Financial sector of Ukraine: European integration through the prism of digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and innovative financial technologies

Purpose: This paper examines the digital transformation of Ukraine’s financial sector through digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and financial technologies in the context of European integration. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study uses secondary data from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and National Bank of Ukraine for 2018–2024; the sample covers one country over seven years, with 24 annual indicators. Six analytical tables assess technological development, digital resilience, and regulatory harmonisation. The analysis is descriptive: it traces annual trends and examines how Ukrainian financial standards align with EU standards. Research Limitation: The analysis relies on secondary data and covers 2018–2024; its descriptive design does not identify causal effects or separate digitalisation from martial law and EU accession conditionality. Findings: The results show rapid movement toward a cashless economy and growing use of AI for risk management and cybersecurity. Despite geopolitical challenges, Ukraine has maintained digital transformation and harmonised more than 80% of relevant financial legislation with European Union (EU) standards, including PSD2 and DORA. Practical Implication: Digital technologies can strengthen financial resilience, risk management, and regulatory convergence. Social Implication: Responsible digitalisation can improve financial accessibility and transparency while supporting public trust. Originality/Value: Unlike single-channel studies of digital banking, AI law or public finance, the study examines 24 indicators in six groups together, showing that EU harmonisation kept its pre-war pace during the full-scale war while most digital indicators grew more slowly; it also highlights ethical AI governance as a condition for sustainable digital development.