International Journal of Financial Studies

📢 Highly Cited Paper 📄 Digital Financial Inclusion and Economic Growth: The Moderating Role of Institutions in SADC Countries 🎓 By Christelle Meniago from Sol Plaatje University 🌍 This study examines the relationship between digital financial inclusion and economic growth across SADC countries, with a particular focus on the moderating role of institutional quality. 📊 Using annual data from 2010 to 2023 and the system GMM approach, the findings show that digital financial inclusion is positively associated with economic growth, while stronger institutions further reinforce this relationship. 💡 The study highlights the importance of sound governance, regulatory frameworks, legal protections, digital infrastructure, and inclusive financial policies in supporting sustainable growth through digital finance. 📖 Read Full Text: https://shorturl.at/9dZKE #IJFS #InternationalJournalofFinancialStudies #HighlyCited #DigitalFinancialInclusion #EconomicGrowth #FinTech #InstitutionalQuality #DigitalFinance #FinancialInclusion #SADC #MDPI

📈 Highly Cited Paper! ₿ Financial Markets Effect on Cryptocurrency Volatility: Pre- and Post-Future Exchanges Collapse Period in USA and Japan 🎓 By Faizah Alsulami and Ali Raza 🔍 How do traditional financial markets influence cryptocurrency volatility, and what changed following the FTX collapse? 📊 This study examines the effects of US and Japanese stock indices and currency exchanges on Bitcoin and Ethereum price volatility before and after the FTX collapse, using weekly data from 2020 to 2024. 💡 The findings reveal both symmetric and asymmetric relationships between traditional financial markets and cryptocurrency volatility, offering valuable insights for crypto traders and exchange brokers seeking to better understand market dynamics, manage risk, and diversify their portfolios. 🔗 Read Full Article: https://shorturl.at/XwfUW #IJFS #HighlyCitedPaper #Cryptocurrency #Bitcoin #Ethereum #FinancialMarkets #CryptoVolatility #RiskManagement

📢 Highly Cited Paper! 📄 From ESG to Financial Stability: Unpacking the Multi-Dimensional Impact of AI-Driven FinTech-Related Technology Adoption on Bank Performance 🎓 By Amina Hamdouni from Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) 🤖 This study explores how AI-driven FinTech technology adoption relates to financial performance, ESG outcomes, and financial stability in Saudi banks, highlighting the potential of digital transformation to support sustainable and resilient banking. 📖 Read the article: https://shorturl.at/zQcxY #IJFS #HighlyCitedPaper #FinTech #ArtificialIntelligence #ESG #DigitalTransformation #FinancialStability

📢 Highly Cited Paper in IJFS! 📄 Do Financial Market Openness and Stock Market Returns Drive Economic Growth in GCC Countries? New Investigation from Panel Structural Breaks 🎓 By Hichem Saidi et al. This study examines the relationship between financial market openness, stock market returns, and economic growth across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries over the period 1993–2022. 🔎 The findings show a positive long-run effect of financial market openness on economic growth, while stock market returns are found to have a negative long-run association with growth. The results also highlight important differences across individual GCC countries. 👏 Congratulations to the authors on this highly cited contribution! 🔗 Full Text: https://shorturl.at/Gpr28 #IJFS #InternationalJournalofFinancialStudies #HighlyCitedPaper #FinancialMarkets #FinancialMarketOpenness #StockMarketReturns #EconomicGrowth #GCC #Finance #MDPI

🌟 Highly Cited Paper! We are pleased to highlight the highly cited article: 📊 “Estimating the Impact of ESG on Financial Forecast Predictability Using Machine Learning Models” 🎓 By Marius Sorin Dincă, Vlad Ciotlausi and Frank Akomeah from Transilvania University of Brasov This study examines whether integrating ESG factors can improve financial forecast accuracy, using machine learning models and data from 2,548 publicly listed companies across 98 countries. 🔗 Read Full Text: https://shorturl.at/fM3l9 #IJFS #HighlyCitedPaper #ESG #MachineLearning #FinancialForecasting #SustainableFinance #FinTech

🌱🤖 New Special Issue | International Journal of Financial Studies 📚 FinTech and AI for ESG, Transparency, and Accountability 🎓 Guest Editors: Tamás Vinkóczi and Judit Koltai from Széchenyi István University 📊 How are FinTech and AI reshaping ESG oversight and sustainable finance? This Special Issue explores how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and RegTech are transforming ESG reporting, transparency, accountability, risk management, and regulatory compliance. 🔍 Topics include AI-driven ESG analytics, greenwashing detection, ESG data quality, RegTech, blockchain-based verification, AI ethics, algorithmic accountability, and sustainable value creation. 🔗 Explore the Special Issue and submit your paper: https://shorturl.at/4P5Am #IJFS #FinTech #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #ESG #SustainableFinance #RegTech #Blockchain #CorporateGovernance #DigitalTransformation