| Code | FB.CBK.BRWR.P3 |
| Indicator Name | Borrowers from commercial banks (per 1,000 adults) |
| Short definition | Borrowers from commercial banks are the reported number of resident customers that are nonfinancial corporations (public and private) and households who obtained loans from commercial banks and other banks functioning as commercial banks. |
| Long definition | Borrowers from commercial banks are the reported number of resident customers that are nonfinancial corporations (public and private) and households who obtained loans from commercial banks and other banks functioning as commercial banks. |
| Source | Financial Access Survey, International Monetary Fund (IMF), uri: https://data.imf.org/en/datasets/IMF.STA:FAS |
| Topic | Financial Sector: Access |
| Dataset | WDI |
| Unit of measure | (number of borrowers)*1,000/adult population |
| Periodicity | Annual |
| Reference period | 2004-2023 |
| Aggregation method | Median |
| Statistical concept and methodology | Methodology: Number of borrowers refers to the number of resident nonfinancial corporations (public and private) and individuals in the household sector that have obtained credit (loans) from each type of financial institution.
• A corporate entity must be counted as one borrower, irrespective of the number of loans extended to that corporate borrower.
• An individual from the household sector must be counted as one borrower, irrespective of the number of loan accounts held.
• If a loan is extended to a group of borrowers, all borrowers must be counted individually rather than as one borrower.
Statistical concept(s): Borrowers from commercial banks denotes the total number of resident customers that are nonfinancial corporations (public and private) and households who obtained loans from commercial banks for every 1,000 adults in the reporting country. It is calculated as (number of borrowers)*1,000/adult population in the reporting country. |
| Development relevance | Financial inclusion acts as a powerful driver not only of economic growth but, more importantly, of inclusive growth. It ensures that diverse segments of society—especially low-income households and small enterprises—have access to and can effectively use financial services, allowing them to share in the benefits of economic development. By promoting savings and investment, stabilizing consumption, and reducing the financial vulnerability of individuals and businesses, financial inclusion supports broader economic expansion. Accessible and affordable financial tools—such as savings accounts, credit, and insurance—enable people, particularly those traditionally underserved or excluded, to invest in their futures, manage spending more effectively, and mitigate financial risks. These benefits can translate into higher income levels and contribute to reducing poverty and inequality. Ultimately, financial inclusion aims to expand economic opportunity and participation, helping to build a more equitable and prosperous society. |
| Limitations and exceptions | For many countries data cover the total number of loan accounts due to lack of information on loan account holders. For several countries, data cover all borrowers including commercial banks, credit unions and financial cooperatives, deposit taking microfinance institutions, and other deposit takers. These include all resident financial corporations and quasi-corporations (except the central bank) that are mainly engaged in financial intermediation and that issue liabilities included in the national definition of broad money. These institutions have varying names in different countries, such as savings and loan associations, building societies, rural banks and agricultural banks, post office giro institutions, post office savings banks, savings banks, and money market funds. |
| Other notes | Country-specific metadata can be found on the IMF’s FAS website (data.imf.org). |
| License URL | https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/public-licenses#cc-by |
| License Type | CC BY-4.0 |
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