Wage advances – A new frontier for fintech regulation?

On September 23, 2025, the ILO’s Global Centre on Digital Wages for Decent Work organized the second webinar of the series, “A new solution to an old problem? Advancing wages in the fintech era.” Titled “Wage advances – A new frontier for fintech regulation?”, the session brought together global experts and practitioners to explore the evolving landscape of Earned Wage Access (EWA) and its implications for fintech regulation in the digital economy.

The webinar featured insights from Akustina Morni (IOE), Evelyn Astor (ITUC), Juan Carlos Izaguirre (CGAP), Nadia González Elizondo (Labour and Employment Law Expert), and Carlos Garcia (Finhabits), and was moderated by Andrej Slivnik (ILO).

Panelists explored recent regulatory developments in this field and highlighted opportunities for greater collaboration between financial and labour regulators. They examined the critical role of social dialogue in shaping effective EWA frameworks that balance innovation with worker protection. The discussion also addressed how stronger policy coordination can help ensure that EWA supports decent work, transparency and responsible wage practices while mitigating potential risks.