Financial Distribution Insights for Gender Groups

Indian women have done everything the financial system asked. Opened accounts. Saved diligently. Built credit histories. But. We receive credit equivalent to just 25%+ of the deposits we put into the banking system. Men receive 50%+ of that, double what we get. We are, in effect, subsidising credit for men. The credit system was built to read a specific kind of financial life - formal salary, titled property, guarantors from the right networks. Women’s income is often informal, seasonal and home-based. Our assets are rarely in our names. So, the traditional system writes us off rather than underwrite us. Consider this - Women constitute 20% of India’s MSMEs and hold just 7% of MSME credit. However, we have better data today than we had decades ago. Digital payments history, Aadhaar-linked identities, GST trails and much more. If you are building a lending product, whether you’re a bank or a fintech, the question is whether you’re reading the additional signals, in fact the signals that can make or break women’s credit. 45 crore of us are credit-eligible and waiting. Is the ecosystem ready for us? Source: NITI Aayog-TransUnion CIBIL-MicroSave Consulting 2025, Microsave 2020 #CreditAccess #WomenEntrepeneurs #FinancialInclusion #IndiaFintech

Using German administrative data, this study finds that women are less likely than men to receive parental wealth transfers, receive smaller amounts, and tend to inherit different kinds of assets. Because tax exemptions favor certain assets -especially business assets that men receive more often - men end up paying lower effective tax rates. This creates a gender tax gap (about 2% for inheritances and 22% for gifts), meaning tax policy itself helps reproduce wealth differences between men and women. Link to the paper in "Socio-Economic Review" (open-access): https://lnkd.in/dHsX7xYh

Men are four times more likely to participate in a workplace share scheme than a woman. Getting company equity has the potential to be life changing. So why are women missing out? 💸 Confidence & financial literacy: Women are often underserved by financial education and less actively targeted by investment communications. 💸 Career progression: Men are still more likely to occupy senior roles where awareness of, and access to, these schemes is higher. 💸 Pay disparities: With men on average earning more, they often have more disposable income to invest. As a result, women miss out on wealth-building opportunities, further widening the gender wealth gap. If organisations truly want to make share schemes inclusive, they need to: 👉Proactively communicate benefits in clear, accessible ways. 👉Track participation by gender and act on the insights. 👉Review eligibility criteria and minimum contributions. Workplace share schemes have the potential to be powerful tools for financial empowerment, but only if they’re designed and promoted inclusively. It's why Octopus Money has launched share scheme education sessions to address these inequalities.

Take a step back and take in this reality: Women are on track to control nearly 40% of global investable wealth by 2030. 💖 A reason for optimism- but also a signal that something in our capital systems must urgently change. I’m excited to share insights from the new World Economic Forum white paper I contributed to (Just Released): Transforming Capital for the Next Era: Gender Parity and the Expansion of the Investable Frontier. Top 3 Findings: 1. USD 83 trillion in wealth will transfer across generations, with women at the center of this historic shift. 2. Women will soon control ~40% of global investable wealth, yet remain significantly under-represented in senior finance roles - One third of senior leadership roles in finance, and less than one in five in PE/VC. 3. Women-founded ventures still receive less than 2% of Venture capital funding, with even lower participation in emerging fields like AI and frontier tech. Why This Matters - This isn’t a “gap” narrative - it’s a growth thesis. Rising women’s wealth represents an emerging market segment that, if engaged strategically, can expand the investable frontier and unlock new economic engines for everyone. 2. Equal participation in capital allocation will be essential for innovation, resilience, and market diversification. 3. Aligning financial systems with this demographic reality is no longer going to be optional; it’s a strategic imperative for the next era of global growth. Read the full white paper: https://lnkd.in/eskQtKku With deep gratitude to my collaborators and contributors across the World Economic Forum, LinkedIn, and the Global Future Council on Investing in Gender Parity - including Silja Baller, Rabab Fayad, Yanjun G., Kim Piaget, Saadia Zahidi, @Matthew Baird, @Silvia Lara, Sarah Steinberg, Katherine Garrett-Cox, @Fareeha Adil, @Mona Al Marri, Salma AlRashid, Mouza Al Suwaidi, Marisela Alvarenga, Fatoumata BA, Zubaida Bai, Gary Barker, Neelam Chhiber, Josie Cox, Linnéa Kornehed Falck, Mary Ellen Iskenderian, Anis Kallel, Dr Grace Lordan, Francoise Moudouthe, @Fifi Peters, Katherine Ng, Lucy Thomas, Adrienne Trimble, and Sonia Weymuller for shaping this important work.

Women earn ₹73 for every ₹100 earned by men. Yet they already contribute 18% of India's GDP. A significant portion of their income still struggles to become long-term wealth. Over the last decade, India has witnessed one of the largest expansions of financial access in its history. In 2011, only 26% of women had a bank account. By 2024, that figure had crossed 89%. The combination of Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar and digital payments brought hundreds of millions of women into the formal financial system. Access, however, is only the starting point. Ownership is what creates financial security. Women now account for: • Nearly 25% of mutual fund investors • Around 28% of SIP accounts • Approximately 69% of digital banking users. More women are participating in formal finance than ever before. Yet participation and prosperity are not the same thing. According to National Sample Survey data: • Female-headed households spend 53.8% of their expenditure on food and essentials. • Male-headed households spend 47.6%. A larger share of income goes toward immediate consumption, leaving less available for investments, retirement planning and wealth-building assets. This gap is visible in the data. The Lxme-EY Women's Financial Prosperity Index stands at 28.1%. Despite major gains in financial access, a large gap remains between entering the financial system and building lasting financial assets. The economic implications are significant. According to the Lxme-EY report, narrowing the financial prosperity gap for women could add as much as ₹40 lakh crore to India's economy over the next decade. The first phase of India's financial inclusion story was about opening bank accounts. The next phase is about converting savings into assets. As more women participate in mutual funds, pensions, insurance products and equity markets, the impact will extend beyond individual households. It will influence the composition of India's savings, deepen domestic capital pools and strengthen long-term capital formation. The real opportunity is no longer financial access. It is financial ownership.

Attention -- life insurance producers -- follow the money!! 💵💵💵 Female financial advice seekers are 45% more likely than men to have an inheritance as part of their overall asset wealth, according to research by Unbiased. Insights are based on anonymised data from 1,276 consumers who used the platform to seek financial advice between 6 May and 27 May 2025.   The survey found that 19% of female advice seekers report an inheritance as part of their asset wealth, compared to 12% of men. It also revealed that 57% of male advice seekers plan to leave assets to their female partner, compared to 28% of female advice seekers doing the same for a male partner, suggesting the number of female inheritors could rise more. This insight comes as women are expected to own 60% of US wealth by the end of this year (Center for Economics and Business Research). Unbiased’s research also reaffirms that among those seeking financial advice, women are less likely to hold long-term, income-generating assets, such as pension pots, traditional investments and buy-to-let property. Pension savings: 63% of female advice seekers vs 70% of males Traditional investments (e.g. stocks, funds, bonds): 15% of female advice seekers vs 19% of males Rental income from buy-to-let property: 9% of female advice seekers vs 12% of males Karen Barrett, founder and chief executive of Unbiased, is encouraging women to take greater control of their finances – and to have a clear plan for building long-term wealth.  “Receiving an inheritance can be the perfect catalyst to review your finances with the help of a trusted adviser. “Women deserve support to take a more active role - not just in inheriting wealth, but in managing their own estate planning, minimising tax, and ensuring they have the finances in place for a comfortable retirement. “With more wealth than ever being transferred to women - alongside growing earning power and rising divorce rates driving greater independence - the time for women to act is now,” says Barrett. “Confidence in financial planning is key - and access to qualified advice has a crucial role to play in helping women take control of their long-term financial goals. “At the same time, advisers have a responsibility to recognise the unique financial journeys many women face, and to tailor their guidance accordingly - supporting them not only as inheritors, but as architects of future wealth.” Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ebFkQgSY #lifeinsurance

Reflecting on PHOENIXUS’ latest Building Our Financial Futures session, led by the insightful Schutz Lee, it’s clear that the lessons on portfolio diversification, asset allocation & rebalancing are essential tools for women, especially as we prepare for the realities of longer life expectancies, wealth transfers & changing market conditions. Schutz’s guidance helped us navigate these complex concepts, highlighting that portfolio diversification—spreading investments across various asset classes—is the foundation of a resilient financial strategy. By doing so, we mitigate risk & ensure that our portfolios are not overly reliant on any one market or sector. This approach becomes even more crucial for women, who often outlive men & find themselves managing wealth not only for themselves but for our families. In exploring asset allocation, which is all about determining the right mix of investments to align with our individual financial goals & risk tolerance, whether it’s equities, bonds, or alternative investments, understanding where & how to allocate assets ensures that our portfolios grow sustainably over time, allowing us to adjust as life stages change or new opportunities emerge. Finally, the importance of rebalancing is emphasised - the process of realigning the weightings of our portfolio. As market conditions shift & with events like the impending interest rate adjustments, regularly rebalancing ensures that we maintain the desired risk profile & continue to meet our financial objectives. This session also touched on broader financial trends affecting women in particular. With intergenerational wealth transfer becoming more prevalent, especially as older generations pass on their wealth, women must be prepared to manage this transition. The idea of horizontal wealth transfer, where assets move between spouses, reinforces the need for women to be financially literate & proactive in managing our family’s wealth as they often inherit financial responsibilities. Understanding how to diversify, allocate & rebalance portfolios isn’t just a strategy for today—it’s a long-term commitment to financial security and independence. By taking these steps, women are not only securing our own futures but also positioning ourselves as stewards of wealth for future generations. The time to act is now. Don’t wait for the market or life events to dictate your financial journey. Take control, implement these strategies, and move confidently toward the future you deserve. #FinancialEmpowerment #WomenInLeadership #PortfolioManagement #Diversification #WealthTransfer #Phoenixus #FinancialIndependence #InvestmentOpportunities #TakeAction

The way capital is deployed shapes our economy and society. Women’s economic empowerment can significantly boost growth. Deployment of financial resources is key to ensuring women’s economic empowerment. Financial resources determine which priorities are addressed, what solutions reach scale, and when ideas go unexplored. Still, these resources are not evenly distributed. 👉 Less than 1.3% of the $69.1 trillion in global financial assets under management are managed by women and people of colour. 👉 Barely 2% of venture capital goes to women-led startups globally, If women and men had equal levels of entrepreneurship, global GDP could rise by 3% to 6%, boosting the world economy by $2.5–$5 trillion. As a G7 advisor and member of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, I participated in presenting our report on women’s economic empowerment at an international seminar in Tokyo. One vital recommendation is to encourage gender-smart investment in the private sector and provide women entrepreneurs with equal access to private funding. 👉 We recommend creating a fund of funds and back multistakeholder initiatives to provide catalytic anchor investment in women-led funds.  👉 We also recommend gender-smart investing strategies to build the market and mobilise private capital. In the report we give example the spearheading work done by 2X Global, a global industry body for gender finance. The 2X Investment Criteria set global standards for gender-smart finance that have been adopted by a wide spectrum of capital providers. Thank you to Hedwige Nuyens and Anda Sapardan for excellent cooperation in writing the section on economic empowerment, and to Jessica Espinoza and Jen Braswell from 2X Global for very valuable contributions as well as European Women in VC. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eq_gfGrN The full GEAC report is available at:  https://lnkd.in/eCUhCwrN

Thankyou ACCA Africa for the invitation to share some thoughts on Accelerating Action Towards Wealth and Financial Independence Financial independence isn’t just about money—it’s about power, autonomy, and choice. Yet, women remain financially excluded, underfunded, and underpaid despite making up half of Africa’s population. The research is clear—when women control wealth, economies thrive. Women reinvest 90% of their income into families and communities, compared to 30–40% for men. So why is progress still so slow? ⸻ 1. Women Must Shift from Money Managers to Wealth Creators From childhood, women are taught to save and budget—while men are encouraged to invest and grow wealth. This financial divide limits power and opportunity. ✔ Wealth isn’t about earning—it’s about growing. ✔ Women must stop being passive participants in the economy. ✔ Financial literacy must focus on investing, scaling, and ownership. Women like Divine Ndhlukula, Elizabeth Magaya, and Folorunso Alakija didn’t wait for permission. ⸻ 2. Women Are Building Businesses—So Why Are Banks Locking Them Out? Women own nearly 50% of African businesses but receive less than 10% of available credit due to outdated lending models. ✔ Collateral requirements exclude women. ✔ Despite better repayment rates, women-led businesses are labeled “high risk.” ✔ Limited financial history locks women out of traditional loans. If banks won’t fund women, women will fund themselves. ✔ Savings groups, microfinance, and fintech are filling the gap. ✔ Women-led venture capital funds are breaking old funding models. But this isn’t enough. Banks and policymakers must change their approach. ⸻ 3. Earning Isn’t Enough—Women Must Build Wealth Financial stability = covering expenses Financial freedom = assets that generate income without active work Women need to: ✔ Invest in financial markets ✔ Own real estate ✔ Create multiple income streams Stop playing defense with money—start playing offense. ⸻ 4. Financial Education is Non-Negotiable Too many women leave financial decisions to others. That must change. ✔ Negotiate salaries and deals ✔ Invest wisely and diversify ✔ Protect and grow assets Not knowing about money is as dangerous as not having any. ⸻ 5. Women’s Networks Are Game-Changers Women must support, mentor, and uplift each other. ✔ Mentorship accelerates success. ✔ Investment networks unlock capital. ✔ Financial literacy communities empower decision-making. A woman alone may struggle to break barriers. A network of women can break financial systems. ⸻ 6. Fear is the Biggest Barrier—Act Anyway ✔ There will never be a “perfect” time to start investing or negotiating. ✔ Mistakes will happen—learn, don’t quit. ✔ Taking financial risks isn’t reckless—it’s necessary for growth. The only difference between successful women and everyone else? They acted despite fear Women’s financial empowerment isn’t about breaking ceilings—it’s about redesigning financial systems.

Women investors in Mutual Funds in Pakistan – A Revealing Snapshot Mutual Funds Association of Pakistan recently compiled gender-based investor data across the mutual fund industry and uncovered some revealing insights: 👩 While Women make up 49.2% of Pakistan’s population (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2023). 📉 They make up only 17% of all individual mutual fund investors 💰 And hold just 12% of the industry’s total AUMs 📊 Individual investors hold 43% of total AUMs and only 27% of that amount is held by women. These numbers clearly highlight the urgent need to enhance women's access to investment products, financial literacy, and digital onboarding solutions. 💡 Let’s Change That: Empowering Women Investors To bridge this gap, and create a more inclusive, empowered financial future for Pakistan’s women, we must: ✅ Launch targeted financial literacy initiatives focused on women ✅ Design women-friendly onboarding journeys — simplified, digital, and inclusive ✅ Offer incentivized investment schemes/ products tailored specifically for women ✅ Promote female representation in advisory and leadership roles ✅ Run trust-building campaigns that align with women’s goals and needs— security, independence, family well-being It’s time to move from awareness to action. Let’s work together to empower more women to take control of their financial futures. Because inclusion isn’t just good policy — it’s smart economics. #WomenInFinance #FinancialInclusion #GenderParity #MutualFunds #EmpowerHer #MUFAP #PakistanInvests #SmartSaving #InvestSmart