Fonte: https://www.biia.com

Credit has established itself as one of the central pillars of the modern global economy. More than simply financing consumption or investment, it works as a strategic economic infrastructure, supported by high-quality information, intelligence, governance and trust. In a scenario of geopolitical transformations, technological innovation, and reorganization of supply chains, well-structured credit systems are decisive for economic stability, capital attraction, and sustainable growth. An immediate challenge lies in the fact that many economies will need to refinance up to half of their public debt stock over the next two years, requiring a robust credit infrastructure to absorb these flows.

This new role of credit gains centrality in a period of transition. Shifts in the geo-economic order have emerged as the most severe global risk for 2026, with governments using economic instruments to balance the interests of the various parties. In this climate of uncertainty, credit information has moved beyond being merely an operational input to take on a strategic role. The way countries govern and use this data directly influences the stability of the financial system, the efficiency of capital allocation, and the ability to sustain investments in critical sectors, such as Artificial Intelligence infrastructure.

Reports from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) converge on one central point: solid credit systems are the basis of trust in the economy. Where there is high-quality information, predictable instruments and rules, risk is priced more accurately and capital flows more efficiently. The IMF forecasts global growth of 3.3% for 2026, a performance that tends to be more consistent in countries that treat credit and data visibility as strategic assets for financial citizenship.

In the United States, corporate credit plays a central role in financing digital infrastructure. Companies known as hyperscalers (tech giants) have been leveraging funds raised through the corporate channel and complex structures to support the massive expansion of assets for Artificial Intelligence. In Europe, more integrated credit systems seek to reduce internal barriers and sustain the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises against a backdrop of moderate growth, projected by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at 1.3 per cent for 2026.

In Asia, credit is establishing itself as an infrastructure of competitiveness. Asian emerging economies are expected to grow 5.0 per cent in 2026, driven by resource mobilization for technological and industrial innovation, and high-tech exports, which have offset weaker domestic demand in some regions. Markets supported by solid information bases exhibit greater stability of capital flows and lower volatility.

In Latin America, Brazil stands out for its advances in the data ecosystem. The Positive Registry reached 82.04 per cent penetration in the adult population, adding up more than 179.3 million unique records of individuals and companies. This inclusion generates direct benefits: studies by the Central Bank indicate average reductions of up to 15.9 per cent in annual interest rates for consumers with positive information. In addition, the system has already provide credit visibility to more than 24.3 million people and business that were previously invisible to the market.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the region is expected to grow by 4.6 per cent in 2026, above the global average, driven by reforms and greater financial integration in countries such as Nigeria and South Africa. The use of data and new financial instruments, such debt-for-development swaps, helps to expand access to productive credit and reduce vulnerabilities.

Despite regional disparities, the common ground is clear: high-quality credit information + intelligence + governance act as the foundation for trust. Well-governed systems strengthen the predictability of economic relationships and sustain long-term growth, connecting stability, inclusion, and financial citizenship, and addressing inequality, identified as the most interconnected global risk for the next decade. Credit, therefore, consolidates itself as the essential engine for sustainable global development.

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