Forward and Backward Linkages of Financial Inclusion, Fintech, and Sustainable Development Goals: A Bibliometric Analysis and Concept Mapping

We aim to analyze financial inclusion’s forward and backward linkages through financial technology (fintech) and to scope this linkage toward sustainable development goals using a bibliometric analysis and concept mapping. We use platforms such as VOSViwer and R studio to analyze 779 articles collected from the Web of Science database, including keyword co-occurrence analysis and thematic mapping. Our findings show a significant impact of fintech and mobile money on financial inclusion and sustainability, with a focus on the current literature on sustainable development goals, fintech, and mobile money. We also find a substantial gap in the empirical research on cross-country and individual analysis, connecting fintech to financial inclusion toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study will help policymakers, regulators, and academic researchers know the nuts and bolts of financial inclusion and identify the relevant areas that need further research toward reaching the SDGs set by the United Nations.