In a historic shift for the Dominican financial landscape, women have officially overtaken men in the total number of active bank borrowers, the Superintendence of Banks reports. According to the latest figures from the Dominican Banking Market Information System (SIMBAD), the gender gap in credit access has closed for the first time, signaling a significant leap in financial inclusion.
As of January 2026, the number of women with formal credit reached 1,311,792, a 42% increase compared to the 925,670 recorded in January 2021. This milestone was first reached in November 2025 and has since held steady, with women currently outnumbering men in the credit market by a margin of 3,579.
The report, titled Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable Financial System 2025 and published by the Superintendency of Banks (SB), highlights that women are also leading the charge as first-time borrowers. Between January 2025 and January 2026, women accounted for 50.4% of “new debtors”—individuals entering the formal credit market for the first time.
By moving into formal banking, these women are securing more favorable lending conditions than those typically found in the informal market.
The persistent “value gap”
Despite the surge in the number of loans, a disparity remains in the size of those loans. Men continue to carry higher average debt balances, though the SB notes this gap is slowly narrowing. The January 2026 stats indicate that the average loan balances for men was RD$190,750 compared to RD$139,167 for women.
A similar trend is visible in savings. Men currently hold 57.4% of total bank deposits (totaling one trillion pesos), while women hold 42.5% (RD$795 billion). On average, men’s savings accounts hold RD$160,000, compared to RD$114,000 for women.
One factor driving this growth may be a higher level of institutional trust. A survey of 1,202 users found that 65% of women fully trust their financial institutions, compared to 60% of men.
The SB also pointed to an increased female presence in leadership roles within the banking sector. However, the report warned that “invisible” barriers still exist, such as banks occasionally requesting additional requirements from female applicants that are not asked of their male counterparts.
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Superintendence of Banks
11 March 2026