US Update: Why Understanding Vulnerability Matters Now More Than Ever for Responsible Finance

Cusco, Peru – August 08, 2015: People selling and buying fruits at a market in the steets.

Why Understanding Vulnerability Matters Now More Than Ever for Responsible Finance Ahead of the 2026 Responsible Finance Forum, this article calls for action to build a more resilient, responsible, and inclusive financial system by 2030.

As financial inclusion expands, access alone is not enough: consumers may still lack savings, borrow for essentials, face scams, and experience vulnerabilities shaped by personal circumstances and market conduct.

AUTHORSDavid Porteous, Jayshree Venkatesan, Gillous Harris 29 Oct 2026 Topics Consumer Protection Financial Health Financial Inclusion Strategy As the financial inclusion sector shifts toward making financial health a central goal of financial sector policy and as uncertainty continues to be the hallmark of our current landscape, understanding drivers of vulnerability for people who have access to formal financial services can serve as an important element to improve the design and delivery of products for better outcomes.

A core argument for financial inclusion has been its potential to reduce consumer vulnerability, and growing evidence supports this contention, showing that access to a safe place to save, affordable credit, and low-cost payments can help people anticipate, absorb, and recover from shocks.

For example, Fernández-López et al.

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