Download: Full Report | Bond Update #2 (April 2026)
The World Bank Group’s new update on Women’s Economy Bonds provides a comprehensive analysis of the growing bond market focused on women’s economic empowerment. This update builds on the first publication from the WBG's Banking on Women business from July 2025, which outlined the critical role that capital market investors and instruments, such as Green, Social, Sustainability, and Sustainability-Linked Bonds, play in mobilizing funding for women-led businesses, employment, and leadership initiatives. The update provides insights into the growth trajectory of Women's Economy Bonds, which have cumulatively reached $267 billion in issuances between 2013 and 2025.
With the World Bank Group’s ambitious goal of expanding access to capital for 80 million women and women-led businesses by 2030, the report underscores the importance of creating standardized, transparent, and credible bond guidelines to support this growing asset class. By doing so, the market can attract more issuers and investors, ensuring that financing women’s economic participation becomes a sustainable and scalable endeavor.
Women's Economy Bonds have been issued by diverse issuer types, including private-sector financial institutions, corporates, and sovereigns in developed and emerging markets alike. Emerging market activity has risen markedly in recent years, with emerging markets leading an 18-fold increase in Women's Economy Bonds between 2020 and 2025. The report calls for coordinated efforts among stakeholders to enhance transparent issuance and reporting for these bonds, ensuring that they effectively address the credit gap faced by women-owned businesses and drive sustainable economic growth. Through these efforts, the World Bank Group aims to shape the market and foster a robust ecosystem to finance women’s economic empowerment globally.
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