New global research shows consumers define being financially well as paying bills on time and staying out of debt, long before building wealth or planning for retirement.
Originally published by Mastercard
By Vicki Hyman
Director, Global Communications, Mastercard
Financial health is often framed as a long-term goal: building wealth, buying a “forever home,” planning for retirement, perhaps even early retirement. But new global research from Mastercard suggests that for many consumers today, financial health is far more immediate and practical.
Across 11 markets, consumers defined being “financially well” first and foremost as paying bills on time without stress (50%) and being free from debt (50%; rising to 56% and ranking most important of those with low income), followed closely by having emergency savings (47%) and being able to comfortably afford everyday essentials (45%) — gas, not tropical getaways; medicine, not Michelin-star meals.
Longer-term goals like building wealth or retiring when they want fall much lower on the list, underscoring how rising costs, economic uncertainty and day-to-day pressures are reshaping what “doing well” really means.
The findings come from a 2026 survey of 9,605 consumers and 2,276 small businesses across the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, India and China, offering a broad view into how people are experiencing their financial lives today.
The survey found that fewer than 1 in 4 (24%) people describe their current financial situation as “very comfortable,” with nearly 3 in 10 (29%) saying they are “just getting by” or “struggling,” more common among lower income segments (46%) and those who are underbanked (35%).
But despite the pressures shaping today’s definition of financial health, optimism remains resilient, with 61% of consumers (65% underbanked) saying they believe their best days are still ahead.
Back to basics
When asked what it means to be financially well, consumers consistently prioritized stability over aspiration. Barely a third named building wealth, and just over a quarter said being able to retire when they want.
“People need to feel confident about getting through the day before planning for the future,” says Shamina Singh, president and founder of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. “True financial health depends on whether people can use financial tools with confidence, manage short-term needs and weather unexpected shocks.”
That understanding underpins Mastercard’s next chapter in this space — a commitment to connect and protect 500 million people and small businesses on their pathways to financial health by 2030. The focus is on supporting the full journey, from access to active use, from use to security, and from security to long-term resilience, so that participation in the digital economy feels safe, practical and reliable.
This work follows Mastercard’s work during the last decade to bring more than 1 billion people and 65 million small businesses into the formal financial system, which was a critical first step in providing access to digital and financial tools.
This new commitment may look different in different markets. In Africa, farmers are creating a digital profile that can unlock affordable digital financial services through the MADE Alliance initiative. In Southeast Asia, factory workers are receiving digital wages, a safer option than cash, and one that gives them more control over their finances. In North America, small business owners are accessing affordable cyber solutions to protect their enterprises and AI-powered agents that can act as digital executives to gain deeper insights into their operations so they can grow smarter and faster.
And around the world, the Global Financial Health Coalition, launched last year by Mastercard, is convening leaders across the ecosystem to strengthen trust, expand protection and embrace innovation, moving people beyond short-term survival toward lasting financial confidence and opportunity.
“Advancing financial health at scale requires shared insight and collective action,” says Bunita Sawhney, chief consumer product officer at Mastercard. “By bringing different perspectives together, we can better understand what people and small businesses actually need — and design solutions that help them build resilience in ways that are trusted and relevant to their everyday lives.”
Global research data from Mastercard’s Global Financial Sentiment Survey 2026. Contact [email protected] for more information.
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