Rainer Alt, Leipzig University

Rob Gleasure, Copenhagen Business School

Ke-Wei Huang, National University of Singapore

Mingfeng Lin, Georgia Institute of Technology

De Liu, University of Minnesota

Liudmila Zavolokina, University of Lausanne

FinTech emerged as a disruptive force in the financial industry around 2010, introducing innovative applications and business models. Now an established sector, FinTech has revolutionized payment, financing, lending, and insurance through platform-based, customer-oriented, and crowd-based processes. On the one hand, FinTech solutions have reached a maturity, which is characterized by well-adopted solutions that have reached a critical mass as well as by a growing degree of regulation. In practice, investments in FinTech start-up ventures have decreased and much research has also been published with four special issues in the Electronic Markets journal alone. On the other hand, ongoing technological advancements like agentic and generative artificial intelligence, blockchain/distributed ledger technologies, and quantum computing are driving further innovations.

Digital finance services are becoming more integrated with business processes and the interoperability between financial services has increased. Among the examples are innovative concepts like embedded banking where financial services are closely coupled with real economy processes, contextual banking where financial services adapt to where consumers are, silent banking where financial services are seamlessly integrated in business processes as well as open banking processes where banks offer their services via standardized interfaces on digital platforms. A variety of new services and business models (e.g., InsurTech, RegTech, and PropTech) has surfaced and enriched as well as transformed the landscape of the financial industry.

This special issue focuses on these developments from various perspectives (e.g., strategic, organizational, technological issues) and welcomes diverse methodologies, including theory development, qualitative studies, economic research, experiments, surveys, simulations, and design science.

Submissions should contribute novel insights to FinTech literature and practice while connecting to information systems research. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods are welcome, provided the research exhibits strong methodological rigor. Contributions can take the form of conceptual and theoretical development papers, empirical hypothesis testing, position papers, case-based studies, and more. All papers will undergo a double-blind peer-review process.

Potential topics

• Interaction and integration between FinTech and traditional financial institutions (e.g., traditional banks, central banks, and central bank digital currencies)
• Study of segments of FinTech (InsurTech, PropTech, RegTech, Green FinTech and sustainable finance)
• Research on innovation processes in FinTech and analysis of (new) business models (e.g., crowd-based, digital platforms, decentralized business models)
• Upcoming concepts in Fintech (e.g., embedded, contextual, silent, open and ubiquitous finance and banking)
• Use of centralized (e.g., core banking/insurance systems) and decentralized digital platforms (e.g., blockchain and distributed ledger technology) for financial services
• Research on cryptocurrencies, crypto exchanges, and digital assets (e.g., tokenization, Initial Coin and Securitized Token Offerings (ICO/STO))
• Emerging standards in the financial industry (e.g., data/process standards and application programming interfaces) and regulations like PSD in Europe
• Adoption and business value of FinTech models and applications (e.g., financial inclusion and literacy, regulation and governance, diffusion and network effects)
• Emerging FinTech topics and applications (e.g., quantum computing, metaverse, Internet of Things, Agentic and Generative AI)
• Studies of innovative applications in FinTech (e.g., robo-advising, algorithmic trading, portfolio management, market making, and social trading)
• Innovative payment models and systems (e.g., payment networks, micropayments, mobile payments)

Timeline

• August 31, 2026: Submission deadline

In the ever-evolving landscape of finance, digital technologies have carved out a transformative path that challenges traditional paradigms and induces impactful financial innovations. The emergence of digital finance, encompassing everything from mobile banking and digital wallets to fintech innovations and robo-advisors, has not only reshaped consumer behavior, but also redefined the architecture of financial systems worldwide.

This digital revolution prompts a reevaluation of financial inclusion strategies, risk management frameworks, and the overall fluidity of capital and information. As these technologies advance, there is an increasing need for robust theoretical foundations and extensive empirical studies to guide their development, optimize their integration into existing financial ecosystems, and ensure that their regulation keeps pace with innovation.

The special issue aims to explore these themes, seeking contributions that address the systemic impacts of digital finance, propose novel methodologies for its analysis, and examine the broader economic implications of its rapid growth.

Potential topics

• Mobile banking and digital wallets
• Fintech innovations and robo-advisors
• Financial inclusion strategies in the digital age
• Risk management frameworks for digital finance
• Capital and information flow in digital financial systems
• Systemic impacts of digital finance
• Novel methodologies for analyzing digital finance
• Regulatory frameworks for digital finance
• Consumer behavior in digital financial environments
• Integration of digital technologies into existing financial ecosystems
• Economic implications of digital finance growth

Timeline

• June 30, 2025: Submission deadline