The rapid digitalization of financial services in the European Union (EU) has not only enhanced convenience and inclusion but also increased exposure to sophisticated online financial fraud. Digital financial literacy (DFL) is widely promoted as a key tool for empowering consumers and reducing...

This paper presents a systematic review of Tunisian stakeholders' perceptions of integrating gender into green microfinance business models, analyzed through the lens of the Business Model Canvas (BMC). This systematic review of 32 studies indicates a dual perception of women as both vulnerable...

This paper examines how digital financial platform engagement influences financial inclusion in the Philippines and explores how financial institutions are deploying artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing these platforms. It combines nationally representative data from the World Bank Global...

We estimate consumer preferences for "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) using a large-scale probabilistic stated choice survey experiment. Average willingness to pay (WTP) for the standard BNPL bundle is negative, but younger, lower-income, and less credit-worthy consumers exhibit higher demand. The...

This paper examines the impact of fintech adoption and financial inclusion on financial stability in selected countries. Using panel data from 30 countries spanning 2011-2024, the study employs an empirical strategy based on Two-Way Fixed Effects, a dynamic two-step System GMM estimator, and...

Despite the acknowledged importance of capital for start-up success, gender disparities persist when trying to raise funds from external sources, including angel investors, venture capitalists, and financial institutions. Many studies have shown that gender stereotypes are harmful and prevent...

This paper measures the post-treatment effects of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) on mobile money and outstanding loans from commercial banks as a percentage of the GDP in Nigeria and the Bahamas, respectively, from the perspective of financial inclusion. The literature on the topic has...

Women entrepreneurs in rural South Africa face structural and socio-cultural barriers in accessing funding. This study investigated how existing financial structures and support programs influence the sustainability and growth of female-owned businesses in rural areas. Using bibliometric...

Frame and purpose of the research: The research investigates whether ethics, humanity, and spirituality can find a place in the world of finance, a sector traditionally dominated by the pursuit of profit and the speculation characteristic of the homo economicus. A.P. Giannini's servant banker...

The digitalisation of banking services, driven by smartphone access and limited physical presence, has transformed bank-customer interactions but introduced challenges, such as a reliance on third-party devices and external software contracts. Based on findings from focus groups held in Hong...

This study explores the role of Shari'a-compliant microfinance in advancing financial inclusion and improving socio-economic conditions, with a particular focus on serving the financial needs of marginalised populations in rural areas. Through a case study of Al-Amal Microfinance Bank in Yemen,...

This study investigates the nonlinear interplay between bank stability, financial inclusion, deposit insurance design, and banking concentration, utilizing unbalanced panel data from 122 countries between 2004 and 2021. By constructing novel indices-including a composite Moralhazard index to...

This study investigates the impacts of financial inclusion, development, and technological innovation on ESG readiness across low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income countries from 2004 to 2020. Grounded in an augmented environmental Kuznets curve framework, financial...

Blockchain technology is being increasingly deployed to store and process transactions and information in the global financial sector. Blockchain underpins cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and facilitates decentralized finance (DeFi), representing a paradigm shift in the global financial...

A large share of the global workforce lacks access to employer-sponsored retirement plans. In Colombia, where labor informality is high, the government introduced the Beneficios Económicos Periódicos (BEPS) program to promote voluntary retirement savings. However, many enrollees fail to...

In recent years, scholars have been paying more attention to financial inclusion, which has been positioned as a crucial component in accomplishing the majority of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals set forward by the United Nations. Investigating the effects of life insurance and...

Skills gaps, a lack of funding, and social norms continue to keep women and youth in North Africa from engaging in productive entrepreneurship. Using cross-national data and regional indicators from the World Bank and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, this analysis shows how such barriers...

Financial inclusion is essential for economic development, providing individuals and firms access to fundamental services such as savings accounts, credit, and insurance. Despite its relevance, according to the Word Bank data, nearly 1.5 billion adults worldwide still lack access to a formal...

Achieving a more inclusive financial system is crucial to unlocking economic opportunities, reducing inequality, and ensuring that no person will be excluded from access and usage of financial and banking services. Even if financial services are widely available in some areas, others, especially...

Women in emerging economies face unique constraints rooted in cultural norms, socio-economic disparities, and limited access to education and technology. Narrowing the digital gender gap by ensuring access to financial services may reduce the economic inequalities for women in these countries....

Over the past decade, the debate on the microeconomic effects of financial inclusion has intensified, with a growing body of research exploring how access to financial services impacts banks' behaviors. Studying the effect of financial inclusion on bank risk is crucial because it helps...

The link between financial inclusion and financial stability is a central concern in public economic policymaking, particularly in emerging countries where access to financial services remains limited. While financial inclusion is widely regarded as a key driver of economic development, its...

Understanding the business environment and structural issues that limit growth is critical when designing an effective national policy framework for private sector development-especially for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Given the limited MSME data available, this paper...

Amidst the global ascent of financial technologies (FinTech), Argentina presents a critical case for examining how these platforms shape debt relations among marginalized households. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this article draws on quantitative data from the Central Bank of the Republic...

The need for a sustainable economy has grown as technological advancements increasingly influence economic and social structures. This study investigates the role of FinTech and artificial intelligence (AI) in fostering sustainable development by facilitating green initiatives and promoting...

This study explores how geographical factors shape El Salvador's banking sector, particularly focusing on regional disparities, urbanization, and vulnerability to natural disasters affecting access to financial services. By employing a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative data and...

This paper investigates whether countries' investments in financial inclusion, beyond what their economic capacity would predict, help mitigate gender and income-group gaps in financial opportunities. We construct a novel index, the Abnormal Financial Inclusion Index (AbFII), as the residuals...

Most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are implementing fast payment systems (FPS), often with the goal of enhancing access to and use of affordable financial services. FPS offer immediate transfer of funds on a 24x7 basis between end users. This paper assesses how FPS can promote...

The urgent need to address climate change has placed environmental degradation and sustainable development at the centre of policy discussions. This highlights the importance of examining how the financial system directs funds toward green investments or emission-intensive industries. Expanding...

This study analyses income dynamics and economic vulnerability in the Republic of Moldova between 2019 and 2023, using data on income and expenditures from the Household Budget Survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics. The findings reveal significant socio-demographic disparities,...