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Financial literacy and formal credit accessibility: Evidence from informal businesses in China

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  • Xu, Nana
  • Shi, Jingye
  • Rong, Zhao
  • Yuan, Yan

Abstract

There is a sizable informal business sector in emerging markets. This paper investigates informal businesses’ accessibility to formal credit in China and their owners’ financial literacy as a potential determinant. By examining informal businesses in urban areas from the 2015 China Household Finance Survey, we find that business owners’ financial literacy is positively associated with the likelihood of their businesses holding bank loans. This positive relationship only exists among businesses whose owners have rural hukou and it is more pronounced in areas where formal-credit accessibility is lower.

Suggested Citation

  • Xu, Nana & Shi, Jingye & Rong, Zhao & Yuan, Yan, 2020. "Financial literacy and formal credit accessibility: Evidence from informal businesses in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 36(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:36:y:2020:i:c:s1544612319304726
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2019.101327
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    Cited by:

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    2. Preston, Alison & Qiu, Lili & Wright, Robert E., 2022. "A Study of the Chinese Gender Gap in Financial Literacy," IZA Discussion Papers 15253, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Yanna He & Muzaffarjon Ahunov, 2022. "Financial Literacy: The Case of China," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 30(5), pages 75-101, September.
    4. Nave, Juan M. & Oliva, Laura & Toscano, David, 2023. "Financial knowledge and financial behaviour: The moderating role of home ownership," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
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    6. Liu, Bofan & Lu, Bin, 2023. "Can financial literacy be a substitute for financial advisers? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    7. Tinta, Abdoulganiour Almame & Sylla, Ahmed Yves & Lankouande, Edmond, 2023. "Solar PV adoption in rural Burkina Faso," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PB).
    8. Xu, Nana & Yuan, Yan & Rong, Zhao, 2022. "Depressed access to formal finance and the use of credit card debt in Chinese SMEs," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    9. Martinson Ankrah Twumasi & Yuansheng Jiang & Zhao Ding & Pengcheng Wang & Wonder Abgenyo, 2022. "The Mediating Role of Access to Financial Services in the Effect of Financial Literacy on Household Income: The Case of Rural Ghana," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Formal credit; Financial literacy; Informal businesses; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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