Role of Fintech in Democratizing Investment Opportunities
Rashmi Kumari Joshi1, Vidit Kumar Sah 2 and Tejal Shah3
1,2Research Scholar, Faculty of Management Studies, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
3Assistant Professor, Faculty of Management Studies, Parul University, Vadodara,
ABSTRACT
The financial services industry has undergone a major transformation with the emergence of Financial Technology (FinTech). This study sought to explore the role of financial technology, or FinTech, in the democratization of investment opportunities, with specific reference to investors in India and Nepal. FinTech has revolutionized the process of investing, as it has made it easier and more affordable for people to participate in the financial market. The study sought to find out whether or not FinTech has made it easier for people from different income groups to participate in the financial market and improve their financial literacy. A quantitative research design was used for the study, where the researcher collected primary data from 100 participants using a structured questionnaire. Convenience and purposive sampling methods were used to select participants who had prior experience investing through FinTech platforms. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyze the collected data. The results suggest that FinTech platforms have a significant positive effect on the accessibility of investments and foster inclusiveness for retail investors. Moreover, a positive relationship was established between FinTech adoption and the perception of enhanced financial knowledge. However, challenges exist, including digital literacy, trust, and unequal technology access, which affect inclusiveness. The conclusions of the study indicate that FinTech has tremendous potential to make investments inclusive, but this depends on investors’ awareness of FinTech adoption. Therefore, this study provides useful insights to various stakeholders, including policymakers and FinTech firms, on the development of inclusive FinTech platforms for investors. Furthermore, the study suggests that efforts should be made to improve investors’ financial knowledge to fully leverage the benefits of FinTech adoption. It is also crucial to develop a regulatory framework to safeguard investors’ interests and build trust in FinTech adoption. Future studies should consider a larger and wider population to improve the generalizability of the results.
Keywords: FinTech, Investment Democratization, Financial Inclusion, Robo-Advisory, Digital Investment Platforms, Wealth Tech, Fractional Investing, Financial Literacy.
