Malaysia's Overall Financial Inclusion Scores Improves In 2025 - Principal
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia continues to show consistent improvement across all pillars of financial inclusion, emerging as one of only two markets to advance in all three pillars, according to the 2025 Global Financial Inclusion Index by Principal Financial Group (Principal).
The index ranks 42 markets on three pillars of financial inclusion - government, financial system, and employer support, using data points across public and survey-based sources.
In a statement, Principal, a global financial company, said employer support in Malaysia rose 0.8 points year-on-year, while government support and financial system support edged up 0.7 points and 0.1 points, respectively.
It noted that employer support slowed globally this year due to economic and business pressures, but Malaysia bucked this trend, jumping seven spots to seventh in the global rankings.
"While other markets experienced declines across the employer support indicators, Malaysia rose in the rankings for two of the four.
"The sharpest progress was seen in the provision of financial guidance and support indicator, where Malaysia climbed eight spots to 23rd," it said.
In the government support pillar, Malaysia’s rank held at 25th, underpinned by improvements across education and access-related indicators, including availability of government-provided financial education, online connectivity, and retirement-related measures.
Taken together, these shifts point to a gradually strengthening foundation for long-term financial resilience, it said.
"These advances are noteworthy, given the global backdrop of tighter funding conditions, trade volatility, and shifting capital flows.
"Malaysia’s experience shows how steady structural investment, alongside targeted reforms, can soften the impact of external pressures and support more resilient, inclusive growth over the long term," added Principal Asset Management Bhd chief executive officer and head Munirah Khairuddin.
The Index calculation was conducted in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research.
-- BERNAMA