Earned Wage Access (EWA) explained – Rethinking wage access in the digital economy

On September 18, 2025, the ILO’s Global Centre on Digital Wages for Decent Work organized the first webinar of the series, “A new solution to an old problem? Advancing wages in the fintech era.” Titled “EWA explained – Rethinking wage access in the digital economy,” the session brought together global experts and practitioners to explore the growing relevance of Earned Wage Access (EWA) as a tool to meet workers’ short-term financial needs in the digital era.

The webinar featured insights from Craig Churchill (ILO), Sowmya Dhanaraj (Good Business Lab), Lishia Erza (APINDO), Alex Kim (Paywatch) and Pradyot Komaragiri (60 Decibels) and was moderated by Andrej Slivnik (ILO).

Panelists discussed the opportunities and risks of EWA models, including their potential to reduce financial stress for workers and improve employee wellbeing, alongside concerns around regulation, transparency and worker protection. The discussion emphasized the need for stronger policy frameworks and social dialogue to ensure EWA supports decent work and responsible wage practices.