‘Queen’ Maxima and her promotional work for a cash-less world.

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands has been a strong advocate for promoting financial inclusion and encouraging a shift towards digital or cashless transactions. As the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA), she has taken several measures to support this agenda.

Queen Máxima, who has a degree in economics and worked for several financial institutions in Argentina and Europe before taking up her royal duties, brings substantial expertise in finance to her role as UNSGSA. Her appointment in 2009 by the then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was to promote access to affordable and safe financial services for all, with a focus on marginalized communities and low-income groups.

One of Queen Máxima’s main initiatives to promote a cash-free society is by encouraging the use of financial technology to enable universal access to financial services. In her role as the UNSGSA, she has stressed the importance of electronic banking and mobile payments. She believes that mobile technology is an essential tool in providing easy and affordable financial services and helping to close the gap of financial inclusion.

Queen Máxima also highlights the benefits of digital financial services to the economy and society at large. Electronic transactions offer greater security and transparency, and can reduce the cost and time of transactions, particularly for those who live in remote areas or have limited mobility. Furthermore, digital systems have the potential to improve financial literacy and enable people to gain greater control over their finances.

Queen Máxima’s advocacy and work in promoting a cashless society have resulted in several collaborations with governments, financial institutions, and the private sector. In November 2011, she facilitated a meeting between the Dutch Government and representatives of several microfinance institutions to discuss how to improve access to financial services. The outcome was the establishment of the Dutch Good Growth Fund, which provides sustainable financing to small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries, including those in Africa, Asia, and South America^[1].

In June 2014, Queen Máxima was appointed as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA). Her appointment came at a time when financial inclusion was receiving increasing attention from governments and the private sector as an essential ingredient of economic growth and poverty reduction. This appointment provided a unique platform to promote financial inclusion on a global scale.

Queen Máxima has also participated in several conferences and summits focused on advancing financial inclusion and a cashless society. At the International Fintech Conference in Amsterdam in 2018, she spoke about the need for collaboration between governments and private companies to facilitate access to financial services for vulnerable populations. She emphasized that digital financial technology could support social and economic development in areas such as education, healthcare, and agriculture^[2].

Besides her work to promote a cashless society, Queen Máxima has also been a vocal advocate for women’s empowerment and gender equality. She recognizes that increasing women’s access to financial services is vital in enhancing their economic participation and breaking the cycle of poverty. In 2015, she launched a program called ‘Women on Wings,’ a non-profit organization that supports rural women entrepreneurs in India by creating jobs and increasing their income^[3].

Despite the benefits of a cashless society, some have raised concerns about the increased risk of cybercrime and fraud. They argue that electronic payments require a robust legal and regulatory framework that protects consumers and businesses from malicious activities. Queen Máxima has acknowledged these concerns and supports the development of secure and reliable electronic payment systems^[4].

To conclude, Queen Máxima’s promotional activities for a cashless world are part of her broader efforts to advance financial inclusion and create opportunities for individuals and communities. Her advocacy work focuses on facilitating access to affordable and safe financial services through digital financial technology, enabling people to gain greater control over their finances and reduce the gap of financial inclusion. Her work as the UNSGSA has been a key driving force in advancing the financial inclusion agenda and promoting a cashless society.