This report analyzes the evolving role of fintech in fostering financial access and usage, with a focus on its accelerated adoption in underserved regions following the COVID-19 pandemic. While innovations such as mobile money, peer-to-peer lending, and neobanks have significantly expanded financial inclusion, challenges regarding digital literacy, infrastructure, and regulatory complexity remain. Drawing on findings from the latest IMF Financial Access Survey (FAS) and the 2024–2025 Pilot exercises, which tested over 100 fintech variables across 163 reporting economies, the study assesses the industry's growth and its dual impact on economic stability and operational risk. The report examines the barriers constraining fintech adoption, highlights the necessity of high-quality data for evidence-based policymaking, and details ongoing initiatives, including the G20 Data Gaps Initiative, aimed at standardizing global fintech statistics.