Access to Financial Services in Brazil

This document explores options for increased future access to financial services in Brazil.

• The first section highlights the core conclusions to emerge from the study, which would have implications for government policy;
• The second section provides a guide to the thematic scope and content of the study;
• The third section describes the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of each section.

The study points to a series of factors that affect volumes and costs of financial intermediation. It emphasizes that despite the absence of simple remedies, there are a number of areas in which actions can be taken, which together would help expand access and lower its costs.

Findings in the study suggest that while Brazil is not under-banked in terms of bank branch presence, disparities in financial access can be as significant between neighborhoods within a city as between regions of the country.