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FinTech and the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from electronic payment systems

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  • Tut, Daniel

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on financial institutions and on consumers' adoption of Financial Technology (FinTech) for payments. This paper documents the following findings in Kenya. (1) The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption and increased the payment concentration of FinTech. We document an approximately 54% increase in mobile banking transactions, a 19.56% increase in mobile banking agents, and a 14.56% increase in the number of mobile banking accounts. (2) The use of all types of electronic payment cards declined significantly during the pandemic. (3) The pandemic magnified interbank contagion and liquidity risks and reduced both domestic and international electronic fund transfers via both the Real-Gross Settlement System and the Automated Clearing House. Overall, our results indicate that FinTech not only partially alleviated the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during Q1 of 2021 but also accelerated consumers' adoption of FinTech and digital onboarding, especially in Q3 and Q4 of 2022.

Suggested Citation

  • Tut, Daniel, 2023. "FinTech and the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from electronic payment systems," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ememar:v:54:y:2023:i:c:s1566014123000043
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ememar.2023.100999
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    Cited by:

    1. Barbara Będowska-Sójka & Agata Kliber & Laivi Laidroo, 2023. "Has the pandemic changed the relationships between fintechs and banks?," Operations Research and Decisions, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Management, vol. 33(4), pages 15-33.
    2. Berger, Allen N. & Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli, 2021. "Banking research in the time of COVID-19," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    3. Sugandi, Eric Alexander, 2021. "The COVID-19 Pandemic and Indonesia’s Fintech Markets," ADBI Working Papers 1281, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    4. Olumide O. Olaoye & Mulatu F. Zerihun & Ali Shaddady & Mosab I. Tabash, 2024. "FinTech—A pathway to financial inclusion? Evidence from Southern African Development Community member states," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 36(2), pages 252-265, June.
    5. Karim, Sitara & Naz, Farah & Naeem, Muhammad Abubakr & Vigne, Samuel A., 2022. "Is FinTech providing effective solutions to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in ASEAN countries?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 335-344.
    6. Claude Bernard Lontchi & Baochen Yang & Kabir Musa Shuaib, 2023. "Effect of Financial Technology on SMEs Performance in Cameroon amid COVID-19 Recovery: The Mediating Effect of Financial Literacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, January.
    7. Christian Herdinata & Fransisca D. Pranatasari, 2022. "Impact of COVID-19 on Organizational Support in Financial Technology," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-14, July.
    8. Li, Bin & Guo, Fei & Xu, Lei & Meng, Siqi, 2024. "Fintech business and corporate social responsibility practices," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    9. Foguesatto, Cristian Rogério & Righi, Marcelo Brutti & Müller, Fernanda Maria, 2024. "Is there a dark side to financial inclusion? Understanding the relationship between financial inclusion and market risk," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Khayaladdin R. Taghiyev & Tamerlan H. Rustamov & Murad Taghiyev, 2022. "Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Digital Payments in Azerbaijan," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 25(83), pages 88-97, June.
    11. Olesya P. Kazachenok & Galina V. Stankevich & Natalia N. Chubaeva & Yuliya G. Tyurina, 2023. "Economic and legal approaches to the humanization of FinTech in the economy of artificial intelligence through the integration of blockchain into ESG Finance," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    12. Bȩdowska-Sójka, Barbara & Kliber, Agata, 2022. "Impact of COVID-19 on sovereign risk: Latin America versus Asia," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PA).
    13. Sant'Anna, Dário A.L.M. & Figueiredo, Paulo N., 2024. "Fintech innovation: Is it beneficial or detrimental to financial inclusion and financial stability? A systematic literature review and research directions," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    14. Kou, Mingting & Yang, Yuanqi & Chen, Kaihua, 2024. "Financial technology research: Past and future trajectories," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 162-181.
    15. Lei Zhang & Yang Chen & Oleksii Lyulyov & Tetyana Pimonenko, 2022. "Forecasting the Effect of Migrants’ Remittances on Household Expenditure: COVID-19 Impact," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, April.
    16. Batiz-Lazo, Bernardo & González-Correa, Ignacio, 2021. "Start-ups, Gender Disparities, and the Fintech Revolution in Latin America," MPRA Paper 109373, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Financial technology (FinTech); Mobile banking; Kenya; Africa; Financial stability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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