Principal Financial Group’s Global Financial Inclusion Index scored 52.0 out of 100 in 2026, up from 49.4 in 2025 and 46.8 in 2022, its highest level since the research began, according to the announcement on 4 November 2026. Over the same period the share of people who feel financially included fell from 74.8% to 57.6%. The financial inclusion index has three pillars: government, financial system and employer support. The World Bank’s Global Findex 2025, published on 7 May 2026, found that 79% of adults worldwide now have an account, so access is rising even as Principal’s survey shows fewer people feeling included.

What Drove the Financial Inclusion Index Up

Financial system support was the biggest contributor, rising 4.4 points to 55.3, which Principal attributes to digital payments, fintech, access to credit and access to capital. Government support rose to 45.7 from 43.7. Employer support fell to 65.7 from 68.6.

The gap between the score and how people feel is the story. Systems are adding accounts, apps and payment rails faster than people feel the benefit, and the share who think their government acts in a financially inclusive way fell to 46.7% from 61.1% in 2022. For fintechs, that suggests access is no longer the main problem. Usefulness is. Mercado Pago, which reports reaching almost 80% of adults in Argentina, shows how far access can go, as Fintechbits covered in its Mercado Pago results piece.

Deanna Strable, Principal’s president, chair and chief executive, said financial systems “have modernized, governments have expanded support, and employers continue to play an important role”. The employer pillar is the one going backwards, falling 2.9 points in a year, which matters because employer benefits such as retirement plans and payroll savings are where many people build long-term security. Government support rose two points to 45.7, but fewer people than in 2022 think their government acts in a financially inclusive way. A higher financial inclusion index score with weaker employer support suggests the gains are coming from apps and payments rather than from long-term saving.