IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/soceps/v96y2024ics0038012124002994.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Evaluating the effects of digital finance on urban poverty

Author

Listed:
  • Duan, Zhimin
  • Yuan, Fangjie
  • Tian, Zhengjie

Abstract

This study examines the impact of digital financial services development on urban poverty. Utilizing the vicious cycle of poverty theory, we established a multidimensional poverty measurement index to assess the poverty status of urban households and propose strategies for leveraging digital finance to address urban poverty. Through empirical research based on a comprehensive dataset from China covering the period from 2012 to 2020, we evaluated the moderating effect of digital financial growth on urban poverty. Our analysis, which categorized poor urban households into five groups—laid-off workers, unemployed individuals, migrants, the elderly, and disabled persons—revealed that only the unemployed and migrants experience significant benefits from digital financial development. Lastly, we explore the underlying mechanisms and emphasize the role of investment, financing, and entrepreneurship in utilizing digital finance for poverty alleviation.

Suggested Citation

  • Duan, Zhimin & Yuan, Fangjie & Tian, Zhengjie, 2024. "Evaluating the effects of digital finance on urban poverty," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceps:v:96:y:2024:i:c:s0038012124002994
    DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2024.102099
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0038012124002994
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.seps.2024.102099?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Allen, Franklin & Demirguc-Kunt, Asli & Klapper, Leora & Martinez Peria, Maria Soledad, 2016. "The foundations of financial inclusion: Understanding ownership and use of formal accounts," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 1-30.
    2. Acemoglu, Daron & Johnson, Simon & Robinson, James & Thaicharoen, Yunyong, 2003. "Institutional causes, macroeconomic symptoms: volatility, crises and growth," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 49-123, January.
    3. Rizwan Mushtaq & Catherine Bruneau, 2019. "Microfinance, financial inclusion and ICT: Implications for poverty and inequality," Post-Print hal-03452826, HAL.
    4. Lusardi, Annamaria & Mitchell, Olivia S., 2007. "Baby Boomer retirement security: The roles of planning, financial literacy, and housing wealth," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 205-224, January.
    5. Yuanyuan Li & Jing Tan & Binyang Wu & Jingwen Yu, 2022. "Does digital finance promote entrepreneurship of migrant? Evidence from China," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(19), pages 1829-1832, November.
    6. Abhijit Banerjee & Emily Breza & Esther Duflo & Cynthia Kinnan, 2019. "Can Microfinance Unlock a Poverty Trap for Some Entrepreneurs?," Discussion Papers Series, Department of Economics, Tufts University 0832, Department of Economics, Tufts University.
    7. John Knight & Li Shi, 2006. "Three Poverties in Urban China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(3), pages 367-387, August.
    8. Chong, Terence Tai-Leung & Lu, Liping & Ongena, Steven, 2013. "Does banking competition alleviate or worsen credit constraints faced by small- and medium-sized enterprises? Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 3412-3424.
    9. Leong, Carmen & Tan, Barney & Xiao, Xiao & Tan, Felix Ter Chian & Sun, Yuan, 2017. "Nurturing a FinTech ecosystem: The case of a youth microloan startup in China," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 92-97.
    10. Thomas Philippon, 2019. "On Fintech and Financial Inclusion," NBER Working Papers 26330, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Abhijit Banerjee & Esther Duflo & Rachel Glennerster & Cynthia Kinnan, 2015. "The Miracle of Microfinance? Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(1), pages 22-53, January.
    12. Harald Hau & Yi Huang & Hongzhe Shan & Zixia Sheng, 2019. "How FinTech Enters China's Credit Market," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 109, pages 60-64, May.
    13. Mushtaq, Rizwan & Bruneau, Catherine, 2019. "Microfinance, financial inclusion and ICT: Implications for poverty and inequality," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    14. Alkire, Sabina & Foster, James, 2011. "Counting and multidimensional poverty measurement," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(7), pages 476-487.
    15. Feng, Shuaizhang & Hu, Yingyao & Moffitt, Robert, 2017. "Long run trends in unemployment and labor force participation in urban China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 304-324.
    16. Pleninger, Regina & Sturm, Jan-Egbert, 2020. "The effects of economic globalisation and ethnic fractionalisation on redistribution," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    17. Rizwan Mushtaq & Catherine Bruneau, 2019. "Microfinance, financial inclusion and ICT: Implications for poverty and inequality," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-03452826, HAL.
    18. Morshadul Hasan & Thi Le & Ariful Hoque, 2021. "How does financial literacy impact on inclusive finance?," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 1-23, December.
    19. Li, Jie & Wu, Yu & Xiao, Jing Jian, 2020. "The impact of digital finance on household consumption: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 317-326.
    20. Maria Emma Santos & Pablo Villatoro, 2018. "A Multidimensional Poverty Index for Latin America," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 64(1), pages 52-82, March.
    21. Christian Dippel & Andreas Ferrara & Stephan Heblich, 2020. "Causal mediation analysis in instrumental-variables regressions," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 20(3), pages 613-626, September.
    22. Caroline Dewilde, 2008. "Individual and institutional determinants of multidimensional poverty: A European comparison," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 86(2), pages 233-256, April.
    23. Jenny Nykvist, 2008. "Entrepreneurship and Liquidity Constraints: Evidence from Sweden," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 110(1), pages 23-43, March.
    24. Nick Bernards, 2019. "The poverty of fintech? Psychometrics, credit infrastructures, and the limits of financialization," Review of International Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(5), pages 815-838, September.
    25. Jakob Haan & Regina Pleninger & Jan-Egbert Sturm, 2022. "Does Financial Development Reduce the Poverty Gap?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 1-27, May.
    26. Kazan, Erol & Tan, Chee-Wee & Lim, Eric T.K & Sørensen, Carsten & Damsgaard, Jan, 2018. "Disentangling digital platform competition: the case of UK mobile payment platforms," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 86345, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    27. Bronfman, Javier & Floro, Maria, 2014. "How well has the Social Protection Scheme Reduced Vulnerability in Chile?," MPRA Paper 63255, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    28. Daniela Gabor & Sally Brooks, 2017. "The digital revolution in financial inclusion: international development in the fintech era," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 423-436, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yue, Pengpeng & Korkmaz, Aslihan Gizem & Yin, Zhichao & Zhou, Haigang, 2022. "The rise of digital finance: Financial inclusion or debt trap?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PA).
    2. Pengpeng Yue & Aslihan Gizem Korkmaz & Zhichao Yin & Haigang Zhou, 2022. "The rise of digital finance: Financial inclusion or debt trap," Papers 2201.09221, arXiv.org.
    3. Long Yang & Haiyang Lu & Sangui Wang & Meng Li, 2021. "Mobile Internet Use and Multidimensional Poverty: Evidence from A Household Survey in Rural China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 1065-1086, December.
    4. Guillermo Boitano & Deybi Franco Abanto, 2020. "Challenges of financial inclusion policies in Peru," Revista Finanzas y Politica Economica, Universidad Católica de Colombia, vol. 12(1), pages 89-117, June.
    5. Song, Yunxing & Gong, Yuanyuan & Song, Yan & Chen, Xiaohui, 2024. "Exploring the impact of digital inclusive finance on consumption volatility: Insights from household entrepreneurship and income volatility," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    6. Hasan, Morshadul & Hoque, Ariful & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul & Gasbarro, Dominic, 2024. "FinTech and sustainable development: A systematic thematic analysis using human- and machine-generated processing," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PC).
    7. Adugna, Hailu, 2024. "Fintech dividend: How would digital financial services impact income inequality across countries?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    8. Cheng, Qiongwen & Zhao, Xiaoge & Zhong, Shihu & Xing, Yudan, 2024. "Digital financial inclusion, resident consumption, and urban carbon emissions in China: A transaction cost perspective," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1336-1352.
    9. R. V. Naveenan & Chee Yoong Liew & Ploypailin Kijkasiwat, 2024. "Nexus Between Financial Inclusion, Digital Inclusion and Health Outcomes: Evidence from Developing Economies," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 174(1), pages 367-408, August.
    10. Ojah, Kalu & Kodongo, Odongo, 2024. "Effective financial inclusion and the need to put the horse before the cart: Saving!," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    11. Hewa Wellalage, Nirosha & Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Manita, Riadh & Locke, Stuart M., 2021. "Information communication technology and financial inclusion of innovative entrepreneurs," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    12. Suhrab, Muhammad & Chen, Pinglu & Ullah, Atta, 2024. "Digital financial inclusion and income inequality nexus: Can technology innovation and infrastructure development help in achieving sustainable development goals?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    13. Guo, Jie & Chen, Leqi & Kang, Xia, 2024. "Digital inclusive finance and agricultural green development in China: A panel analysis (2013–2022)," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 69(PA).
    14. Ofori, Isaac K. & Armah, Mark K. & Taale, Francis & Ofori, Pamela E., 2021. "Addressing the Severity and Intensity of Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: How Relevant is the ICT and Financial Development Pathway?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue forthcomi.
    15. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Lou, Runchi & Wang, Fuhao, 2023. "Digital financial inclusion and poverty alleviation: Evidence from the sustainable development of China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 418-434.
    16. Zhang, Jiaping & Zhang, Huirong & Gong, Xiaomei, 2022. "Mobile payment and rural household consumption: Evidence from China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(3).
    17. Huang, Hongyun & Mbanyele, William & Fan, Shuangshuang & Zhao, Xin, 2022. "Digital financial inclusion and energy-environment performance: What can learn from China," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 342-366.
    18. Lv, Chengchao & Song, Jie & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2022. "Can digital finance narrow the regional disparities in the quality of economic growth? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 502-521.
    19. Munacinga Simatele & Loyiso Maciko, 2022. "Financial Inclusion in Rural South Africa: A Qualitative Approach," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-22, August.
    20. Khan, Muhammad Zubair & Khan, Zafir Ullah & Hameed, Affan & Zada, Shehnaz Sahib, 2021. "On the upside or flipside: Where is venture capital positioned in the era of digital disruptions?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Digital finance; Multidimensional poverty; Urban poverty;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:soceps:v:96:y:2024:i:c:s0038012124002994. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/seps .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.