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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Banking has evolved from ancient times of using grain banks and temple lending to modern banking practices. The transformation of the banking sector has ensured that banks play the crucial role of facilitating faster and efficient service delivery. This paper traced the evolution of banking and...

This study investigates the impact of digitalisation and intangible investment-specifically digital skills and software adoption-on productivity in the United Kingdom's banking sector. Software adoption is captured through banks' investment in enterprise systems (CRM/ERP, cloud computing, and...

The new era of FinTech services enabled the financial sector to benefit from innovative and cost-effective products via process automation, fostering a foundation for more sustainable business growth. Despite considerable research, the determinants of FinTech services adoption by businesses...

This study examines whether fintech lenders outperform traditional banks and non-fintech non-banks in risk assessment for U.S. 30-year fixed-rate conforming mortgages. Analyzing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans from Q1 2012 to Q1 2020 using ROC/AUC and risk-pricing regressions, we find fintech...

The comprehensive integration of modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence and big data, into the financial sector in recent years has profoundly transformed the operating model of the traditional financial industry. These technologies not only redefine the operating mechanisms of the...

This paper examines the impact of agent banking activities, a recent FinTech development, influencing the profitability and financial outcomes of commercial banks operating in Bangladesh, as agent banking has been receiving significant global attention due to its technology-driven approach,...

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...

Governments worldwide are mandating e-invoicing and real-time VAT reporting, yet many cash-intensive service SMEs continue to under-report VAT, eroding fiscal revenues. This study investigates whether financial technology (FinTech) adoption can reduce this under-reporting among tourism SMEs in...

This paper explores the intervening role in SEP performance of corporate environmental, cultural, and ethnic activities (ECEAs) and diversity, equity, inclusion, and social initiatives (DEISIs) on blockchain adoption (BCA) strategy, particularly useful in the Western Balkans (WB), which demands...

A long-standing debate concerns whether technological change widens wage gaps by benefiting skilled labor. We show that financial technologiesspecifically, instant payment systemscan instead reduce wage inequality. Using an administrative dataset covering all registered employees in Brazil, we...

The incorporation of financial technology (FinTech) into contemporary business development has emerged as a critical factor for small medium enterprises (SMEs), which contribute to their viability. In light of the significant collaboration between Hungary and Indonesia, this research endeavors...

The recent development of FinTech has raised concerns about the unique role of small banks in the small business lending market; therefore, this study investigates how FinTech affects small banks, focusing on their comparative advantage in the small business lending market. Our results suggest...