Financial depth and financial inclusion as a catalyst for social finance in Ukraine

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Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
Unveiling the link between financial depth, financial inclusion, and social finance serves as a demonstration of a financing mechanism for socio-economic well-being. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of financial depth and inclusion, including aspects of social finance in Ukraine. Using annual data for 2008–2024, the study constructs composite indices of financial depth (the M2/GDP, the deposits/GDP, the credit/GDP, the bonds/GDP), financial inclusion (bank branches, ATMs and self-service complexes, and POS terminals, per 100,000 adults), and normalized share of pension payments via banks. The paper reveals the decoupling of financial depth and financial inclusion since 2014. The results show a decline in financial depth (from 0.46 in 2008 to 0.18 in 2024) and an increase in financial inclusion (from 0.17 in 2008 to 0.83 in 2024). Financial depth deteriorates, as shown by the decrease in the M2/GDP (from 68% in 2013 to 46% in 2024), the deposits/GDP (from 48% in 2012 to 36% in 2024), the credit/GDP (from 64% in 2014 to 14% in 2024), and the bonds/GDP (from 0,83% in 2008 to 0,01% in 2024). Ensuring financial inclusion is supported by digital finance development, as pronounced by the decline in bank branches, the faster growth of POS terminals compared to ATMs, and the rise in non-cash transactions and social payments via banks. For financial inclusion to draw social finance development along with it, there is a need to strive for a depth-led financial system that provides not only basic financial coverage.

Acknowledgment
The paper was funded as part of the “Financial tools for reducing economic inequality in Ukraine” research project (No. 0124U002254), conducted at the State Organization “Institute for Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”.

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    • Figure 1. Dynamics of financial depth and financial inclusion indices (2008–2024), and share of pension payments via banks (2017–2024)
    • Figure 2. Conceptual linkages between financial depth, financial inclusion, and social finance in Ukraine
    • Table 1. Indicators of financial depth, financial inclusion, and share of pension payments via banks, 2008–2024
    • Conceptualization
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Data curation
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Formal Analysis
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Investigation
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Methodology
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Project administration
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Software
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Supervision
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Validation
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Visualization
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Writing – original draft
      Yuliia Shapoval
    • Writing – review & editing
      Yuliia Shapoval