Sustainable Financial Inclusion: From Access to Permanence

Financial inclusion is a process built on three inseparable elements: access, usage, and healthy finances. It is not enough for people to enter the financial system. It is essential that they can remain in it, use financial products in an informed way, and, over time, gain access to better options that strengthen their economic well-being.

For this reason, the real challenge for SOFIPOs is not to add more accounts but to build long-term financial relationships: to accompany users, promote financial education, and make responsible decisions that generate trust and allow people to use the financial system as a tool for growth rather than a source of risk.

In Mexico, financial inclusion is a priority for economic development. According to the National Survey on Financial Inclusion, nearly half of the adult population now has access to at least one formal financial product, an important improvement compared to previous years. However, this figure also reveals the scale of the challenge: access alone does not guarantee a lasting impact.

From my experience in the sector, I have seen that much of the conversation remains focused on an incomplete question: how many accounts are opened, how many users are activated, and how many products are placed. However, financial inclusion doesn't conclude with the act of opening an account or purchasing the first product. That moment merely marks the beginning of a relationship that may or may not be strengthened over time. For financial inclusion to be sustainable, we must stop measuring success solely in terms of access and begin evaluating it in terms of permanence.

For financial inclusion to be truly sustainable, success should no longer be measured solely by access but by the ability to ensure long-term engagement.

During the early stage of the growth of digital finance, user onboarding became the main indicator of progress. Traditional financial systems had excluded large segments of the population, and the first challenge was to open the door. However, as the sector matures, this approach is no longer sufficient.

This shift in perspective is especially relevant in the Mexican context. Many people who access a financial product for the first time do so with variable income, within informal employment arrangements, or with a limited financial history. A poor initial experience not only affects the relationship with a single institution; it can reinforce distrust toward the financial system as a whole. Permanence, by contrast, creates stability, learning, and accumulated trust.

Thinking in terms of permanence requires acknowledging a fundamental reality: people’s financial lives are not linear. Over time, users move through different economic stages. A first line of credit does not carry the same implications as the consolidation of a financial history; needs change, risks evolve, and priorities shift. From this perspective, offering a single product or an isolated solution is not sufficient.

Supporting these different stages requires a long-term vision and clear responsibility from financial institutions. Financial education, for example, cannot be treated as an optional add-on; it is one of the factors that most strongly influences permanence. When people understand how the products they use work, what their implications are, and how to make informed decisions, usage becomes more consistent, and their relationship with the financial system is strengthened.

Permanence is also directly linked to responsibility in decision-making. Extending credit should not be reduced to maximizing approvals in the short term. It requires rigorous risk assessment, setting appropriate limits, and, in some cases, knowing when to say no. Responsible decisions build stronger relationships than those driven solely by rapid growth metrics.

From a more comprehensive standpoint, the consequences of remaining within the formal financial system are not limited to any specific institution.  People who are able to stay active build credit histories, improve their ability to plan financially, and gradually gain access to better conditions. This strengthens the overall quality of the financial system, improves the allocation of resources, and contributes to a more stable and resilient economy.

As strategic financial partners, our commitment is to grow at the same pace as our users. As their financial lives evolve, so too must the solutions we offer: products that support their progress, address new needs, and build long-term relationships grounded in what matters most—trust. Trust, once broken, is difficult to rebuild.

Mexico’s digital finance ecosystem has reached a level of maturity that demands greater responsibility. Access was the first major challenge, and significant progress has been made; today, the question is different: how do we accompany people throughout their entire financial lives, and how do we design solutions that remain relevant, useful, and sustainable over time?

Permanence, in my opinion, offers Mexico's financial industry a fantastic chance to build a truly inclusive, stable, and long-term-focused financial system in addition to increasing access.