Digital Financial Literacy as a Catalyst for Financial Inclusion: A Comprehensive Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda

Purpose: Financial inclusion is an important global development issue, particularly in economies where access to formal financial services remains limited. Digital Financial Literacy (DFL) has increasingly become a key factor in helping individuals understand, access and use digital financial services effectively. The aim of this Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is to examine the role of DFL as a primary catalyst for financial inclusion at a global level. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study followed the PRISMA 2020 protocol and reviewed 1,200 peer-reviewed studies published between 2001 and 2025 from Scopus and Web of Science. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer 1.6.20. Eleven bibliometric maps were developed to analyses co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence, and bibliographic coupling and co-citation structures. Findings: The findings revealed that DFL is a strong independent driver of financial inclusion across different geographic, institutional and regulatory contexts. The results also showed that DFL research is closely connected with mobile money, digital payments, sustainable finance, institutional trust and Islamic FinTech. Pakistan, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Implications/Originality/Value: The study concludes that DFL plays a central role in strengthening digital financial inclusion. It recommends national DFL programs, in-app financial literacy tools and sustainable financing mechanisms aligned with ESG priorities. This review contributes by positioning DFL as a major catalyst within the digital financial inclusion ecosystem and by presenting eight structured propositions for future research.