Regulation and supervision across the savings and credit co-operative sector in Latin America could change rapidly, as governments in the region look to explore these institutions’ potential in fostering financial inclusion.
These financial intermediaries, whose origins trace back to 19th-century Germany, are member-owned organisations as opposed to commercial banks, which are shareholder-owned. They do not seek to maximise profits, but rather bolster capital, support long-term growth and improve their members’ well-being.
