700 Million Women Worldwide Lack Financial Accounts

More than 700 million women globally still lack a financial account, despite significant gains in financial inclusion over the past decade.

What this statistic refers to

• The figure comes from the World Bank’s Global Findex 2025 data, which tracks access to formal financial accounts (bank, mobile money, regulated e‑wallets) worldwide.

• As of around 2024, about 73% of women in low‑ and middle‑income economies have an account, but roughly 700 million women remain unbanked or without an account in their own name.

Why so many women are still unbanked

• Common barriers cited by women include not having enough money to open or maintain an account, high fees, and distance to financial service points.

• Many also rely on a family member’s account instead of holding one themselves, which limits privacy, control, and ability to build an independent financial history.

Economic and social implications

• Lack of an account restricts women’s ability to save securely, receive wages or government transfers, access credit, and build businesses.

• This exclusion reduces women’s financial resilience and holds back broader economic growth, since women’s participation in the formal financial system is linked to higher investment and productivity.