In Brazil alone, 76% of families are financially vulnerable and 3 in 4 people cannot cover a $400 emergency expense. This makes financial health no longer a “nice to have,” but a strategic priority for banks, fintechs, and regulators.

At the same time, switching banks has never been easier. If institutions fail to guide users toward financial confidence and responsible credit use, they lose loyalty — and lifetime value.

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“In Brazil, 76% of families are financially vulnerable and 3 out of 4 people cannot cover a $400 emergency.” Banco Central + Findex data

Having access to financial products and knowing how to manage finances has a direct impact on life quality. As digital banking accelerates financial inclusion and wellbeing, it also spotlights the problem of a lack of financial literacy among those who have never had access to the banking system before. This includes complicated language, lengthy terms and conditions, and a lack of understanding of what it means to have credit. 

For a financial institution, supporting clients in saving, using credit responsibly, and empowering them to utilize banking services is directly related to client loyalty. It has never been easier to change banks, and if the financial institution is not supporting its clients in prospecting and offering the right products, they won’t be loyal. 

Creating journeys that make banking easy, motivating and rewarding can boost engagement since the user feels in control and empowered to use new products and financially stable to be offered credit and loans, driving the usage of the product and directly impacting the business outcomes. 

What does it mean to be financially healthy and have financial well-being? 

As access for financial services expands, we can observe the trend to only care about people’s financial education but to actually measure their financial well-being and understand their usage behavior. According to the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, financial well-being means “to be empowered with suitable financial products and tools that enhance the ability to manage their day-to-day finances, build resilience to financial shocks, plan for the future, and feel confident about their financial lives”.

For The Global Findex 2025, people are financially healthy when they can manage their needs, pursue opportunities, deal with financial emergencies, and feel confident about their finances. That same report showed that only 1 in 3 adults can cover more than two months of their expenses in case of the loss of their main source of income, that monthly expenses are the main source of financial stress for most people, and that borrowing money for health emergencies is a common necessity.

At Flourish Fi, we define financial health using four practical dimensions we apply across our product and behavioral design:

  • Manage day-to-day finances with clarity and control
  • Build resilience for emergencies and financial shocks
  • Plan and make progress toward medium and long-term goals
  • Feel confident and supported in using financial tools, not intimidated by them

Financial health is not only about knowledge or access to products, but it is about outcomes and behavior.

💡 Why this matters in Brazil and broader Latin America?

  • 32% of Brazilians have overdue debt (Serasa, 2024)
  • 48% of credit card users only pay the minimum amount
  • 40% do not have any emergency savings

This creates a paradox, people have access to accounts, wallets, and credit, but still experience financial stress, overindebtedness, and low trust in financial institutions.

Behind these numbers are everyday struggles. Imagine a family that suddenly loses its main source of income and has little savings to rely on. Or a young professional who receives his first credit card–the first in his family to ever have one– and doesn’t understand the importance of paying the ‘full amount’ because he was offered the option to make only a “minimum payment". 

Financial well-being is not just about having money. It’s about peace of mind, options in times of crisis, and the confidence to plan for the future. When people are financially healthy, they can focus on their goals instead of living with the constant stress of how to pay the bills at the end of the month.

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A complex problem that needs creative solutions

The first attempt by banks and fintechs to address this problem was democratizing knowledge: creating content and courses. But access and information alone is often not enough to change behavior, especially when it comes to adults who are busy earning money to cover their basic expenses.

This is where behavioral science and engagement strategies become powerful. By using simple nudges, gamification, and personalized journeys, financial institutions can help people stay motivated, build healthier habits, and celebrate small wins along the way.


​​At Flourish Fi, we build technology that transforms financial products into engaging, habit-forming experiences. We have been long-term partners with Mastercard to scale responsible credit journeys across the Americas, combining:

Flourish Fi → behavioral nudges, gamified challenges, contextual campaigns that motivate savings and credit habit building.

Mastercard → infrastructure, partners and global brand, plus financial inclusion and agenda to support with distribution

PicPay (Brazil) is a leading institution to launch this model: rewarding users for paying on time, building credit scores, and practicing healthier financial habits.


Results in Practice

From our experience working with over 25 financial institutions in the Americas, the results are very encouraging and promising of behavioral changes:

  • ‼️ Users who engage with missions can up to 2x more likely to pay their bill on time
  • ✅ Higher user base complete savings or credit missions in the first months

  • 💳 Increase in responsible credit usage, more users start paying the full invoice instead of just the minimum

  • 📊 For the institution: higher retention, lower defaults, and increased product adoption

As one partner shared:

“We’re not only issuing credit, we’re helping people feel confident using it.”

This is a Global Movement Toward Financial Health

The approach aligns with global financial inclusion and ESG agendas:

  • The UN and World Bank’s Financial Health Framework
  • Mastercard’s commitment to include 1 billion people in the digital economy
  • Forums like Emerge, Responsible Finance Forum, and FiLab

What we are building in Brazil and Latin America is not just regional, it is a scalable model for institutions worldwide.

Ready to move beyond static content and cashbacks?

Banks and fintechs using Flourish Fi see customers saving more, paying on time, and actively engaging with their financial journey — not just their app.

‍📩 Want to see it in action? Book a 20-minute walkthrough.

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