FinTech, economic growth, and COVID-19: International evidence

Abstract

The growth of financial institutions is typically considered a factor that contributes to economic expansion. Financial institutions’ use of financial technology (FinTech) has resulted in changes in the delivery of financial services, subsequently affecting economic growth. However, the pandemic disrupted the demand and supply of goods worldwide, which has had a detrimental impact on the economy. It is worth investigating whether the global economic slump created by the pandemic have a beneficial influence on the national economy because of the introduction of innovative technologies. Using 778 country-year observations from 193 countries between 2018 and 2021, this study examines and finds that the positive impact of FinTech on economic growth is more pronounced during the pandemic. Further analysis shows that this association holds only in countries with high Internet usage, suggesting that the incremental impact of FinTech on economic growth during the pandemic depends on the extent of local Internet usage. Overall, our findings suggest that FinTech plays an important role in reducing the severity of the pandemic’s subsequent economic impact.