This paper examines the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure on the cost of capital for banks as well as financial technology companies in Europe, America, and Asia from 2010 to 2024. The study investigates how sustainability affects financing conditions in the two...

This Focus Note explores innovative financing strategies for reaching inclusive credit fintechs in Africa, particularly those targeting underserved micro and small enterprises (MSEs). These fintechs have the potential to address the estimated US$ 4.9 trillion global credit gap for MSEs. However,...

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...

The digitalization of finance has accelerated the diffusion of FinTech and raised new questions about how AI, data security and blockchain shape consumer behaviour. This article examines current FinTech users, focusing on mobile banking, security perceptions, AI-enabled personalisation and trust...

Cross-country evidence finds that there are low levels of financial literacy. Financial literacy is often measured using the "Big Three" questions about interest rates, inflation, and risk. These questions are usually part of a longer survey. Respondents in long surveys may suffer survey fatigue...

At the request of the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (RMA), the Monetary and Capital Markets Department (MCM) conducted a mission to review and strengthen Bhutan’s fintech regulatory sandbox (RS) framework. The mission was held from August 25 to September 2, 2025, in Thimphu, Bhutan and...

This report summarizes the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) technical assistance mission to the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (RMA), focused on reviewing and strengthening the fintech regulatory sandbox (RS) framework. The mission, conducted from August 25 to September 2, 2025, assessed...

The rise of fintech lenders has intensified competition in the banking industry. This study utilizes Brazilian bank-level data to examine the causal impact of increased competition on commercial banks’ lending rates and profitability. Employing a bank-specific Bartik exposure, constructed from...

The present study examines the influence of major and mega events on the holiday travel planning of the German resident population in 2024. The focus lies on sports and music events, which took place in large numbers in 2024 and represent an important part of the leisure time behaviour for many...

Over the years, the over-extraction and unsustainable utilization of natural resources has started to pose a severe environmental risk, necessitating immediate action on issues related to climate change. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between natural resources rent and...

Green fintech merges sustainable finance with data-intensive innovation, but national translations of EU rules can create regulatory risk. This study examines how such risk manifests in Central Europe and which policy tools mitigate it. We develop a three-dimension framework-regulatory clarity...

As Thailand's financial sector accelerates its digital transformation, cybersecurity has transitioned from a mere technical support function to a strategic imperative that governs operational risk and financial stability. This study empirically examines the efficacy of cyber risk controls and...

The present study examines the influence of major and mega events on the holiday travel planning of the German resident population in 2024. The focus lies on sports and music events, which took place in large numbers in 2024 and represent an important part of the leisure time behaviour for many...

We constructed an urban fintech index and analyzed data from 2834 publicly traded Chinese enterprises for the period 2010-2022 to investigate the impact of fintech on the innovation quality of enterprises. The findings indicate that this impact is positively reinforced by the innovation...

The shadow economy, which can be defined as undeclared economic activities carried out in secret from public authorities,, and that cause negativities such as tax losses outside of official economic activities, has become a part of the economic activities of both developed and devel-oping...

The rapid advancement of Financial Technology (FinTech) has ushered in a new era of financial services, with innovative solutions that have the potential to transform how individuals and businesses manage their finances. This research study explores the critical factors affecting the adoption of...

This paper examines how digital metaspace technologies impact the financial market infrastructure. This paper develops a methodological platform for integrating the financial technology (FinTech) ecosystem models in the financial market infrastructure. The findings show that the benefits of...

As financial globalization continues to evolve, it has played a pivotal role in the development of financial sectors in developing countries, enhancing efficiency and fostering competition. However, this trend has also raised concerns regarding its socio-economic impacts, particularly in...

The explosive growth of financial technology (Fintech) has transformed the credit and equity markets, providing small businesses with unprecedented access to capital and driving financial inclusion. However, how this financial inclusion affects the effectiveness of capital allocation remains...

Despite growing global concern, the gender pay gap (GPG) within China's financial sector remains underexplored through systematic, data-driven approaches. This study presents one of the few, if not the only, systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analyses focused on the GPG in this...

This Special Issue (Trends and New Developments in FinTech) discusses fintech trends such as the aspects of the regulation of digital activities, the implementation of technologies on reducing carbon emissions, ESG investments by FinTech, the trend towards asset tokenization and related banking...