<p>As financial systems evolve, ensuring equitable access to banking services remains a global priority. Deposit insurance systems (DIS), which have grown substantially in recent decades, are increasingly recognized as critical tools for promoting both financial stability and inclusion. Yet, empirical research on the link between DIS and financial inclusion is limited, especially regarding regional and income-level differences. This study addresses this gap and makes four key contributions to the literature. First, it examines the relationship between deposit insurance and financial inclusion in 143 countries and tests the robustness of this relationship across five global regions: Asia, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), North America, South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Second, it explores how this relationship varies across four income categories: high-income, upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income countries. Third, it evaluates the relative importance of deposit insurance compared to other financial inclusion drivers, using dominance analysis. Fourth, it re-examines the nexus using constructed financial inclusion indices. The results indicate that both Explicit Deposit Insurance Schemes (EDIS) and membership in the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) are positively and significantly associated with financial inclusion, and rank among top drivers of financial inclusion, both globally and within most regional and income-based subgroups. These findings remain robust across multiple indices of financial inclusion. The study concludes that the strategic expansion of EDIS and IADI membership, supported by sound macroeconomic and financial sector policies, can play a substantial role in advancing global financial inclusion.</p>