Dominican Republic adopts WE Finance Code, marking regional milestone in financial inclusion

Through Circular CSB-REG-2026000008, banks and other financial entities will now be required to submit quarterly reports detailing the ownership structure of MSME clients, including the percentage of female ownership, as well as the status of loan applications, approvals, rejections and reasons for denial. The first reporting period will close on September 30, 2026.

With the measure, the Dominican Republic becomes the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to integrate gender-disaggregated financing data into the regulatory framework of its financial supervision system through private-sector collaboration.

The initiative supports the global WE Finance Code program, promoted by the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) and the OECD, which seeks to reduce the financing gap affecting women entrepreneurs.

Officials from the SB, the Dominican Republic Bankers Association (ABA) and the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) recently met to outline the next phase of implementation, including the country’s first report of disaggregated financial indicators to the OECD.

According to the ABA, 26 financial institutions representing approximately 97% of the Dominican financial system’s assets have already joined the WE Finance Code initiative. Since 2023, participating institutions have worked to establish unified standards, technical reporting systems and a common definition for women-led MSMEs aligned with current regulations.

IDB Invest has supported the process through investments and financing initiatives totaling more than US$160 million aimed at strengthening access to capital for women entrepreneurs in the Dominican Republic.

The WE Finance Code currently operates in more than 33 countries worldwide and is expected to expand further across Latin America and the Caribbean in the coming years.