The Economist Intelligence Unit has published its 2016 Global Microscope, with support from the Multilateral Investment Fund (FOMIN)/the Inter-american Development Bank (IDB), the Center for Financial Inclusion at Acción and the MetLife Foundation.

The document analyses the regulatory ecosystem for financial inclusion and the implementation of the necessary public policies in 55 countries worldwide using 12 indicators that measure regulation, public policies, supervisory systems, governmental capacity, infrastructure and economic stability, among others.

This is the tenth issue of the report , which has become a global benchmark for financial inclusion policies in developing economies.

The most notable aspects of this edition of the Global Microscope, relating to Latin America and the Caribbean, are the following:

• For the tenth year in a row, Peru took first place in the general classification of an environment that is friendly to financial inclusion, sharing the top spot this year with Colombia.
• Two other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are in the overall Top Ten: Chile, in sixth place, and Mexico, in tenth place. As was the case in last year’s report, Latin America and the Caribbean and East and South Asia tie for the highest overall regional scores.
• There is greater emphasis on the provision and regulation of digital financial services as a tool for financial inclusion (for example, El Salvador’s law to promote financial inclusion has simplified the paperwork and brought down the costs of electronic money and savings accounts).
• The successful launch of financial inclusion strategies in Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras; and the signing of a new microfinance law in Guatemala.
• Significant improvements in the scores for microinsurance regulation in several countries in the region, including Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Nicaragua.
• Progress in Jamaica towards developing a new financial inclusion strategy that will probably be launched at the end of 2016.