AI × DeFi × Sustainability: Redesigning the Operating System of Global Finance

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to examine how the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Decentralized Finance (DeFi), and sustainability principles is fundamentally redesigning the operating system of global finance. It seeks to advance scholarly understanding of how intelligent, decentralized, and technology-driven financial architectures are reshaping financial institutions, markets, and payment systems, while supporting long-term economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

The Special Issue encourages interdisciplinary research that explores both the opportunities and challenges arising from the integration of AI-driven analytics, decentralized financial infrastructures, and sustainable finance frameworks. Contributions may adopt theoretical, empirical, or applied perspectives and should address how FinTech innovations contribute to resilient, inclusive, and responsible financial ecosystems.

Key areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Business innovation models, collaborative and circular economy frameworks, and their role in sustainable financial development;
• Design, development, and adoption of innovative financial instruments, including blockchain technologies, cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, and decentralized finance (DeFi) applications;
• The role of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning in enhancing FinTech solutions, including risk management, fraud detection, credit scoring, governance automation, and customer personalization;
• The contribution of AI-enabled FinTech and DeFi solutions to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives, green finance, and sustainable economic practices;
• Open banking, digital payments, InsurTech, and next-generation financial platforms powered by AI and decentralized infrastructures
• Social, ethical, and trust-related implications of financial digitization, automation, and decentralization
• Regulatory, supervisory, and compliance challenges related to AI adoption, DeFi ecosystems, and sustainable finance standards
• The impact of FinTech, AI, and DeFi on financial inclusion, accessibility, and affordability of financial services, particularly in underserved and emerging markets;
• The role of the metaverse, digital platforms, continuous learning systems, and advanced data architectures in the future of finance;
• Case studies and best practices illustrating successful implementation of AI-, DeFi-, and sustainability-oriented financial solutions across sectors and regions;
• European and global policy frameworks, agreements, and partnerships shaping sustainable and digital finance ecosystems;
• Sustainability strategies in global economic sectors with significant local and regional impacts.
• The interaction between Artificial Intelligence, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and responsible innovation;
• Implications for human capital, workforce transformation, and the future of jobs in AI-driven and decentralized financial systems.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on how AI, DeFi, and sustainability collectively form a new financial operating system, one that is intelligent, decentralized, inclusive, and aligned with sustainable development objectives.

Prof. Dr. Manta Otilia
Prof. Dr. Shigeyuki Hamori
Prof. Dr. Valentina Vasile
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the Special Issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. FinTech is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.