Fintech that facilitates financial inclusion may be one of the more altruistic applications of fintech. In truth, many banks and fintechs are looking at financially excluded demographics as a potential windfall.

Historically, banks have had little reason to engage with rural, low-income populations. The ROI wasn't large enough to warrant opening branches in those areas. This lead to entrenched financial exclusion. This is when people lack access to basic financial services like a bank account or credit. According to the Global Findex Database, in 2017 there were nearly two billion unbanked individuals worldwide. This presented a massive financial opportunity for banks, estimated by Accenture to be around $380 billion.