Rural revitalization is a key global priority, with urban-rural integration (URI) essential for success. This study examines 30 Chinese provinces and cities from 2011 to 2022 to assess digital inclusive finance (DIF) 's role in this process. Results indicate that DIF has a significant promoting effect on URI, and that this effect is non-linear. DIF is more effective in promoting URI in highly integrated regions and in a moderately regulated policy environment. Mechanism analysis suggests DIF enhances URI by boosting consumption levels and industrial structure upgrading.
Li et al. (2025) studied this question.