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Does FinTech Increase Bank Risk-taking?

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  • Elekdag, Selim
  • Emrullahu, Drilona
  • Ben Naceur, Sami

Abstract

Motivated by its rapid growth, this paper investigates how FinTech activities influence risk-taking by financial intermediaries (FIs). In this context, the paper revisits an ongoing debate on the impact of competition on financial stability: on one side, it is argued that greater competition encourages greater risk-taking (competition-fragility hypothesis), while the other side asserts that more competition can increase financial stability (competition-stability hypothesis). Using a curated database covering over 10,000 FIs and global FinTech activities, we find a robust relationship whereby greater FinTech presence is associated with heightened risk-taking by FIs, offering support for the competition-fragility hypothesis. However, the inclusion of bank-, industry, and country-specific characteristics can alter this relationship. Importantly, there is suggestive evidence indicating that in certain cases, greater FinTech presence may be associated with less FI risk-taking amid stronger domestic institutions. Notwithstanding the relevance for policy, this paper presents a novel framework that may help reconcile some of the conflicting results in the literature, which have found supportive evidence for each of the two competing hypotheses.

Suggested Citation

  • Elekdag, Selim & Emrullahu, Drilona & Ben Naceur, Sami, 2025. "Does FinTech Increase Bank Risk-taking?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finsta:v:76:y:2025:i:c:s1572308924001451
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfs.2024.101360
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    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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