What We Do

NAFSA advocates for Tribal sovereignty and delivers essential services to our members to advance economic development across Indian Country.

NAFSA

The Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA) is a 501(c)(6) registered trade association based in Washington, D.C., that represents the interests of Tribal governments and tribally-owned or tribally-serving businesses engaged in the financial services sector. NAFSA advocates for Tribal sovereignty, defends consumer rights, and delivers essential services to our members to advance economic development across Indian Country.

Our mission is to champion Tribal sovereignty, promote responsible and sustainable financial services, and create pathways to greater economic opportunity for Tribal communities.

We Accomplish Our Mission By

RProtecting and affirming the sovereign rights of Native American Tribes, ensuring their authority to govern and grow Tribal economies.
RExpanding Indian Country’s role in the financial services industry, encouraging innovation and economic self-determination.
RConfronting discriminatory practices that target tribally owned and operated businesses acting in full compliance with applicable U.S. laws.

NAFSA is evolving to meet the financial future of Indian Country. While steadfast in our core mission to protect Tribal sovereignty in lending, we are also expanding our advocacy to address the rising need for Tribal representation in emerging digital finance sectors—including cryptocurrency, blockchain, decentralized finance (DeFi), sovereign fintech regulation, and beyond.

Leading Tribal Finance into the Future

Emerging financial technologies offer transformative potential for economic diversification, revenue generation, and the protection of sovereignty in the digital age. That’s why NAFSA is actively working with Tribal governments and enterprises to:

RExplore the legal, regulatory, and economic implications of blockchain technology and digital asset adoption.
RDesign and support Tribal-specific regulatory frameworks for digital assets and fintech governance.
RAssess opportunities and risks related to crypto mining, tokenized assets, and sovereign digital payment systems.
RBuild capacity for Tribal-led innovation in digital lending, e-commerce, and fintech, aligned with Tribal law and economic priorities.

Through this expanded vision, NAFSA is helping position Tribes at the forefront of the next wave of financial innovation—ensuring that sovereignty is not just protected, but empowered in a rapidly changing global economy.

The Native Finance Summit ...

The Native Finance Summit is a key programmatic component of NAFSA’s mission. As the nation’s leading annual gathering focused on Tribal lending, digital finance, blockchain, and fintech policy, the Summit convenes Tribal leaders, Native-owned financial enterprises, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore the opportunities and challenges of financial innovation through a sovereignty-first lens.