Pre-analysis commitment for a study of deposit rate sensitivity across U.S. bank size classes over the 2021 to 2024 tightening cycle, using FDIC Call Report data. The plan fixes the estimator, sample, comparison groups, controls, reported statistics, robustness variants, and the threshold for what counts as a finding. The file was written on August 25, 2026, before any data was retrieved. It was deposited here on August 27, 2026, after estimation had been carried out. This deposit therefore establishes the content and the deposit date. It does not independently verify that the file predates the estimation, and no claim to that effect is made. Departures from the plan are recorded in a deviation log accompanying the analysis. The work is funded by the Blockchain Association. The author retains the right to publish the findings regardless of what they show.
Increasing environmental harm, social inequalities and economic insecurity have rendered the youth involvement in impact investment essential to sustainable development. The chapter reviews the motivators of youth-led impact investment, a financial investment approach that incorporates financial returns with quantifiable social and environmental good. It sheds light on the impact of Environmental, Social and Governance values among Millennials and Generation Z whose investment priorities are based on ethics, accountability and long-term welfare of the society. Decentralized finance and digital micro-investment platforms have opened up capital markets to more people regardless of income or location. Gen Z is transforming the creation of wealth by creating transparent, inclusive and purposeful financial systems. Nevertheless, the challenge of insufficient financial literacy, access to capital and institutional backing continues to exist, especially in the Global South. The chapter supports the idea of inclusive financial systems to make the youth more empowered and promote intergenerational justice and sustainability.
ABSTRACT This study critically examines how financial technology (fintech) may facilitate digital and financial inclusion for ethnic minority and Indigenous women engaged in environmentally oriented livelihood and enterprise practices within historically marginalized communities. The study adopts a contextâsensitive and intersectional perspective, recognizing that digital inclusion and entrepreneurship are culturally embedded rather than universally transferable models of development. Using a conceptual review approach guided by the PRISMA framework, 43 studies published between 2019 and 2025 were systematically analyzed to explore how fintech tools such as mobile money, crowdfunding, peerâtoâpeer lending, and blockchainâenabled systems interact with local socioâeconomic realities, community trust structures, and production systems that demonstrate environmental or sustainabilityârelated objectives in particular local settings. The findings suggest that fintech can support expanded economic participation and market access and facilitate environmentally oriented enterprise development where such an orientation is locally demonstrated, provided that digital financial systems are adapted to local cultural contexts, institutional conditions, and communityâbased practices. Meaningful inclusion depends on culturally grounded forms of digital engagement, participatory governance, and the interpretive translation of entrepreneurial and financial systems. The study contributes to sustainable development scholarship by integrating perspectives from inclusive development, intersectionality, digital inclusion, and decolonial approaches to entrepreneurship and finance. Policy implications emphasize the need for genderâresponsive, culturally situated, and communityâembedded fintech ecosystems. The review further emphasizes that successful fintech interventions require not only technological accessibility but also broader processes of âworldview translationâ through which digital financial systems become socially intelligible and culturally legitimate within local community contexts.
This paper explores the deployment of a blockchain supported land-registry system in rural Bihar. In light of transparency, fraud mitigation, governance efficiency and digital inclusion, this paper refutes the common assumption that immutability of data results in accurate title. This study employs validated secondary data, from the years 2020-2025, such as the Bihar National Family Health Survey 2019-2021, various official sources of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme, Bihar land-service portals, and peer-reviewed literature on the intersection of blockchain and land governance. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, approximately 84 percent of surveyed households in Bihar were classified as rural, and a majority of the respondents, 79.4 percent of women and 56.4 percent of men, had never used the Internet. The widening of the access gap was examined in the context of the mobile phone ownership and usage, the financial inclusion of women, as well as the self-reported ownership of a house or land. The evidence-weighted readiness assessment determined that the level of digitization was relatively better, but the level of coordination of institutions, governance of cybersecurity, design of correction mechanisms, and design of user participation mechanisms were relatively poor. This paper proposes a permissioned industry consortium ledger, where sensitive data and documents remain off-chain, and the only data recorded on-chain are the hashes, identifiers, approvals, timestamps and version references of the land parcels. Smart contracts are used to manage the workflows from registration to mutation, but are not used to resolve the issues of contested titles, inheritance, or boundaries. This paper proposes an assisted-access model with a phased implementation approach, a multilingual interface, an appeal mechanism, and gender-disaggregated analysis and evaluation. Rather than fabricating field surveys and administrative performance data, this paper presents a complete primary data collection framework with a detailed statistical analysis plan for empirical assessment.
Feeroj Nasirkhan Pathan, Amarsingh Udhavrao Solanke, Mr. Wasim Taher Khan, Dr. Mangesh Manohar Dasare
The vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 seeks to transform India into a developed, inclusive, and globally competitive nation by the centenary of its independence. Achieving this vision requires a digitally enabled financial system that promotes innovation, expands financial inclusion, and supports sustainable economic growth. In this background, Financial Technology (FinTech) has emerged as a key driver of India's digital transformation. India's FinTech ecosystem has grown quickly with the support of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), including Aadhaar, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), DigiLocker, India Stack and e-KYC. These initiatives have expanded access to financial services, accelerated digital payments, enhanced access to formal credit, strengthened public service delivery, and encouraged wider participation in the Indian economy. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, big data analytics, and application programming interfaces (APIs) have additionally enhanced the efficiency and accessibility of financial services. This chapter examines the role of FinTech in advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 by promoting financial inclusion, strengthening Digital Public Infrastructure, supporting entrepreneurship, improving governance, and fostering sustainable economic development. It also examines key challenges, that influence the long-term growth of the sector. It concludes that FinTech is more than a technological innovation; it is a strategic move of India's economic transformation.
Purpose Rapid technological advancement has accelerated the integration of financial technology (FinTech) into traditional banking systems. Banks have adopted digital payments, artificial intelligence, blockchain solutions and open banking frameworks, thereby increasing competition and prompting regulatory adaptation. This study conducts a theory guided systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis of FinTech banking research (2019â2024) to map the intellectual structure, thematic evolution and research gaps. Design/methodology/approach The review analyses 224 peer reviewed journal articles indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. Using BibExcel and VOSviewer, the study employs co-citation analysis, keyword co-occurrence mapping, clustering techniques and temporal overlay analysis. The review protocol follows explicit search strings, inclusion criteria and screening procedures to enhance transparency and replicability. Findings Six major thematic domains emerge: competition and risk-taking dynamics, financial inclusion and regulatory boundaries, institutional technology integration, performance and efficiency outcomes, innovation and regulatory economics and digital transformation and adoption behaviour. Temporal analysis reveals a progression from adoption focused inquiry toward governance, competition and systemic stability debates. Despite increasing empirical sophistication, the field remains fragmented across behavioural, institutional and macroprudential levels. Originality/value This study embeds bibliometric mapping within a multi-level theoretical framework integrating diffusion, disruptive innovation and ecosystem perspectives. The research provides a critical synthesis of the evolving FinTech banking literature. The findings identify key research gaps, reveal emerging thematic patterns in FinTech banking research and outline directions for future research while offering implications for banking practitioners and regulators.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of financial technology (FinTech), the intersection of digital innovation capabilities (DICs) and Islamic social finance presents a fertile ground for enhancing sustainability in financial practices. This study employs a qualitative approach, specifically content analysis of existing literature sourced from journal databases. This theoretical review explores how DICs encompassing digitalization and digital transformation can influence the sustainability of Islamic social finance initiatives. Islamic social finance, rooted in principles of social justice and equitable distribution, aims to address socio-economic challenges while adhering to Shariah compliance. By synthesizing current literature and theoretical frameworks, this review elucidates the potential strategies in optimizing Islamic social finance mechanisms, improving transparency, efficiency, and reach. The analysis highlights key digital innovations, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing (CC). The review also proposes a conceptual model for integrating DICs with Islamic social finance to foster greater sustainability. This theoretical examination offers insights into how digital advancements can support the long-term goals of Islamic social finance, contributing to both economic development and social welfare.