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Purpose: The prime purpose of the study is to analyse the effect of fintech adoption on the financial well-being of persons with disabilities (PWDs), considering the intervening role of financial behaviour, financial access and financial knowledge. Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered survey schedule collected primary data on fintech adoption and financial well-being among 205 PWD, through snowball sampling from January to May 2023. Researchers used exploratory factor analysis to identify reliable factors and PLS-SEM for testing mediation and research hypotheses. Findings: The study's outcome found that fintech adoption does not directly impact the financial well-being of PWDs. Instead, the impact on financial well-being is explained by mediating factors like financial access, financial knowledge and financial behaviour. Financial access is the most significant among these mediating factors. Research limitations/implications: The study demonstrates the significance of mediating factors in comprehending the influence of fintech adoption on financial well-being. These results underpin existing literature on determinants of financial well-being. Practical implications: Findings evidenced that developing disabled-friendly fintech tools can enhance financial access, reduce inequality and improve the financial well-being of PWDs, which would be helpful for public policymakers. Originality/value: There has been no comprehensive study conducted on this topic, particularly among PWDs. In the current study, an effort is being made to examine the relative effects of fintech adoption on financial well-being directly and indirectly through mediating variables. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2023-0596 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital payments are the most popular financial service in Africa, having been adopted by half of all adults. Nevertheless, there remain significant barriers to access in Africa's digital payment sector, stymieing growth. Cost and distance to a branch or agent are chief among them, exacerbated by the fact that many economies in Africa have small financial services markets, with payment sectors dominated by private sector financial service and payment system providers that have invested in proprietary, closed-loop digital payments processing infrastructure. These closed-loop systems can be inefficient and therefore expensive to operate, leaving payment services out of reach for millions of end users. With the goal of calling out fruitful approaches for expanding and maturing Africa's payments market, this paper highlights lessons from four public or public–private instant payment systems (IPS) initiatives that aimed to build affordable and inclusive digital public infrastructure to enable broader access and therefore growth in Africa's digital payments sector. Using case studies from Ghana, Malawi, Zambia and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, this paper highlights lessons from these initiatives, including the need for enabling regulations, the need to craft a compelling business case for incumbent payment service providers, central bank involvement to ensure a focus on inclusive access, and customer-centricity to ensure the IPS can process high-demand payment types through the channels that end users prefer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of financial development on green finance and environmental sustainability over thirty years, from 1993 to 2023. It uses data from all countries and applies the Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) approach. The study analysed the relationship between financial development indicators such as financial access, financial depth, financial efficiency, financial stability and measures of green finance. The researchers found that increased levels of financial development positively affect the adoption and implementation of green finance practices. Green finance initiatives around the world are successful in meeting environmental sustainability objectives. Governments and policymakers need to prioritise investments and policies that promote green finance to meet environmental sustainability globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the impact of corruption, financial access, and gender on corporate tax compliance using data from the World Bank survey covering 52 countries from 2019 to 2023. The findings show that corruption positively affects tax compliance, indicating that higher levels of corruption lead to increased tax obligations for firms. Additionally, financial access improves tax compliance by providing businesses with greater financial stability, which enhances their ability to meet tax requirements. However, the gender of senior managers does not significantly influence tax compliance. The results suggest that to improve tax compliance, policies should focus on reducing corruption, increasing access to finance, and ensuring fair tax practices. Companies should avoid corrupt practices and collaborate with government authorities to foster compliance. The study contributes to the existing literature by incorporating the role of corruption, financial access, and gender into the framework of tax compliance, offering new insights into the dynamics of corporate behavior in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial access is used in practice and research as an important concept relevant to financial capability and financial well‐being. This study examines the literature on individual financial access and develops a conceptualization, definition, domains, and proposed items. Following a systematic conceptual review method, the review is based on 171 articles published during January 2012–August 2022 retrieved from Scopus and Dissertation and Thesis Global. Using grounded theory, data were coded related to financial access definition, concepts, measurement, and associated content. The domains identified were Mainstream Financial Products and Services, Institutional Practices of Available Mainstream Financial Service Providers, Individual Resources and Intrinsic Qualities and Abilities, and Individual Financial Action and Perceptions. Financial Products or Services Utilized by Social Programs to Provide Benefits was added. Study implications include the need to broaden the focus of policies and practices beyond ownership of financial products and services. Directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We employed the Bayesian method to investigate the impact of government spending, financial development (measured by bank credit), and trade on income inequality reduction in 66 low‐income countries (LICs) across Africa, Asia, America, and Europe from 2000 to 2018. Controlling inflation and unemployment, our results indicate that trade and inflation exacerbate income inequality in LICs, while financial development and government spending have no impact on reducing income inequality in these countries. Furthermore, the findings show that real GDP per capita reduces income inequality in LICs. To ensure the robustness of our results, we also conducted frequentist quantile regression, which yielded consistent findings that financial development, government spending, and trade do not reduce income inequality in LICs. We further discuss the potential channels through which trade, financial development, inflation, and government spending contribute to income inequality in LICs, and provide policy implications based on the empirical evidence. Related Articles: Adegboye, Alex, Kofo Adegboye, Uwalomwa Uwuigbe, Stephen Ojeka, and Eyitemi Fasanu. 2023. "Taxation, Democracy, and Inequality in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Relevant Linkages for Sustainable Development Goals." Politics & Policy 51(4): 696–722. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12547. Asongu, Simplice, and Nicholas M. Odhiambo. 2023. "The Effect of Inequality on Poverty and Severity of Poverty in Sub‐Saharan Africa: The Role of Financial Development Institutions." Politics & Policy 51(5): 898–918. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12558. Polacko, Matthew. 2023. "Turning Off the Base: Social Democracy's Neoliberal Turn, Income Inequality, and Turnout." Politics & Policy 51(4): 538–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12550. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The study measured the Internet Financial Reporting (IFR) disclosure index and compared the results across three continents of the global e‐commerce business. In addition, it documents various social media platforms used by e‐commerce. We use content analysis with a scoring matrix based on content, timeliness, technology, and support used in websites and a one‐way ANOVA. The findings identified an average IFR e‐commerce disclosure index of 0.735, which is of good quality as it approaches the value of 1. There is no difference in index IFR between the three continental zones overall, but slightly different from non‐e‐commerce companies. The results also prove that websites and blog media still dominate the use of social media, while other social media platforms have not provided financial information. Researchers in accounting have not conducted research topics on social media, so there are still limited references and narrow analytical content. This research will interest the e‐commerce business industry and compile their financial reporting through the website to improve the quality of their IFR and financial access. Since the e‐commerce business is an internet‐based company growing significantly, it can use other social media to reveal its reporting as decent work and economic growth. This subject is relatively innovative because none of the IFR disclosure index studies focuses on e‐commerce businesses on social media. It fills the research gap related to the characteristics of e‐commerce businesses, where almost all activities are internet‐based. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which are business activity units that run businesses in several fields, are vital for the economies of several countries. Credit access (CA) is regarded as an important matter for MSMEs' growth in the development and sustainable growth of MSMEs. In the financial sectors, the government's role via policies like augmenting MSMEs' credit becomes completely significant. For evaluating CA towards MSMEs in Kerala, this study was developed. Analysing the challenges in accessing credit in MSMEs is the aim. For evaluating the outcomes, a simple random sampling methodology was deployed. In Kerala, the impact of credit knowledge was significant on MSMEs' CA. As per the outcomes, a greater probability of augmenting loan access is engendered by the factor of challenges in attaining private equity funding and high lending interest rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banks are one of the key drivers of economic development across communities. Banking deserts—defined by inadequate banking access—limit access to capital, inhibit wealth accumulation, and increase exposure to predatory lending. Banking desert formation could be profit-driven, with lower-income and less densely populated regions more likely to become banking deserts. Discrimination could also play a role here: banks may have less presence in areas with higher minority populations. The authors use a panel, census tract-level data set for the entire state of North Carolina to investigate how these forces impact banking access and banking desert formation. Panel methodologies are incorporated to investigate the extent to which profit and discrimination mechanisms each drive banking access and banking desert formation. Profit and discrimination mechanisms are shown to play roles, highlighting the need for policies that mitigate bank branch losses in underserved neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of a country’s financial access and stability and the adoption of retail central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) across 71 countries. Using an ordinal logit model, we examine how individual financial access, the ownership of credit cards, financing accessibility by firms, offshore loans, financial sanctions, and the ownership structure of financial institutions influence the probability of CBDC adoption in nations. These findings reveal that nations facing financial sanctions and those with substantial offshore bank loans are more inclined to adopt CBDCs. Furthermore, a significant relationship is observed in countries where many people have restricted financial access, indicating heightened interest in CBDC adoption. Interestingly, no statistically significant relationship was found between the adoption of CBDCs and the percentage of foreign-owned banks in each country. The results show that countries with low financial stability and financial access adopt CBDCs faster. This study expands our knowledge of how a nation’s financial situation influences its adoption of CBDCs. The results provide important and relevant insights into the current discussion of the direction of global finance.

The purpose of this study is to analyze significant variables that permit us to ascertain the profitability of Bangladeshi Shariah-based banks. In doing so, two profitability measurements, namely, return on asset (ROA) and return on equity (ROE), have been used as dependent variables, while capital adequacy, asset management quality, operational efficiency, credit risk, liquidity, and the size of the bank have been considered as bank-specific independent variables. In addition, the rate of interest, inflation, and GDP growth rate have also been taken as macroeconomic independent variables. This study examined panel data of eight Shariah-based Islamic banks over a thirteen-year period spanning from 2010 to 2022, applying different kinds of linear regression models, including pooled ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed effects, and random effects. Subsequently, the generalized method of moments (GMM) approach is also applied to assess the robustness of the findings. The results revealed that the profitability of Bangladeshi Shariah-based Islamic banks is positively associated with asset management quality, liquidity, and credit risk. In contrast, capital adequacy, operational efficiency, and bank size are negatively correlated with the bank's profitability. Concerning the macroeconomic factors, the findings indicated a notable positive correlation between the profitability of Shariah-based banks in Bangladesh and both the inflation rate and the interest rate spread. However, this study has also found that the profitability of the sample banks of Bangladesh is not significantly influenced by GDP growth. By providing fresh empirical data, the current research aimed to close a significant vacuum in the body of knowledge on banks and provide important insights for policymakers, managers, and other stakeholders by focusing on particular bank-specific and macroeconomic aspects that influence the profitability of Shariah-based Islamic banks in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of a country's financial access and stability and the adoption of retail central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) across 71 countries. Using an ordinal logit model, we examine how individual financial access, the ownership of credit cards, financing accessibility by firms, offshore loans, financial sanctions, and the ownership structure of financial institutions influence the probability of CBDC adoption in nations. These findings reveal that nations facing financial sanctions and those with substantial offshore bank loans are more inclined to adopt CBDCs. Furthermore, a significant relationship is observed in countries where many people have restricted financial access, indicating heightened interest in CBDC adoption. Interestingly, no statistically significant relationship was found between the adoption of CBDCs and the percentage of foreign-owned banks in each country. The results show that countries with low financial stability and financial access adopt CBDCs faster. This study expands our knowledge of how a nation's financial situation influences its adoption of CBDCs. The results provide important and relevant insights into the current discussion of the direction of global finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the association between debt collection experience and physical health. Financial access, the ability to own and use financial products and services from mainstream financial institutions, may serve as a buffer on the association. Using the 2022 Financial Health Pulse data, this study explored the association among debt collection experience, financial access, and health. This study identified three classes of financial access (Investor, Working Class, and Thinly Banked) through the Latent Class Analysis and found a negative association between debt collection experience and physical health. The negative association is strongest for those with the lowest financial access. Practice, research, and policy implications for consumer finance and health practitioners are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is designed to investigate the impact of women’s financial inclusion and financial attitude on their financial well-being. To determine the sample size, we consider the convenience sampling technique. In this study, we used causal and quantitative research methodologies and collected data from women respondents through a survey and a structured questionnaire method. As a part of the study, 227 responses were collected from women participants. In order to analyse the responses used, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling techniques. The finding shows that women’s financial inclusion and financial attitude positively and significantly influence their financial well-being. In the implication of the study policymakers, and government authorities upsurge the financial well-being of women by ensuring their proper access to appropriate financial products and services and improving their financial management capabilities and skills. This study will be very helpful in the sustainable and inclusive development of women and their empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to analyze significant variables that permit us to ascertain the profitability of Bangladeshi Shariah-based banks. In doing so, two profitability measurements, namely, return on asset (ROA) and return on equity (ROE), have been used as dependent variables, while capital adequacy, asset management quality, operational efficiency, credit risk, liquidity, and the size of the bank have been considered as bank-specific independent variables. In addition, the rate of interest, inflation, and GDP growth rate have also been taken as macroeconomic independent variables. This study examined panel data of eight Shariah-based Islamic banks over a thirteen-year period spanning from 2010 to 2022, applying different kinds of linear regression models, including pooled ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed effects, and random effects. Subsequently, the generalized method of moments (GMM) approach is also applied to assess the robustness of the findings. The results revealed that the profitability of Bangladeshi Shariah-based Islamic banks is positively associated with asset management quality, liquidity, and credit risk. In contrast, capital adequacy, operational efficiency, and bank size are negatively correlated with the bank’s profitability. Concerning the macroeconomic factors, the findings indicated a notable positive correlation between the profitability of Shariah-based banks in Bangladesh and both the inflation rate and the interest rate spread. However, this study has also found that the profitability of the sample banks of Bangladesh is not significantly influenced by GDP growth. By providing fresh empirical data, the current research aimed to close a significant vacuum in the body of knowledge on banks and provide important insights for policymakers, managers, and other stakeholders by focusing on particular bank-specific and macroeconomic aspects that influence the profitability of Shariah-based Islamic banks in Bangladesh.