Fintech adoption and financial well-being of persons with disabilities: the mediating role of financial access, financial knowledge and financial behaviour

Purpose The prime purpose of the study is to analyse the effect of fintech adoption on the financial well-being of persons with disabilities (PWDs), considering the intervening role of financial behaviour, financial access and financial knowledge. Design/methodology/approach A self-administered survey schedule collected primary data on fintech adoption and financial well-being among 205 PWD, through snowball sampling from January to May 2023. Researchers used exploratory factor analysis to identify reliable factors and PLS-SEM for testing mediation and research hypotheses. Findings The study’s outcome found that fintech adoption does not directly impact the financial well-being of PWDs. Instead, the impact on financial well-being is explained by mediating factors like financial access, financial knowledge and financial behaviour. Financial access is the most significant among these mediating factors. Research limitations/implications The study demonstrates the significance of mediating factors in comprehending the influence of fintech adoption on financial well-being. These results underpin existing literature on determinants of financial well-being. Practical implications Findings evidenced that developing disabled-friendly fintech tools can enhance financial access, reduce inequality and improve the financial well-being of PWDs, which would be helpful for public policymakers. Originality/value There has been no comprehensive study conducted on this topic, particularly among PWDs. In the current study, an effort is being made to examine the relative effects of fintech adoption on financial well-being directly and indirectly through mediating variables. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2023-0596