Fintech, Digital Inequality, and Inclusive Economic Development: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54518/ibr.1.1.2023.1170Keywords:
Digital Inequality, Fintech, Financial Inclusion, Inclusive Economic Development, Social ExclusionAbstract
The rapid expansion of fintech and digital financial systems has transformed contemporary economic activities by increasing financial accessibility and accelerating participation within digital economies. However, the benefits of fintech-driven financial inclusion remain uneven due to persistent digital inequality, socio-economic exclusion, and governance disparities across populations and institutions. The findings indicate that fintech contributes positively to economic participation, entrepreneurship, and financial accessibility through digital financial services and technological innovation. Nevertheless, unequal technological access, limited digital literacy, gender disparities, financial vulnerability, and institutional limitations continue to restrict participation among vulnerable populations. The review further demonstrates that governance quality and institutional readiness significantly influence whether fintech-driven transformation produces inclusive or unequal economic outcomes. The study concludes that inclusive digital economic development requires integrated approaches combining financial innovation, governance adaptation, digital capability development, and social inclusion strategies to reduce exclusion within fintech-driven financial systems.
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