Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
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  • In Person

2025 Aspen Leadership Forum on Inclusive Finance

Note: This is a past event, additional resources may be available below.

Feb 5 – 7, 2025
Washington, D.C.

Date

Feb 5 – 7, 2025
5:00pm – 1:00pm EST

Location

Washington, D.C.

Contact

    erin.borg@aspeninstitute.org

Hosts

  1. Financial Security Program

The Aspen Institute Financial Security Program convened its first Leadership Forum on Inclusive Finance in February 2025, where we gathered 60+ experts in fintech, banking, investing, regulation, and philanthropy who are shaping the future of the U.S. financial system. Together, these cross-sector leaders unpacked the driving question: What are the forces of change that will determine whether we can build a more inclusive system, and how should we be working to shape these forces today?

Key Takeaways

The Forum’s discussions surfaced opportunities and threats across five key forces of change shaping the U.S. financial system:

  • Accessibility of personal financial data via open finance
  • Innovations in AI
  • Increase in severity and frequency of financial shocks
  • The role of consumer trust in an evolving financial services landscape
  • Expansion of crypto, blockchain, and decentralized finance (or “DeFi”) into the mainstream

Participants also elevated two key priorities that can help build a better financial system: use technology to improve product quality and benefits, and strengthen our financial ecosystem for growing challenges.

Learn more about the Forum’s conversations, insights, and bold ideas in the full report, Five Forces of Change Shaping the Next Decade of Inclusive Finance.

Get the Insights

For the full event agenda and speaker list, check out the briefing book.

View Agenda

Learn more about how Aspen FSP approaches its financial systems-level work through fraud and scams protection, financial inclusion, and market innovation.

Explore Our Work

We are grateful to the following organizations for their sponsorship of the 2025 Aspen Leadership Forum on Inclusive Finance: Edward Jones, JPMorganChase, H&R Block, US Bank, TransUnion, Wells Fargo, Walmart, and Block.