Authors: Anna Gincherman, Benedikt Wahler, Shilpi Shastri
Partners: Financial Alliance for Women
Year: 2023
This study explores how fintechs can strengthen their engagement with women as customers and unlock one of the most underserved and high-potential segments in financial services. As women take on increasingly central roles as earners, business owners, and financial decision-makers, fintechs are well positioned to meet their needs with more flexible, digital-first solutions. This study outlines why women represent a significant commercial opportunity and what fintechs must understand to serve them effectively.
The publication examines the behaviors, preferences, and constraints that shape how women interact with digital financial services. It highlights patterns in product usage, trust, onboarding experiences, digital literacy, and the types of support women rely on when adopting new financial tools. It also looks at structural barriers that limit women’s access to fintech solutions, including identification challenges, limited collateral, inconsistent income flows, and gaps in customer protection.
Using case examples and comparative analysis, the report presents practical insights on what successful fintech engagement with women looks like in practice. It outlines how fintechs can refine product design, build more inclusive user experiences, improve customer support, and integrate non-financial elements that help women navigate digital finance more confidently. The study also emphasizes the importance of gender-intentional data, pointing out how better customer insights can help fintechs tailor offerings and differentiate themselves in competitive markets.
The findings reinforce that fintechs can grow sustainably by investing in customer understanding, trust-building, and inclusive design. The report highlights strategies that can support deeper market penetration, from more responsive onboarding processes to partnerships with organizations that already engage women entrepreneurs and consumers.
Developed for the Financial Alliance for Women, the publication contributes practical guidance for fintechs seeking to expand their reach within the female economy. ConsumerCentriX supported the research and analysis that informed this study, helping articulate how digital financial solutions can meet women’s needs more effectively.
