Financial Digitalization in Chile Expands Opportunities for Small Businesses

For years, access to financial services such as accepting card payments, securing financing, and using digital tools was a privilege only large corporations could enjoy due to high costs. However, thanks to advancing technology, these solutions have now become accessible to everyone from neighborhood grocers to street vendors and independent workers.

Chile has made significant progress in financial inclusion, enabling over 90% of its adult population to have at least one financial product. Additionally, nine out of ten internet users primarily make their daily payments electronically. These high access rates demonstrate that the core issue in the country is no longer a lack of infrastructure, but rather how to transform these capabilities into economic opportunity.

The digitalization of payments not only facilitates transactions but also helps record the financial history of small businesses, indirectly opening the door to new financing opportunities. The democratization of financial services is becoming a major driver of economic and social development, preventing the size of a business from determining its competitive power.