Over the past decade, Nepal has made remarkable strides in financial inclusion. While access has expanded, the focus is now shifting toward quality and choice.

Key milestones (2015 → 2025):

• Branches: 2,722 → 6,522, reducing population per branch from 10,160 → 4,472.
• Deposit accounts: 14.9M → 59.9M; loan accounts: 1.03M → 1.96M.
• Digital adoption: Mobile banking users 1.07M → 27.7M; Internet banking users 415K → 2.2M.
• ATMs and card usage: ATMs 1,721 → 5,263; debit cards 4.5M → 13.6M; credit cards 44K → 318K.

While these numbers highlight impressive growth, true financial inclusion is not just about access—it’s about enabling choice.

To empower users, Nepal needs:

• Financial aggregators that allow people to compare products and select what fits their needs.
• Business Development Services (BDS) offering guidance, literacy, and support to navigate financial options effectively.

Financial inclusion is evolving from reach → quality → choice. Nepal has built the infrastructure; now it’s time to give people control over their financial decisions, ensuring the system works for everyone, not just anyone.