SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Ministry of Finance
The OECD has released the OECD/INFE Toolkit for Measuring Financial Literacy, Inclusion and Well-Being 2026, establishing a standardized global framework for assessing how individuals manage their financial lives. This comprehensive toolkit provides governments and public authorities with a robust, internationally comparable survey instrument to inform the design and evaluation of national financial literacy policies. The 2026 version introduces critical updates to reflect the rapid digitalization of financial services, including expanded modules to measure digital financial literacy, exposure to online frauds, and attitudes toward sustainable finance.
The toolkit is organized into mandatory core questions, optional modules, and background demographic data. It assesses three fundamental dimensions: financial knowledge, behaviors (such as budgeting and active saving), and psychological attitudes toward money. A significant focus is placed on financial resilience, specifically measuring an individual’s ability to cope with unexpected “expenditure shocks”. By adopting this methodology, countries can benchmark their populations against global best practices and identify vulnerable groups—such as women, youth, or rural residents—who require targeted educational support.
What is ‘Digital Financial Literacy’ as defined by the OECD? It is a specialized subset of financial literacy that combines the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary for individuals to safely and effectively use digital financial services and technologies. Unlike traditional literacy, it places a heavy emphasis on digital safety—such as recognizing phishing scams, protecting personal financial information, and managing online privacy. The goal is to ensure that the transition to digital banking and products contributes to an individual’s financial well-being rather than increasing their risk of debt or fraud.
Policy Relevance
The 2026 Toolkit serves as a strategic roadmap for integrating financial literacy into broader digital economy goals, ensuring that consumers remain protected and empowered in an increasingly complex financial landscape.
Strategic Impact for India:
Standardizing National Benchmarks: India’s National Centre for Financial Education (NCFE) can utilize this toolkit to align its next survey with global standards, enabling precise comparison of the RBI’s Financial Inclusion Index with G20 peers.
Mitigating Fintech Risks: The toolkit’s specific focus on phishing, hackers, and unauthorized transactions provides a data-driven basis for Indian policymakers to design cyber-safety campaigns that protect the millions of first-time UPI and digital wallet users.
Evaluating Jan Dhan Impact: By applying the toolkit’s financial behavior and inclusion metrics, India can measure the qualitative effectiveness of the PM Jan Dhan Yojana, looking beyond account numbers to actual product usage and financial resilience.
Promoting Sustainable Finance: As India expands its green bond market, the toolkit’s module on sustainable finance attitudes can help the government gauge public readiness for “green” investments, supporting national goals like the National Green Hydrogen Mission
Follow the full report here: OECD/INFE TOOLKIT FOR MEASURING FINANCIAL LITERACY, INCLUSION AND WELL-BEING 2026