Intersection of Banking, Social Welfare, and Digital Transformation: The Mexican Case, a Latin American Perspective

The banking system has been instrumental in developing economies throughout history, as it has effectively directed the funds collected from their clients’ savings and investments into productive activities of individuals and enterprises, financed consumer goods and current expenditures, housing and infrastructure projects, and provided market liquidity. However, in Latin America and amid digital transformation, banks face the dual challenge of modernizing operations while addressing socio-economic disparities. This study shows that fluctuations in operational measurements of top Mexican banks significantly affect changes in the widely used global measure of social welfare, the Human Development Index. We evaluated findings by using a machine learning prediction model and a panel data estimation, and underline how digital transformation in banking using emerging technologies to increase public access to financial services, especially credit loans for marginalized populations, can improve customer experience and financial inclusion to exploit this correlation. This approach provides a framework for understanding the potential of digital technologies to drive competitive advantages and social benefits across Latin America.