Mapping the regulatory landscape for financial inclusion of refugees and asylum-seekers

Reports

Mapping the regulatory landscape for financial inclusion of refugees and asylum-seekers

June 2026

A collection of global research on forcibly displaced people's ability to access bank accounts, SIM card registration, mobile money services, and digital wallets across 79 countries.

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Authored by UNHCR’s Financial Inclusion Unit, with legal and regulatory research support from DLA Piper International and its corporate partners, and contributions from UNHCR colleagues worldwide

Kenya. Health. Urban Refugees Benefit from National Health Insurance Fund Medical Cover Thanks to Support from the Government of Germany

Drawing on regulatory research conducted in partnership with DLA Piper International in 2025, the study offers financial service providers, policymakers, regulators, investors, donors, UN agencies, humanitarian and development actors, researchers, and other stakeholders a comparative analysis of regulatory frameworks across regions.

The publication package includes a global summary of findings, five regional analyses, and an interactive dashboard. The Financial Inclusion Regulatory Dashboard provides an interactive view of the findings presented in the regional mapping reports. Two accompanying blogs published by FinDev Gateway and the World Economic Forum (linked below) explore key findings and their implications.

Together, these resources provide stakeholders with insights to identify regulatory opportunities and barriers, advance the financial inclusion of refugees and asylum-seekers, and inform more effective and inclusive humanitarian and development responses.