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This study aims to propose a model to elevate the financial empowerment of Muslim women by rejuvenating the practice of Mahr in society and facilitating the affordability of men to pay that Mahr amount.

The approach of this study is to offer a model through the interest-free savings-based finance concept. The model comprises four stages; each stage of the model is mathematically formulated and graphically explained to ensure clarity and coherence. To further investigate the issue, the authors use a convenient sampling method to ask a small sample size of respondents (women) from different countries about their financial contribution and empowerment in the family.

This model enables women to turn their exclusive financial right into a source of earning without borrowing from any source or paying interest on the principal amount. Besides, it encourages accelerating men’s obligation to pay the Mahr to the women immediately during the marriage ceremony by facilitating men’s affordability. Almost 45% of respondents state that a woman’s financial contribution exalts her decision-making power and strengthens her financial position in the family.

The authors attempt to revitalize Mahr practice in Muslim society to accelerate the process of receiving a woman’s exclusive financial right and empower a family as a whole through the Mahr model.

Considering the model’s uniqueness, the developed and proposed Mahr model in this research is novel; to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no other study has been conducted and developed such a model using the Mahr concept.

This study analyzes the role of regional cooperative banks in identifying and financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from a proximity perspective. Access to finance is a major challenge for SMEs. Regional cooperative banks can remove this barrier based on cooperative bank's characteristics and geographic proximity to SMEs. Understanding the interplay between these financial actors and firms can contribute to a better support of SMEs development.

The results are based on a case study of eight SMEs located in southwestern France. Interviews were conducted with two regional cooperative funds and eight SMEs. The interview guide included questions related to the company, the projects financed and how financing was accessed.

Results reveal that a combination of three forms of proximity allows regional cooperative banks and SMEs to establish effective financing operations. They show that regional cooperative banks are key players in the existing financing mechanisms for SMEs. Such financing is often used to gain access to larger players at a later stage. The findings suggest the need for public policies that promote the integration of financing actors in regional ecosystems to advance SMEs' development.

This article examines how SMEs access financing, with a focus on regional cooperative banks, which have received little attention in the literature. Moreover, the relationships between these actors are studied through the lens of proximity. Regional cooperative banks are able to finance projects that may have been overlooked by traditional banks due to trust-building local dynamics.

This study employs an interpretivist approach to investigate how blockchain technology can transform the remittance industry.

We collected data from blockchain experts with extensive experience, compellingly demonstrating the revolutionary impact of blockchain technology on the remittance sector.

Despite experiencing rapid growth, the global remittance sector still faces challenges such as high costs and lengthy transaction times. However, blockchain technology, known for disrupting emerging industries, offers a decentralized and secure mechanism for containing, storing and managing information. By leveraging rapid block confirmations, blockchain reduces settlement times in remittance transactions, enabling value transfers between parties with just a crypto wallet.

The implications of this study are profound for theorists, as it validates existing theoretical frameworks, identifies specific pain points and explores exciting opportunities presented by blockchain technology. Additionally, we provide a roadmap for future research and innovation, bridging theory and practice and setting the stage for advancement, fostering knowledge, innovation and the successful integration of blockchain technology in the remittance industry.

Analysis highlights a unanimous consensus among experts regarding the transformative potential of blockchain technology in the remittance industry. This consensus serves as a strong impetus for practitioners to swiftly adopt blockchain-based solutions, capitalizing on opportunities such as stable coin issuance, elimination of intermediaries in foreign exchange trading, access to liquidity and the exploration of new business models. Successfully addressing challenges like congestion and limited reach will ensure seamless integration.

For over a decade, fintech has challenged traditional business models and processes in the financial services industry. The ongoing disruption has necessitated the digital transformation of financial institutions (FIs) to remain an integral part of the financial system. This paradigm shift is not merely a technological update. Still, it signifies a cultural and operational rebirth, compelling FIs to embrace innovation, adaptability, and a customer-centric approach in the digital era. Independent of the business model, FIs must become digitally ambidextrous, offer tailored and dynamic customer experiences, support financial inclusion, and promote an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda while leveraging data and remaining compliant. From digitalization to fintegration, the financial services industry's future is deemed to be an exciting and productive one.

This paper aims to present a comprehensive overview of the emergence and significance of digital payments, focusing on their impact on competitiveness and the need for policy interventions. In addition, it explores the design of policies that promote the adoption of digital payments, highlighting the benefits they offer to providers and users.

The paper examines the technological advances that have driven the growth of digital payment systems. It identifies key requirements for successful adoption and discusses the associated risks, along with potential strategies to mitigate these risks.

The findings emphasize the importance of responsible implementation and safeguarding the well-being of end users to fully realize the benefits of digital payment adoption. Understanding the inherent risks and establishing effective risk mitigation mechanisms are crucial. This necessitates the development of appropriate infrastructure to support the provision of digital payment services.

More research is needed to gain deeper insights into how emerging global trends in financial technology should be analyzed and understood by policymakers, service providers and users.

The findings of this study can guide policymakers, private sector managers and consumers in comprehending the effects of emerging digitalization trends and determining their adoption responses accordingly.

This paper stands out as one of the few research contributions that provide comprehensive and actionable policy recommendations to facilitate a smooth transition to a digital payments ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders.

The investment behaviour of individuals has been a major area of interest for several researchers and policymakers due to its great impact on the economy. This study aimed to assess the investment behaviour of individuals in light of their risk appetite and how financial literacy regulates this relationship.

A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect responses from individuals using purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Individuals were presented with 16 investment avenues widely offered by the Indian financial market to choose from to construct a hypothetical portfolio. The association between risk appetite, financial literacy and the composition of the hypothetical portfolio was analysed using a gologit model.

Increased risk appetite increased the probability of respondents creating a portfolio with a greater proportion of risky assets and less diversification. Lower levels of financial literacy pointed towards portfolios with traditional and low-risk avenues. The results also revealed a significant moderating impact of financial literacy on risk appetite and the creation of the type of a hypothetical portfolio.

Even though the intended behaviour is a close estimate of actual behaviour, there is a possibility of deviation that cannot be ignored.

The present study provides insights into how individuals make portfolio choices by incorporating risk appetite and diversification factors whilst making investment decisions, thereby expanding the literature from an emerging economy perspective. The role of financial literacy as a moderator has not been studied in the domain of hypothetical portfolio creation in India, which has been empirically explored in the current study.

This paper aims to focus on the need for an enhanced anti-money laundering (AML) regulation for decentralised finance (DeFi) to protect the integrity of global financial systems against illicit activities. Research highlights the requirement for a robust regulatory strategy for the fast-paced DeFi evolvement.

This study used doctrinal legal research by analysing legislation, which involved creating use cases to illustrate different aspects of potential illicit activities via the DeFi ecosystem. Various DeFi applications were assessed for the potential regulatory responses and outcomes.

This paper offers valuable insight into the regulatory challenges presented by DeFi. This study addresses the blind spots leveraged by criminals afforded by the DeFi’s decentralised nature. This paper offers a comprehensive examination of DeFi regulatory challenges based on use-case scenarios and provides recommendations for regulators on how to address them effectively.

This paper proposes measures for regulatory authorities to minimise money laundering risks through new channels such as decentralised exchanges, non-custodial wallets and cross-chain bridges. This study concludes with the future directions for DeFi regulation and AML compliance.

This paper aims to provide a review of literature directions regarding the potential impact of fintech operators on the financial services market globally. This paper reviews the literature to identify possible benefits or challenges that fintech firms can have for the traditional banking system.

This paper is based on a review of published research papers related to fintech and digital finance. The Scopus database, SSRN database and google scholar were used to find relevant research papers. The final sample included impactful papers about the effect of fintech activities on the banking and financial services industry.

The current paper indicated that while fintech firms would take some market share away from banks, it is not expected that fintech firms would substitute banks. However, banks are required to accelerate their adoption of innovations and advanced technology to compete with fintech firms. It is also proposed that strategic partnerships and cooperation could happen between banks and fintech companies in a way that benefits both sides.

The present paper adds to the understanding of the effect of the fintech firms’ growth on the banking industry in light of the emerging opportunities and threats for the financial sector. The paper also provides guidance for fruitful research on the impact of fintech activities on social and economic welfare in the future.

The purpose of this study is to present a bibliometric and network analysis that uses the Scopus and Dimension databases to provide new insights into the progression toward the study of sustainable economic development.

This analysis has been drawn on 665 papers published between 2015 and 2023. Bibliometric analysis characterizes a research topic by identifying leading nations, the most significant authors and expressive publications. Network analysis revealed keyword evolution over time, co-citation patterns and study grouping. Content analysis was used to identify major topic in the discipline, with a focus on their interrelationships. Each publication in the data set is briefly described, along with its methodological approach.

The results of this study show that green finance plays a major role in long-term economic growth, having a significant influence on the preservation of environmental quality, economic efficacy and a more comprehensive economic system. Financial technology also accelerates the transition to a carbon-neutral economy by enhancing the beneficial effects of green finance on aspects of the economic system and environmental conservation.

The investigation is based only on Scopus and Dimensions-indexed journal articles. However, additional studies should incorporate publications from other reputable databases, such as Web of Science, PubMed and Science Direct, for the bibliometric analysis, so that the findings of the model analysis become more reliable and valid with examination of more documents. The visualization of similarity viewer was used for data analysis in the study, there is a scope for using other tools such as Biblioshiney and CitNet Explorer.

To support long-term economic growth, authorities should encourage Fintech companies to actively participate in various green finance initiatives and environmental conservation businesses. Financial managers should facilitate the integration of technology and green finance for financial services. It is important to encourage institutional and individual investors alike to look into more environmentally friendly ways to invest and save money. Policymakers should provide a platform for global awareness and government agencies should enhance their recommendations to state governments to increase the efficacy of green finance.

This study contributes to the literature by investigating the relationship between Fintech and green financing. This study holds significance for financial intermediaries, industrialists, investors and policymakers by providing insights into the integration of Fintech with green finance for sustainable development. These findings affirm the pivotal role of Fintech and green finance in fostering sustainable economic development. The novelty of the topic and the variety of publications in which it has been published demonstrate that sustainable economic development has piqued the interest of a wide range of areas.

Shadow banks or non-bank financial intermediaries (NBFIs) are facilitators of credit, especially in emerging market economies (EMEs). However, there are certain risks associated with them, such as their unchecked leverage and interconnectedness with the rest of the financial system. In light of this, the present study analyses the impact of the growth of shadow banks on the stability of the banking sector and the overall stability of the financial system. The authors further examine the effect of the growth of finance companies (a type of NBFIs) on financial stability.

The study employs data of 11 EMEs (monitored by the Financial Stability Board (FSB)) for the period 2002–2020 to examine the above relationships. Panel-corrected standard errors method and Driscoll–Kray standard error estimation are deployed to conduct the analysis.

The results signify that the growth of the shadow banking sector and the growth of lending to the shadow banking sector are negatively associated with the stability of the banking sector and increases the vulnerability of the financial system (overall instability). This implies that the higher the growth of the shadow banks, the higher the financial fragility. Finance companies are also found to negatively affect financial stability. These findings are validated by different estimation methods and point out the risks posed by the NBFI sector.

The extant study builds a composite index (Financial Vulnerability Index (FVI)) to measure financial stability; thus, the findings contribute to the evolving literature on shadow banks.