Central Bank of the Dominican Republic launches its 11th Economic and Financial Week as the Monetary Board clears consultations on user protection and operational risk rules

The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic inaugurated the 2025 edition of its 11th Economic and Financial Week (#sefBCRD) under the Global Money Week umbrella, alongside publishing updated findings from its National Survey of Financial Inclusion and Financial Education (ENIEF). The governor also announced that the Monetary Board has authorised public consultations on a comprehensive overhaul of the financial consumer protection framework and on a new operational risk regulation for financial intermediation entities. The event brings together 51 public and private institutions and targets students from first grade of primary to sixth grade of secondary education, with activities including talks, workshops, informational stands, guided visits to the Numismatic and Philatelic Museum, an academic competition, and a panel on the role of communications in economic and financial education. Survey results highlighted a “potential financial inclusion” indicator of 65.6%, up from 56.9% in 2019, a fall in preference for receiving payments in cash to 55.9% in 2023 from 65.5% in 2019, and increased use of banking subagents for transactions to 10.8% from 6.3%. The #sefBCRD programme adds a southern extension at the Centro Cultural Perelló in Baní on 19 March. The two draft regulations are set to proceed through the public consultation process, with no timetable specified in the announcement.