What Clients Told Us: Key Insights from the 2025 60 Decibels Index
Listening to clients is central to how we understand and strengthen our impact.
As a founding partner of the 60 Decibels Microfinance Index when it launched in 2022, we have supported the initiative from its earliest days and continue to see strong value in its comparative, client-level insights.
This year, close to 3000 of our end clients from ten of our portfolio companies took part in the survey, which now includes more than 85 financial service providers worldwide that together serve over 25 million borrowers.
Since 2002, close to 12,000 Abler Nordic end clients have participated in the index.
Measuring what matters
This comparative data helps cut through anecdotes and assumptions, giving a clearer view of how clients’ lives are changing, and the role financial services play in that journey. The benchmarks show whether a result is genuinely strong, broadly typical, or an area needing attention—helping us prioritise where we can make the greatest difference.
Strong performance against benchmarks
Notably, five of our ten participating companies placed within the top ten performers in their regions. Leading the way, Sindhuja Microcredit claimed the top position in Asia — an outstanding achievement!
Our portfolio scored higher than or aligned with almost all of the global benchmarks, particularly in reaching poor households and improvements in business operations, quality of life, food security, education spending, and healthcare access.
At the same time, the results point to clear opportunities to improve specific areas and deepen our impact—such as broadening first-time access in markets with few alternatives and ensuring loan terms are clear and understood by clients.
of clients say they did not have access to a similar loan before their current one
Access and alternatives
Forty-five percent of clients say they did not have access to a similar loan before their current one, and one in five report that finding an alternative lender would be very difficult. This shows that limited choice remains common across our markets.
At the same time, it is encouraging to see that our first-time access result has steadily declined since we began measuring it in 2022, suggesting that a growing share of clients now have some prior access to formal financial services. This trend aligns with Global Findex findings, which show continued expansion of financial inclusion globally, even as gaps in access to formal credit persist.
Access varies widely across countries and contexts. Rural areas often have very few providers, while urban and peri-urban borrowers may live close to many institutions but still struggle to qualify due to income, or lack of documentation or collateral. Our portfolio also serves a broad mix of clients—from one-person livelihood businesses to more established MSMEs—who naturally have different levels of prior financial access.
Regional differences further shape these patterns. In South Asia, Global Findex data shows deeper financial inclusion, even in many rural areas, while in parts of sub-Saharan Africa formal credit remains far less accessible. As a result, deep-rural partners tend to see high levels of first-time access, whereas institutions operating in peri-urban markets report lower levels that reflect their more crowded, though not universally accessible, financial ecosystems.
Reaching the Least Well-Off
Our portfolio stands out for reaching less well-off clients to a much greater degree than the global benchmark, with 9 out of 10 investees perform at or above the benchmark,
- Equitable-access score: 0.90
- Global benchmark: 0.64
This is especially encouraging finding given that a few participants this year serve somewhat larger MSMEs, underscoring that we are very much reaching low-income households.
of clients surveyed say their business operations have improved
Loan Product Impact
82% of clients surveyed say their business operations have improved, with 35% reporting very much improved—well above the global benchmark of 28%. Clients describe gains such as smoother day-to-day management, better stock flow, and the ability to plan rather than operate reactively.
82% of clients also report increased income, with 29% reporting a significant increase, slightly above the benchmark. These results combined suggest that access to capital helps clients invest in the changes that drive both operational efficiency and tangible income growth.
Resilience
Clients report meaningful shifts in how they manage their money, with 77% saying their financial management has improved and 28% describing this improvement as very significant, a share that sits slightly below the global benchmark. Clients highlight practical day-to-day gains—budgeting more effectively, keeping up with bills, matching income with expenses, and preparing for unexpected costs.
Overall, the results point to growing confidence in handling day-to-day finances, while also showing where ongoing support can strengthen clients’ ability to manage income volatility and short-term financial pressures even further.
Savings are improving for many clients: 69% report an increase, and 18% say their savings have risen substantially, slightly above the global benchmark. While we do not have a benchmark for the broader “any increase” category, the results show that a meaningful share of clients are strengthening the financial buffers that help households absorb unexpected expenses and navigate periods when income is low or delayed.
say their ability to manage their finances has improved
Household Impact
These results show our portfolio outperforming global benchmarks on the outcomes that matter most for families’ daily lives.
Together, these findings highlight a powerful theme: access to finance is helping families improve the quality of their lives — with more food on the table, more children in school, and better access to essential healthcare.
Lives improved:
37% say their lives have very much improved (above the benchmark of 34%), and 87% report some improvement.
Food security:
22% say the number and quality of meals their family eats has very much increased, compared to 16% globally, with 52% reporting some improvement.
Education:
30% say their ability to pay school or university fees has very much improved — nearly double the global benchmark of 16% — with 68% reporting some improvement.
Healthcare:
23% report their household's ability to go to a healthcare provider has very much improved — compared to 7% globally. 61% reported some improvement.
of clients say their lives have improved
Loan Understanding
Clients’ ability to clearly understand fees, interest rates, and penalties is a cornerstone of responsible lending. Transparent communication and straightforward explanations help ensure that borrowers know exactly what they are committing to—an area we continue to prioritise through working with our portfolio companies to improve client education and loan documentation.
This year, 66% of clients strongly agree that their loan terms are easy to understand, with another 22% somewhat agreeing. While most clients feel informed, the results show there is still a need to strengthen how information is delivered, particularly for those with limited financial literacy or limited prior experience with formal credit.
How do we work with the results?
Each year, we review our portfolio results in depth—looking at both the indicators and clients’ verbatim feedback—to understand where clients experience clear value and where challenges persist. This helps us distinguish portfolio-wide trends and regional contexts from aspects specific to individual institutions.
We then discuss the results with each portfolio company, focusing on practical interpretation and operational context. These discussions ensure that insights are not left at a high level but are translated into priorities that can realistically be addressed.
From there, we agree on concrete follow-up actions and, where relevant, assess the need for targeted Technical Assistance through our Norad-funded facility.
To build shared learning across the portfolio, we are also preparing a workshop for Q2 2026 where investees will exchange experiences on how they are using 60 Decibels insights to enhance their impact in practice.
See insights from the full global index in 60 Decibels' report: https://60decibels.com/insights/mfi-index-2025/
