The Impact of Fintech on Financial Inclusion and Economic Development

Ana Hîrbu

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The rise of Fintech is an emerging topic as it changes the way financial markets operate. Fintech introduces new business models to the traditional financial industry. The existing literature does not provide sufficient empirical evidence on the significant impact of Fintech on financial inclusion and economic development. Research on this topic has mostly been conducted to analyse the relationship between Fintech and financial inclusion, overlooking the broader impact of digital financial inclusion on overall economic development. This paper aims to bridge this gap by conducting a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the Fintech sector over the past decade, delving into the correlation between socio-economic indicators and Fintech indicators chronologically, regionally, and quantitatively. This study seeks to understand the intricate interplay between different Fintech tools and financial inclusion, as well as their collective influence on economic development. Moreover, the paper endeavours to empirically investigate the effect of both the traditional and Fintech-based financial inclusion in the group of G22 developing nations, by developing indices of financial inclusion, Fintech and economic development. The findings reveal a robust correlation between Fintech-based financial inclusion and accelerated economic development within the G22 group of developing countries. The experiences of emerging economies will serve as valuable benchmarks for future research, providing indispensable insights for governmental bodies and policymakers in developing nations.

Abstract:

The rise of Fintech is an emerging topic as it changes the way financial markets operate. Fintech introduces new business models to the traditional financial industry. The existing literature does not provide sufficient empirical evidence on the significant impact of Fintech on financial inclusion and economic development. Research on this topic has mostly been conducted to analyse the relationship between Fintech and financial inclusion, overlooking the broader impact of digital financial inclusion on overall economic development. This paper aims to bridge this gap by conducting a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the Fintech sector over the past decade, delving into the correlation between socio-economic indicators and Fintech indicators chronologically, regionally, and quantitatively. This study seeks to understand the intricate interplay between different Fintech tools and financial inclusion, as well as their collective influence on economic development. Moreover, the paper endeavours to empirically investigate the effect of both the traditional and Fintech-based financial inclusion in the group of G22 developing nations, by developing indices of financial inclusion, Fintech and economic development. The findings reveal a robust correlation between Fintech-based financial inclusion and accelerated economic development within the G22 group of developing countries. The experiences of emerging economies will serve as valuable benchmarks for future research, providing indispensable insights for governmental bodies and policymakers in developing nations.

Keywords

Fintech – Financial Technology (FT), Financial Inclusion (FI), Economic Development (ED), Traditional Financial Inclusion (TFI), Fintech-based Financial Inclusion (FFI), Financial Econometrics (FE)

Keywords

Financial Inclusion (FI), Economic Development (ED), Traditional Financial Inclusion (TFI), Fintech – Financial Technology (FT), Fintech-based Financial Inclusion (FFI), Financial Econometrics (FE)

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 14. 8. 2023

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 8. 9. 2023
• Supervisor: Karel Brůna
• Reader: Kateřina Šímová

Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze

Master programme:
Finance and Accounting