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PurposeThis study aims to explore a paradigm for using servitization in circular supply chains, with research fields including smart, sustainable supply chains, circular economy, innovation, digital technology, product service systems and sustainability as focal areas.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive statistical analysis of the literature on servitization, circular economy and smart supply chains reveals the history of the industry, including scholarly work, major concerns and future research prospects. The database for the analysis is provided by Scopus. Consequently, 288 research articles were reviewed, and the research trends of servitization, circular supply chains and smart supply chains from 2014 to 2022 (Q1) were covered.FindingsThe analysis reconnoitres bibliometric statistics highlighting notable authors, contemporary keywords for sifting through the literature, scientific dimensions related to smart supply chain, servitization and the circular economy, historical growth based on exploration trends and country-by-country investigation of the research field. The study also proposes a conceptual framework that illustrates how a greater emphasis on removing barriers to servitization could increase the efficiency of various circular supply chains. Given this, there is room for further research into the role servitization plays in ensuring long-term sustainability.Originality/valueThis paper helps to understand current scholarly publications on servitization, smart supply chains and their significance in the circular economy. It also provides a template to utilize the field’s prior accomplishments as a guide to future research opportunities.