Search Results (224)

The intersection of green finance and artificial intelligence (AI) represents a rapidly emerging and high-impact research domain with the potential to reshape sustainable economic systems. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric and network analysis aimed at mapping the scientific landscape, identifying research hotspots, and highlighting methodological trends at this nexus. A dataset of 268 peer-reviewed publications (2014–June 2025) was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, filtered by the Business Economics category. Analytical techniques employed include Bibliometrix in R, VOSviewer, and science mapping tools such as thematic mapping, trend topic analysis, co-citation networks, and co-occurrence clustering. Results indicate an annual growth rate of 53.31%, with China leading in both productivity and impact, followed by Vietnam and the United Kingdom. The most prolific affiliations and authors, primarily based in China, underscore a concentrated regional research output. The most relevant journals include Energy Economics and Finance Research Letters. Network visualizations identified 17 clusters, with focused analysis on the top three: (1) Emission, Health, and Environmental Risk, (2) Institutional and Technological Infrastructure, and (3) Green Innovation and Sustainable Urban Development. The methodological landscape is equally diverse, with top techniques including blockchain technology, large language models, convolutional neural networks, sentiment analysis, and structural equation modeling, demonstrating a blend of traditional econometrics and advanced AI. This study not only uncovers intellectual structures and thematic evolution but also identifies underdeveloped areas and proposes future research directions. These include dynamic topic modeling, regional case studies, and ethical frameworks for AI in sustainable finance. The findings provide a strategic foundation for advancing interdisciplinary collaboration and policy innovation in green AI–finance ecosystems. Full article

Managing finances in a supply chain today is not as straightforward as it once was. The world is constantly shifting—markets fluctuate, risks emerge unexpectedly—and companies are continually trying to stay one step ahead. In all this, financial resilience has become more than just a strategy. It is a survival skill. In our research, we examined how newer technologies (such as blockchain and the Internet of Things) can make a difference. The idea was not to reinvent the wheel but to see if these tools could actually make financing more transparent, reduce some of the friction, and maybe even help companies breathe a little easier when it comes to liquidity. We employed two optimization methods (Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) and Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO)) to achieve a balanced outcome. The goal was lower financing costs, better liquidity, and stronger resilience. Blockchain did not just record transactions—it seemed to build trust. Meanwhile, the Internet of Things (IoT) provided companies with a clearer picture of what is happening in real-time, making financial outcomes a bit less of a guessing game. However, it gives financial managers a better chance at planning and not getting caught off guard when the economy takes a turn. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) agents are increasingly shaping vital sectors of society, including healthcare, education, supply chains, and finance. As their influence grows, AI alignment research plays a pivotal role in ensuring these systems are trustworthy, transparent, and aligned with human values. Leveraging blockchain technology, proven over the past decade in enabling transparent, tamper-resistant distributed systems, offers significant potential to strengthen AI alignment. However, despite its potential, the current AI alignment literature has yet to systematically explore the effectiveness of blockchain in facilitating secure and ethical behavior in AI agents. While existing systematic literature reviews (SLRs) in AI alignment address various aspects of AI safety and AI alignment, this SLR specifically examines the gap at the intersection of AI alignment, blockchain, and ethics. To address this gap, this SLR explores how blockchain technology can overcome the limitations of existing AI alignment approaches. We searched for studies containing keywords from AI, blockchain, and ethics domains in the Scopus database, identifying 7110 initial records on 28 May 2024. We excluded studies which did not answer our research questions and did not discuss the thematic intersection between AI, blockchain, and ethics to a sufficient extent. The quality of the selected studies was assessed on the basis of their methodology, clarity, completeness, and transparency, resulting in a final number of 46 included studies, the majority of which were journal articles. Results were synthesized through quantitative topic analysis and qualitative analysis to identify key themes and patterns. The contributions of this paper include the following: (i) presentation of the results of an SLR conducted to identify, extract, evaluate, and synthesize studies on the symbiosis of AI alignment, blockchain, and ethics; (ii) summary and categorization of the existing benefits and challenges in incorporating blockchain for AI alignment within the context of ethics; (iii) development of a framework that will facilitate new research activities; and (iv) establishment of the state of evidence with in-depth assessment. The proposed blockchain-based AI alignment framework in this study demonstrates that integrating blockchain with AI alignment can substantially enhance robustness, promote public trust, and facilitate ethical compliance in AI systems. Full article

To respond to China’s sustainable development goals, this study uses a dynamic panel data set (2009–2023) and the PSM-DID model to examine how blockchain adoption impacts corporate sustainable development performance (CSDP). The results show that blockchain significantly enhances CSDP by 9.8–12.3%, primarily through two channels (reducing financing constraints by improving transparency and decreasing chairman-CEO duality) to optimize governance. Regional environmental regulation strengthens this relationship. Heterogeneity analysis reveals stronger impacts in unregulated industries, private firms, and central–western regions, while state-owned firms show policy-driven governance improvements. The study enriches the understanding of blockchain’s dual role in balancing efficiency and sustainability, offering insights for integrating digital technology into green policy frameworks. Full article

The digital economy has amplified the role of technological innovation in transforming financial services and business models. Patent data offer valuable insights into these dynamics, especially within the growing FinTech ecosystem. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of academic research that utilizes PATSTAT, a global database managed by the European Patent Office, focusing on its application in studies related to digital innovation, finance, and economic transformation. A systematic mapping of publications indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, Wiley, Emerald, and Springer Nature is carried out using Biblioshiny and Bibliometrix in RStudio 2025.05.0, complemented by graph-based visualizations via VOSviewer 1.6.20. The findings reveal a growing body of research that leverages PATSTAT to explore technological trajectories, intellectual property strategies, and innovation systems, particularly in areas such as blockchain technologies, AI-driven finance, digital payments, and smart contracts. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the strategic value of patent analytics in the FinTech landscape and offers a reference point for researchers and decision-makers aiming to understand emerging trends in financial technologies and the digital economy. Full article

Prior research has focused on the technical and institutional challenges of blockchain adoption. However, little is known about how blockchain ventures claim categorical space in the market and how such domain positioning influences their visibility and evaluation. This study investigates the relationship between strategic domain positioning and market recognition among blockchain-based ventures, with a particular focus on applications relevant to e-commerce, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and decentralized finance (DeFi). Drawing on research on categorization, legitimacy, and the technology lifecycle, we propose a domain lifecycle perspective that accounts for the evolving expectations and legitimacy criteria across blockchain domains. Using BERTopic, a transformer-based topic modeling method, we classify 9665 blockchain ventures based on their textual business descriptions. We then test the impact of domain positioning on market recognition—proxied by Crunchbase rank—while examining the moderating effects of external validation signals such as funding events, media attention, and organizational age. Our findings reveal that clear domain positioning significantly enhances market recognition, but the strength and direction of this effect vary by domain. Specifically, NFT ventures experience stronger recognition when young and less institutionally validated, suggesting a novelty premium, while DeFi ventures benefit more from conventional legitimacy signals. These results advance our understanding of how categorical dynamics operate in emerging digital ecosystems and offer practical insights for e-commerce platforms, investors, and entrepreneurs navigating blockchain-enabled innovation. Full article

This paper addresses the definitional ambiguity surrounding the term “green fintech” and its distinction from related concepts such as green finance and sustainable finance. We argue that the lack of clarity impedes accountability and facilitates greenwashing. To resolve this, we develop a conceptual framework grounded in a six-step “litmus test” that specifies the necessary conditions for an initiative to qualify as green fintech. These include demonstrable environmental objectives, the application of innovative financial technologies, and regulatory alignment. The test functions as a diagnostic tool, enhancing verifiability and reducing the risk of misrepresentation. We illustrate its practical use and integrate the Dynamic Integrated Model of Climate and the Economy (DICE) to support the analysis. Green fintech is defined as the implementation of green climate objectives through the medium of financial technology. This contribution provides both definitional precision and a means to assess the credibility of green fintech initiatives, offering clarity in an increasingly complex and contested area of sustainable finance. Full article

Blockchain’s promise of decentralised, tamper-resistant services is gaining real traction in three arenas: decentralized finance (DeFi), blockchain gaming, and data-driven analytics. These sectors span finance, entertainment, and information services, offering a representative setting in which to study real-world adoption. This survey analyzes how each domain implements blockchain, identifies the incentives that accelerate uptake, and maps the technical and organizational barriers that still limit scale. By examining peer-reviewed literature and recent industry developments, this review distils common design features such as token incentives, verifiable digital ownership, and immutable data governance. It also pinpoints the following domain-specific challenges: capital efficiency in DeFi, asset portability and community engagement in gaming, and high-volume, low-latency querying in analytics. Moreover, cross-sector links are already forming, with DeFi liquidity tools supporting in-game economies and analytics dashboards improving decision-making across platforms. Building on these findings, this paper offers guidance on stronger interoperability and user-centered design and sets research priorities in consensus optimization, privacy-preserving analytics, and inclusive governance. Together, the insights equip developers, policymakers, and researchers to build scalable, interoperable platforms and reuse proven designs while avoiding common pitfalls. Full article

Blockchain technology is being increasingly deployed to store and process transactions and information in the global financial sector. Blockchain underpins cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and facilitates decentralized finance (DeFi), representing a paradigm shift in the global financial landscape, offering alternative solutions to traditional banking, and fostering financial inclusion. In developing economies such as Morocco, where a significant portion of the population remains unbanked, these digital financial innovations present both opportunities and challenges. This study examines the potential role of cryptocurrencies and DeFi in enhancing financial inclusion in Morocco, where cryptocurrencies have been banned since 2017. However, the public continues to use cryptocurrencies, circumventing restrictions, and the Moroccan Central Bank is now preparing to introduce new regulations to legalize their use within the country. In this context, this article analyses the potential of cryptocurrencies to mitigate barriers such as high transaction costs, restricted access to financial services in rural areas, and limited financial literacy in the country. The study pursues a mixed-methods approach, which combines a quantitative survey with qualitative expert interviews and adapts the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model to the Moroccan context. The findings reveal that while cryptocurrencies offer cost-efficient financial transactions and improved accessibility, their adoption may be constrained by regulatory uncertainty, security risks, and technological limitations. The novelty of the article thus lies in its focus on the key mechanisms that influence the adoption of cryptocurrencies and their potential impact in a specific national context. In so doing, the study highlights the need for a structured regulatory framework, investment in digital infrastructure, and targeted financial literacy initiatives to optimize the potential role of cryptocurrencies in progressing financial inclusion in Morocco. This underscores the need for integrated models and guidelines for policymakers, financial institutions, and technology providers to ensure the responsible introduction of cryptocurrencies in developing world environments. Full article

This study investigates the convergence of blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), near-field communication (NFC), and mobile technologies in electronic payment (e-payment) systems, proposing an innovative integrative framework to deconstruct the systemic innovations and transformative impacts driven by such technological synergy. Unlike prior research, which often focuses on single-technology adoption, this study uniquely adopts a cross-technology convergence perspective. To our knowledge, this is the first study to empirically map the multi-technology convergence landscape in e-payment using scientometric techniques. By employing bibliometric and thematic network analysis methods, the research maps the intellectual evolution and key research themes of technology convergence in e-payment systems. Findings reveal that while the integration of these technologies holds significant promise, improving transparency, scalability, and responsiveness, it also presents challenges, including interoperability barriers, privacy concerns, and regulatory complexity. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential for convergent technologies to unintentionally deepen the digital divide if not inclusively designed. The novelty of this study is threefold: (1) theoretical contribution—this study expands existing frameworks of technology adoption and digital governance by introducing an integrated perspective on cross-technology adoption and regulatory responsiveness; (2) practical relevance—it offers actionable, stakeholder-specific recommendations for policymakers, financial institutions, developers, and end-users; (3) methodological innovation—it leverages scientometric and topic modeling techniques to capture the macro-level trajectory of technology convergence, complementing traditional qualitative insights. In conclusion, this study advances the theoretical foundations of digital finance and provides forward-looking policy and managerial implications, paving the way for a more secure, inclusive, and innovation-driven digital payment ecosystem. Full article

Driven by the global energy transition and the pursuit of “dual carbon” goals, sustainability risks within the coal supply chain have emerged as a central obstacle impeding the low-carbon transformation of high-carbon industries. To address the critical gap in systematic and multidimensional risk assessments for coal supply chains, this study proposes a hybrid framework that integrates the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method. Utilizing the Delphi method and the coefficient of variation technique, this study develops a risk assessment system encompassing eight primary criteria and forty sub-criteria. These indicators cover economic, operational safety, ecological and environmental, management policy, demand, sustainable supply, information technology, and social risks. An empirical analysis is conducted, using a prominent Chinese coal enterprise as a case study. The findings demonstrate that the overall risk level of the enterprise is “moderate”, with demand risk, information technology risk, and social risk ranking as the top three concerns. This underscores the substantial impact of accelerated energy substitution, digital system vulnerabilities, and stakeholder conflicts on supply chain resilience. Further analysis elucidates the transmission mechanisms of critical risk nodes, including financing constraints, equipment modernization delays, and deficiencies in end-of-pipe governance. Targeted strategies are proposed, such as constructing a diversified financing matrix, developing a blockchain-based data-sharing platform, and establishing a community co-governance mechanism. These measures offer scientific decision-making support for the coal industry’s efforts to balance “ensuring supply” with “reducing carbon emissions”, and provide a replicable risk assessment paradigm for the sustainable transformation of global high-carbon supply chains. Full article

Blockchain technology is reshaping the sports industry by enhancing transparency, data security, and fan engagement through applications such as smart contracts, tokenized sponsorships, and decentralized ticketing. This study investigates blockchain adoption in Romanian team sports, specifically football and basketball, through a comparative analysis based on a survey of 293 sports professionals (213 from football and 80 from basketball). Using structural equation modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS and cluster analysis in SPSS, the study explores the perceived benefits of blockchain and its relationship with athlete performance. The findings reveal distinct adoption patterns: football shows higher use of blockchain in ticketing and fan engagement, while basketball leads in performance analytics and financial support mechanisms. Statistically significant differences were confirmed through MANOVA, and clustering revealed varied stakeholder perceptions across professional roles. Benchmarking against sectors like finance and healthcare highlights transferable best practices for blockchain integration in sports. Full article

As healthcare systems face mounting pressure to modernise payment infrastructure, fintech innovations have emerged as potential tools to improve affordability and efficiency. However, the adoption of these technologies in clinical settings remains limited. This study investigated the perceptions and resistance patterns of healthcare professionals toward Buy-Now-Pay-Later technology and blockchain in healthcare finance, using Innovation Resistance Theory as the guiding framework. Survey data collected from medical practitioners (N = 366) were analysed to identify knowledge gaps, perceived risks, and tradition-related barriers that influence adoption intent. The findings reveal that while interest in financial innovation exists, resistance is driven by institutional conservatism, regulatory uncertainty, and limited familiarity with decentralised finance systems. This research contributes to the literature by offering a theory-based explanation for why even high-potential financial tools face behavioural and structural resistance in healthcare environments. Full article

The convergence of blockchain and metaverse technologies is poised to redefine how Global Value Chains (GVCs) create, capture, and distribute value, yet scholarly insight into their joint impact remains scattered. Addressing this gap, the present study aims to clarify where, how, and under what conditions blockchain-enabled transparency and metaverse-enabled immersion enhance GVC performance. A systematic literature review (SLR), conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, screened 300 articles from ABI Global, Business Source Premier, and Web of Science records, yielding 65 peer-reviewed articles for in-depth analysis. The corpus was coded thematically and mapped against three theoretical lenses: transaction cost theory, resource-based view, and network/ecosystem perspectives. Key findings reveal the following: 1. digital twins anchored in immersive platforms reduce planning cycles by up to 30% and enable real-time, cross-border supply chain reconfiguration; 2. tokenized assets, micro-transactions, and decentralized finance (DeFi) are spawning new revenue models but simultaneously shift tax triggers and compliance burdens; 3. cross-chain protocols are critical for scalable trust, yet regulatory fragmentation—exemplified by divergent EU, U.S., and APAC rules—creates non-trivial coordination costs; and 4. traditional IB theories require extension to account for digital-capability orchestration, emerging cost centers (licensing, reserve backing, data audits), and metaverse-driven network effects. Based on these insights, this study recommends that managers adopt phased licensing and geo-aware tax engines, embed region-specific compliance flags in smart-contract metadata, and pilot digital-twin initiatives in sandbox-friendly jurisdictions. Policymakers are urged to accelerate work on interoperability and reporting standards to prevent systemic bottlenecks. Finally, researchers should pursue multi-case and longitudinal studies measuring the financial and ESG outcomes of integrated blockchain–metaverse deployments. By synthesizing disparate streams and articulating a forward agenda, this review provides a conceptual bridge for international business scholarship and a practical roadmap for firms navigating the next wave of digital GVC transformation. Full article

Blockchain technology has evolved beyond financial transactions to revolutionize trust systems. This paper presents a blockchain-based model for decentralized rental agreements and dispute resolution (DRADR). By leveraging smart contracts and implementing two distinct arbitration approaches, our model offers flexible solutions for rental agreement automation, transparency enhancement, and impartial dispute resolution. Our study provides a comprehensive technical analysis of both approaches through theoretical frameworks, smart contract implementation, game-theoretic modeling, and comparative evaluation across multiple legal jurisdictions. We explore the potential of blockchain technology to address long-standing challenges in traditional rental systems, such as power imbalances, inefficiencies, and legal disputes. Key contributions include the integration of decentralized and local justice systems; a detailed game-theoretic analysis of strategic behaviors; and comparative insights into gas efficiency, economic viability, and jurisdictional adaptability across both arbitration approaches. This research paves the way for a more equitable and transparent rental market and contributes to the broader acceptance of blockchain-based solutions in everyday transactions. Full article