Summary

“This report is the second edition of the study “Fintech: Innovations You May Not Know were from Latin America and the Caribbean” (IDB, 2017), which offered a comprehensive view of the activity in and development of the Fintech industry in the region. The report describes the evolution and the progress achieved with respect to the measurement and analysis carried out in 2017, and examines new dimensions relevant to the ecosystem. The first chapter provides a snapshot of the sector in the region, highlighting the evolution of the different business segments and the geographical distribution of the start-ups, as well as the state of development and maturity of the ecosystem. It includes new dimensions, such as the situation in Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic, as well as an approach to issues such as cybersecurity and start-up failures. The second chapter tackles gender issues and Fintech in three dimensions: women as founders of Fintech companies, women as workers in the Fintech industry, and women as users of Fintech services. The third chapter addresses collaboration between the different actors, how they are organized, and their main programs and initiatives, with special emphasis on Fintech associations in different countries in the region. The fourth chapter discusses the Fintech sector’s potential for improving financial inclusion and funding for the productive sector in Latin America. The fifth chapter examines the evolution of regulation and oversight and presents examples and developments in this area. The sixth chapter offers some conclusions about the continuous growth and progressive consolidation in the region’s ecosystem.”