IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v91y2026ics1544612326000176.html

Financial accessibility, digital skills, and family entrepreneurship: Evidence from the China family panel studies (CFPS)

Author

Listed:
  • Qiao, Shuo
  • Xiong, Haoran
  • Wu, Xiaohan
  • Zhang, Jing

Abstract

This paper utilizes micro-family data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) as a research sample to explore the relationship between financial accessibility, digital skills, and family entrepreneurship. The study finds a significant positive correlation between financial accessibility and family entrepreneurship behavior; the positive impact of financial accessibility on family entrepreneurship is particularly pronounced among urban families and those with higher educational attainment. Digital skills play a mediating role in the relationship between financial accessibility and family entrepreneurship, and this mediating effect is notably significant in families headed by young and middle-aged adults, but not in families headed by older adults. This research provides new micro-level evidence to understand how inclusive finance and digital literacy can synergistically enhance family entrepreneurial vitality in the digital economy era.

Suggested Citation

  • Qiao, Shuo & Xiong, Haoran & Wu, Xiaohan & Zhang, Jing, 2026. "Financial accessibility, digital skills, and family entrepreneurship: Evidence from the China family panel studies (CFPS)," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:91:y:2026:i:c:s1544612326000176
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2026.109486
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612326000176
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2026.109486?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Azra Zaimovic & Adna Omanovic & Lejla Dedovic & Tarik Zaimovic, 2025. "The effect of business experience on fintech behavioural adoption among MSME managers: the mediating role of digital financial literacy and its components," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-22, December.
    2. Erman Aminullah & Trina Fizzanty & Nawawi Nawawi & Joko Suryanto & Nika Pranata & Ikbal Maulana & Luthfina Ariyani & Adityo Wicaksono & Ikval Suardi & Nyimas Latifah Letty Azis & Aisah Putri Budiatri, 2024. "Interactive Components of Digital MSMEs Ecosystem for Inclusive Digital Economy in Indonesia," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 487-517, March.
    3. Chengli Zheng & Jiayu Jin & Liyan Han, 2024. "Reduced interest option pricing for green bonds," China Finance Review International, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(2), pages 228-268, May.
    4. Lyu, Jiayu & Li, Lu & Liu, Yuqi & Deng, Qian, 2025. "Promoting common prosperity: How do digital capability and financial literacy matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    5. Tendai Douglas Svotwa & Olumide Jaiyeoba & Mornay Roberts-Lombard & Charles Makanyeza, 2022. "Perceived Access to Finance, Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy, Attitude Toward Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Ability, and Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Botswana Youth Perspective," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    6. Wu, Jinshun & Wu, Luyao, 2023. "Impacts of digital inclusive finance on household entrepreneurship," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    7. Tan, Ying & Li, Xiaoying, 2022. "The impact of internet on entrepreneurship," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 135-142.
    8. Laura Zapata-Cantu & Ramón Sanguino & Ascensión Barroso & Laura Nicola-Gavrilă, 2023. "Family Business Adapting a New Digital-Based Economy: Opportunities and Challenges for Future Research," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 14(1), pages 408-425, March.
    9. Xiaojun Wu & Huijia Chang, 2023. "Impact of digital inclusive finance on household tourism consumption: evidence from China," European Journal of Innovation Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 27(6), pages 2101-2121, February.
    10. Li, Jingwen & Wang, Haoliang & Soh, WeiNi, 2024. "Digital transformation, financial literacy and rural household entrepreneurship," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    11. Qi Wu & Jiaqi Feng & Shouheng Sun, 2023. "Research on the Impact of Digital Inclusive Finance on People’s Well-Being," Lecture Notes in Operations Research, in: Xiaopu Shang & Xiaowen Fu & Yixuan Ma & Daqing Gong & Juliang Zhang (ed.), Liss 2022, pages 211-226, Springer.
    12. Malodia, Suresh & Mishra, Mahima & Fait, Monica & Papa, Armando & Dezi, Luca, 2023. "To digit or to head? Designing digital transformation journey of SMEs among digital self-efficacy and professional leadership," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jie Weng & Wang Li & Jie Zhou, 2025. "Can Digital Inclusive Finance Safeguard the Middle Class? A Study Based on Chinese Household Data," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(2), pages 21582440251, June.
    2. Wang Li, 2025. "Aggravate or Alleviate? The Impact of Financial Literacy on Income Inequality: Evidence From Double Machine Learning," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(4), pages 21582440251, November.
    3. Wang, Pengcheng & Yang, Xuelin, 2024. "Social trust and household financial decision-making: An empirical study based on the usage of household financial technology," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    4. Yang, Gang & Yuan, Gongming & Kou, Junhao & Jiau, Shyhyan, 2025. "Impact of inclusive finance on private enterprise Lending: Evidence from China private enterprise survey," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    5. Zhang, Cheng & Jian, Yaode & Zhou, Zhongsheng & Zhou, Bo, 2024. "Can the digital economy close the gender wage gap? Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    6. Zhao, Yuehan & Zhao, Zheng, 2025. "Analysis of family wealth and participation in commercial insurance behavior within the influence of Confucian culture," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    7. Li, Bin & Pan, Ya, 2025. "Digital inclusive finance and rural entrepreneurial survival: The moderating role of digital and financial literacy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1119-1136.
    8. Zhou, Jun & Zhang, Xueyi & Korkmaz, Aslihan Gizem & Li, Youwei & Yue, Pengpeng, 2025. "Entrepreneurship in the digital era," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Feng, Yanchao & Yan, Tong & Hu, Shilei & Zhang, Zhenhua, 2025. "The impact of digital inclusive finance on household carbon emissions: Empirical evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    10. Sun, Liming & Lu, Feixiang & Guan, Haoyuan & Lu, Xiang & Zhai, Jun & Liu, Junchao, 2025. "Tax incentives, business environment, and entrepreneurial and innovation outcome," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    11. Zhilue Xiang & Qiaoyue Yin & Xizhi Xue & Wanting Zhang & Xia Wang, 2026. "What affects rural households’ entrepreneurial performance: Formal or informal finance availability?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 21(2), pages 1-20, February.
    12. Cai, Dongsong & Kou, Junhao & He, Yao, 2025. "The impact of digital finance on households’ financial literacy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 687-704.
    13. Huang, Guangfeng & Wu, Shuying & Chen, Lishuang, 2025. "Research on differentiated empowerment mechanisms of digital finance and social security inputs on farmers' entrepreneurship - A deep analysis based on regional characteristics and threshold effects," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    14. Wang, Yao & Wu, Xuenan & Lin, Boqiang, 2025. "Empowering green households: How does digital finance influence household carbon footprints?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    15. Cai, Yuanyuan & Liang, Le & Zhang, Yi & Qi, Liangqun & Wang, Chengdong, 2025. "Does digital inclusive finance promote industrial global value chain upgrading? evidence from China’s advanced manufacturing industry," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    16. Dong, Xueqin & Dong, Dongdong & Huang, Lilong, 2025. "Enhancing corporate total factor productivity: The dual drivers of inclusive finance and technological progress," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    17. Yang, Xiaolan & Zhang, Lele & Hong, Xiaoyue & Li, Wenchao, 2024. "Can digital financial inclusion facilitate intergenerational income mobility? Evidence from China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(4), pages 951-962.
    18. Fu, Xintong & Guo, Chunjuan, 2025. "Digital inclusive finance and the construction of agricultural modernization," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    19. Che, Weina & Jia, Haoyi, 2025. "Corporate governance level, financial robustness, and goodwill bubbles," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    20. Chen Luo & Wenwen Yu & Lindong Li & Aizhi Li & Jinbo Du, 2026. "How does digital finance affect electricity consumption? an empirical analysis of the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 6677-6694, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:91:y:2026:i:c:s1544612326000176. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.