results corroborate that a large proportion of the population is still unbanked, although it is unevenly distributed across the country.