Publications

In the second week of September, Bre-B, the new low-value payment system developed by the Central Bank of Colombia (Banco de la República), will become operational. Its value proposition includes the ability to make payments and transfers that are free, secure, and easy between individuals and businesses.

Mexican MSMEs have advanced in financial inclusion, but gaps in credit access and digitalization remain. Micro and women-led businesses face greater barriers. Strategic support is essential to fully integrate them into economic development.

On April 28, Spain experienced one of the most serious electricity blackouts in its history. Beyond the immediate collapse in activity, the blackout had a clear impact on consumer spending—especially purchases made using digital payment methods.

At the end of 2024, the Mexican economy's GDP grew by 1.5%, primarily driven by the Services sector, which experienced a 2.3% increase. Notably, Professional Services, Transportation, and Retail emerged as the key sectors contributing significantly to this economic growth.

Colombia is advancing in artificial intelligence with the national policy CONPES 4144, which invests $479 million to boost productivity until 2030. It focuses on 6 pillars, promoting regional hubs and strengthening public-private collaboration to ensure equitable benefits, especially for SMEs and rural areas.

Artificial intelligence (AI) aims to transform a multitude of fields of knowledge, emerging as a general-purpose technology (GPT). In terms of productivity, economic growth, and the labor market, the effect of AI is limited at present, and there is extensive debate regarding its future impact.

Despite uncertainty and high interest rates, investment remains strong in countries like the U.S. and France, especially in intellectual property and ICT, but not in Spain, Canada, and most emerging markets. GDP growth remains key, but digitalization and climate transition policies will drive future investment.

DiGiX aims to capture the global evolution of digitization by monitoring this pheonomenon across 98 countries. Our index combines 24 variables grouped in six dimensions that represent three pillars: supply (infrastructure and costs), demand (users, government and enterprise adoption), and institutional environment.