Open Banking in the UK and Singapore: Open possibilities for enhancing financial inclusion

This article explores the complex relationship between open banking - the technological advancement of financial services through greater sharing of customer data - and financial inclusion. Both these concepts have received considerable regulatory attention, and open banking has been credited for improving financial inclusion. Yet, the important but controversial relationship between open banking and financial inclusion has not been academically addressed. The analysis will be grounded in the significantly different approaches to the implementation and regulation of open banking in the United Kingdom and Singapore. This comparative approach critically evaluates the relevant opportunities and challenges for utilising open banking’s technological developments when tackling financial exclusion