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G20+ Scorecard Report 2026

Progress towards better cross-border payments
Full reportSummary edition
G20 report 2026
This year’s report expands beyond the G20 to assess 30 major cross-border payments markets on direct access and price transparency.

Cross-border payments should be fast, affordable, transparent and accessible. The G20 Roadmap set that ambition clearly, but progress remains uneven. Our 2026 G20+ Report looks at where reform is moving, where barriers remain, and what still needs to change for consumers and businesses moving money internationally.


Ranking of g20 nations

The 2026 Scorecard compares progress across two areas that are critical to improving cross-border payments: direct access to payment systems, and price transparency for consumers and businesses. This year, the report covers G20 members, ten additional high-volume remittance markets and a special focus on Thailand, giving a broader view of where reform is advancing and where action is still needed.

The hidden cost of moving money remains

Price Transparency

Price transparency measures whether customers can see the full cost of an international payment before they send money, including any fee hidden in the exchange rate. Without this, a payment can appear cheap, or even free, while the real cost is embedded in the FX markup.

The 2026 rankings show that transparency remains the weaker part of the Roadmap. No G20 market receives the highest score for price transparency this year. Some markets have strong rules or guidance requiring upfront disclosure, but the evidence still shows that many providers do not consistently display FX markups in a way customers can understand and compare.

This matters because hidden FX fees are not a small problem. Next year, consumers and businesses worldwide are projected to lose almost $318 billion to exchange-rate markups they often cannot see. The solution is straightforward: providers should disclose the full cost of a cross-border payment upfront, including the FX markup, against an independent mid-market rate.
Image showing example of where bank hide their fees

Momentum is building, but access is still uneven

Direct Access

Direct access measures whether non-bank payment service providers can connect directly to payment systems, and whether that access includes settlement at the central bank. When access is open, proportionate and properly supervised, it can support more competition, faster payments, lower costs and greater resilience.

The 2026 rankings show clear progress. Several markets now give non-banks meaningful access to payment systems, with Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the European Union among the G20 markets receiving the highest score. The UAE and the Philippines also perform strongly among the additional G20+ markets assessed.

But the picture is still mixed. In some markets, non-banks remain dependent on commercial banks for clearing, settlement or sponsorship. In others, reforms are underway but have not yet translated into practical access. The next phase of reform should focus on making direct access real in practice, not just possible on paper.
Image showing example of where bank hide their fees

Explore individual market profiles

Each market profile explains the score, the regulatory framework behind it, recent developments and what the findings mean for consumers and businesses. Download individual profiles to explore progress market by market.