Financial Inclusion in Fintech Era: A Systematic Review of Literature and Research Frontiers
Financial Inclusion in Fintech Era: A Systematic Review of Literature and Research Frontiers
Vol 19 , Issue 1 , July 2025 | Pages: 38-50
DOI: 10.61691/IPEM_Mgmt.19.2025.38-50
Published Online: July, 2025
- Author Affiliations
- Abstract
- References
- Citation
Author Details
Dr. Nidhi Srivastav
PhD, Professor, GL Bajaj Institute of Management and Research, Plot No.02, Knowledge Park- III, Greater Noida, 201306
Email: nidhi.srivastava@glbimr.org
Dr. Shuchita Singh
PhD. Professor, GL Bajaj Institute of Management and Research, Plot No.02, Knowledge Park- III, Greater Noida, 201306
Email: shuchita.singh@glbimr.org
Dr. Arpita Srivastava
Professor, G.L. Bajaj Institute of Management & Research. PGDM Institute, #2, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida-201306
Email: arpita.srivastava@glbimr.org
Recent research emphasized the growth of Fintech in promoting financial inclusion, primarily through digital interventions. Scholars explore the intricate link between growth of an economy through financial technology and inclusion of each member of society, sparking a surge in academic interest. Current study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) through Theory, Construct, Context and Method (TCCM) framework from 1980 to 2023, analysing 45
journal articles from various international perspectives. The synthesis reveals valuable insights into traditional and digital financial services, emphasizing the roles of socio-economic, technological, and policy factors. Policymakers, researchers, and practitioners stand to benefit significantly from these findings, particularly in addressing persistent gaps related to access, adoption, and trust in Fintech for financial inclusion. The study underscores the need for further research, urging exploration of non-linear effects, cross-country comparisons, and interdisciplinary approaches to deepen understanding and foster more inclusive financial systems. This research contributes to advancing financial inclusion theory and advocates for ongoing efforts to create sustainable and accessible financial environments globally.
Keywords – Financial inclusion, Fintech, digital finance, Systematic Literature Review, TCCM Framework
Afjal, M. (2023). Bridging the financial divide: a bibliometric analysis on the role of digital financial services within FinTech in enhancing financial inclusion and economic development. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02086-y
Ashenafi, B. B., & Dong, Y. (2022). Financial inclusion, Fintech, and income inequality in Africa. FinTech, 1(4), 376-387. https://doi.org/10.3390/fintech1040028
Asongu, S. & Odhiambo, N. M. (n.d.). Inequality and gender inclusion: Minimum ICT policy thresholds for promoting female employment in Sub-Saharan Africa Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen. http://hdl.handle.net/10419/227949
Ali, Jabir, and Archana Kumari Ghildiyal. 2023. “Socio-Economic Characteristics, Mobile Phone Ownership and Banking Behaviour of Individuals as Determinants of Digital Financial Inclusion in India.” International Journal of Social Economics. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-10-2022-0673.
Arner, D. W., Ross P. Buckley, D. A. Zetzsche, & Robin Veidt. (2020). “Sustainability, FinTech and Financial Inclusion.” European Business Organization Law Review 21 (1): 7–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40804-020-00183-y.
Asif, Mohammad, Mohd Naved Khan, Sadhana Tiwari, Showkat K. Wani, and Firoz Alam. 2023. “The Impact of Fintech and Digital Financial Services on Financial Inclusion in India.” Journal of Risk and Financial Management 16 (2). https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm16020122.
Aziz, Abdul, and Umma Naima. 2021. “Rethinking Digital Financial Inclusion: Evidence from Bangladesh.” Technology in Society 64 (February). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2020.101509.
Bernards, N. (2019). “The Poverty of Fintech? Psychometrics, Credit Infrastructures, and the Limits of Financialization.” Review of International Political Economy 26 (5): 815–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290.2019.1597753.
Biekpe, Cassimon, N., & Danny. (2020). Munich Personal RePEc Archive Understanding the diffusion of mobile money innovations in Africa.
Demirguc-Kunt, Asli, Leora Klapper, Dorothe Singer, Saniya Ansar, and Jake Hess. 2018. The Global Findex Database 2017: Measuring Financial Inclusion and the Fintech Revolution. The World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1259-0.
Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli, Leora Klapper, Dorothe Singer, Saniya Ansar, and Jake Hess. 2020. “The Global Findex Database 2017: Measuring Financial Inclusion and Opportunities to Expand Access to and Use of Financial Services.” World Bank Economic Review 34 (February): S2–8. https://doi.org/10.1093/wber/lhz013.
Dissanayake, H., Popescu, C., &Iddagoda, A. (2023). A Bibliometric Analysis of Financial Technology: Unveiling the Research Landscape. FinTech, 2(3), 527-542. https://doi.org/10.3390/fintech2030030
Firmansyah, E. A., Masri, M., Anshari, M., & Besar, M. H. A. (2022). Factors affecting fintech adoption: a systematic literature review. FinTech, 2(1), 21-33. https://doi.org/10.3390/fintech2010002
Gabor, D., & Sally Brooks. (2017). “The Digital Revolution in Financial Inclusion: International Development in the Fintech Era.” New Political Economy 22 (4): 423–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2017.1259298.
Gallego-Losada, María Jesús, Antonio Montero-Navarro, Elisa García-Abajo, and Rocío Gallego-Losada. 2023. “Digital Financial Inclusion. Visualizing the Academic Literature.” Research in International Business and Finance 64 (January). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2022.101862.
Gálvez-Sánchez, Francisco Jesús, Juan Lara-Rubio, Antonio José Verdú-Jóver, and Víctor Meseguer-Sánchez. 2021. “Research Advances on Financial Inclusion: A Bibliometric Analysis.” Sustainability (Switzerland) 13 (6). https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063156.
Garg, G., Mohd Shamshad, N. G., Mosab I. Tabash, B. H., & Linda Nalini Daniel. (2023). “A Bibliometric Analysis of Fintech Trends: An Empirical Investigation.” International Journal of Financial Studies 11 (2): 79. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs11020079.
Gershenson, Dmitry, Luis Herrera, Frederic Lambert, Grey Ramos, Marina Rousset, Jose Torres, Alejandro Werner, et al. (2021). “Fintech and Financial Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Authors Would like to Thank Pelin Berkmen for Initiating the Work on This Topic and Patricia Alonso-Gamo for Her Guidance and Support.”
Ghosh, S. (2016). Does mobile telephony spur growth? Evidence from Indian states. Telecommunications Policy, 40(10–11), pp. 1020–1031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2016.05.009
Hannig, Alfred, and Stefan Jansen. 2010. “ADBI Working Paper Series Financial Inclusion and Financial Stability: Current Policy Issues Asian Development Bank Institute.” www.adbi.org.
Huang, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Financial Inclusion and Urban-Rural Income Inequality: Long-Run and Short-Run Relationships. Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, 56(2), 457–471. https://doi.org/10.1080/1540496X.2018.1562896
Khera, Purva, Stephanie Ng, Sumiko Ogawa, Ratna Sahay, Tobias Adrian, Martin Čihák, Ulric Eriksson Von Allmen, et al. 2021. “Measuring Digital Financial Inclusion in Emerging Market and Developing Economies: A New Index IMF Working Paper Monetary and Capital Markets Department Measuring Digital Financial Inclusion in Emerging Market and Developing Economies: A New Index”
Koomson, I., & Danquah, M. (2021). Financial Inclusion and Energy Poverty: Empirical Evidence from Ghana. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3759480
Liu, D., Zhang, Y., Hafeez, M., & Ullah, S. (2022). Financial inclusion and its influence on economic-environmental performance: demand and supply perspectives. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(38), 58212–58221. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-18856-1
Mhlanga, D. (2020). “Industry 4.0 in Finance: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Digital Financial Inclusion.” International Journal of Financial Studies 8 (3): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs8030045.
Niankara, Ibrahim, and Abu Reza M. Islam. 2023. “The Impact of B2P Electronic Payroll and G2P Digital Welfare on Formal Financial Inclusion in the Global Open Economy.” Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity 9 (2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2023.100034.
Odhiambo, & Nicholas. (2019). How Enhancing Gender Inclusion Affects Inequality: Thresholds of Complementary Policies for Sustainable Development.
Ozili, P. K. (n.d.). “Munich Personal RePEc Archive Financial Inclusion Research around the World: A Review Ozili, Peterson K Financial Inclusion Research around the World: A Review.” Accessed August 31, 2023. https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/101809/.
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., … & Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. bmj, 372.https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Senyo, P. K., and Ellis L.C. Osabutey. 2020. “Unearthing Antecedents to Financial Inclusion through FinTech Innovations.” Technovation 98 (December). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2020.102155.
Shen, Yan, Wenxiu Hu, & C. James Hueng. (2021). “Digital Financial Inclusion and Economic Growth: A Cross-Country Study.” In Procedia Computer Science, 187:218–23. Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.04.054.
Tinta, AbdoulganiourAlmame, Idrissa Mohamed Ouédraogo, and Ramatu Mahama Al-Hassan. 2022. “The Micro Determinants of Financial Inclusion and Financial Resilience in Africa.” African Development Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8268.12636.
Tram, Thi Xuan Huong, Tien Dinh Lai, and Thi Truc Huong Nguyen. 2023. “Constructing a Composite Financial Inclusion Index for Developing Economies.” Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance 87 (February): 257–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qref.2021.01.003.
Van, Loan Thi Hong, Anh The Vo, Nhan Thien Nguyen, and Duc Hong Vo. 2021. “Financial Inclusion and Economic GROWTH: An International Evidence.” Emerging Markets Finance and Trade 57 (1): 239–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/1540496X.2019.1697672.
Wang, L., Wang, Y., Sun, Y., Han, K., & Chen, Y. (2022). Financial inclusion and green economic efficiency: evidence from China. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 65(2), 240–271. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2021.1881459
Al-Smadi, M. O. (2023). “Examining the Relationship between Digital Finance and Financial Inclusion: Evidence from MENA Countries.” Borsa Istanbul Review 23 (2): 464–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bir.2022.11.016.
Demir, Ayse, Vanesa Pesqué-Cela, Y. A., & Victor Murinde. (2022). “Fintech, Financial Inclusion and Income Inequality: A Quantile Regression Approach.” European Journal of Finance 28 (1): 86–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/1351847X.2020.1772335.
Gutiérrez-Nieto, Begoña, and Carlos Serrano-Cinca. 2019. “20 Years of Research in Microfinance: An Information Management Approach.” International Journal of Information Management 47 (August): 183–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.01.001.
Hasan, M., Noor, T., Gao, J., Usman, M., & Abedin, M. Z. (2022). Rural Consumers’ Financial Literacy and Access to FinTech Services. Journal of the Knowledge Economy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-022-00936-9
Khelifa, Soumaya Ben, Dorra Hmaied, Olfa Ben Ouda, Rym Ayadi, and Rania Makni. 2022. “Financial Inclusion: A New Multidimensional Index and Determinants – Evidence from the Union for the Mediterranean Countries.” Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, December. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeas-12-2021-0266.
Koomson, I., Villano, R. A., & Hadley, D. (2019). Intensifying financial inclusion through the provision of financial literacy training: a gendered perspective. www.nesranetwork.com
Koomson, I., Villano, R., & Hadley, D. (2020). Effect of Financial Inclusion on Poverty and Vulnerability to Poverty: Evidence Using a Multidimensional Measure of Financial Inclusion. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3518908
Lagna, A., & M. N. Ravishankar. (2022). “Making the World a Better Place with Fintech Research.” Information Systems Journal 32 (1): 61–102. https://doi.org/10.1111/isj.12333.
Maia, Saulo Cardoso, Gideon Carvalho de Benedicto, José Willer do Prado, David Alastair Robb, Oscar Neto de Almeida Bispo, and Mozar José de Brito. 2019. “Mapping the Literature on Credit
Unions: A Bibliometric Investigation Grounded in Scopus and Web of Science.” Scientometrics 120 (3): 929–60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-019-03165-1.
Okello CandiyaBongomin, G., Ntayi, J. M., Munene, J. C., & Malinga, C. A. (2018). Mobile Money and Financial Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa: the Moderating Role of Social Networks. Journal of African Business, 19(3), 361–384. https://doi.org/10.1080/15228916.2017.1416214
Ozili, P. K. (2018). Impact of digital finance on financial inclusion and stability. Borsa Istanbul Review, 18(4), 329–340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bir.2017.12.003
Wang, Y., Xiuping, S., & Zhang, Q. (2021). Can Fintech improve the efficiency of commercial banks? —An analysis based on big data. Research in International Business and Finance, p. 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2020.101338
Yang, L., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Digital financial inclusion and sustainable growth of small and micro enterprises-evidence based on China’s new third board market listed companies. Sustainability (Switzerland), 1

