IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/riibaf/v76y2025ics0275531925000601.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Research on the impact of financial technology on risk-taking of commercial banks

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Chengyou
  • Li, Yuxin
  • Xu, Yun
  • Sun, Guanglin

Abstract

Fintech has driven both the diversification of commercial banks' operations and increased market competition, posing challenges to their risk management. This paper selects the panel data of 154 commercial banks from 2011 to 2023 and constructs a fintech development indicator based on strategic partnerships with external fintech firms to examine its impact on banks' risk-taking behavior. The findings are as follows: (1) Fintech significantly raises the risk-taking levels of commercial banks, with the result remaining robust after various sensitivity tests. (2) The impact of fintech on risk-taking is heterogeneous. It has a more substantial effect on smaller banks compared to larger ones, and is more pronounced in regions with lower marketization levels. (3) Fintech affects commercial banks' asset-liability structures through market crowding-out effects and provides technological support for innovation through technological spillover effects, both of which significantly enhance risk-taking. Therefore, this research offers better understanding of the intrinsic relationship between fintech and commercial banks' risk-taking.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Chengyou & Li, Yuxin & Xu, Yun & Sun, Guanglin, 2025. "Research on the impact of financial technology on risk-taking of commercial banks," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:76:y:2025:i:c:s0275531925000601
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2025.102804
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0275531925000601
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ribaf.2025.102804?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. Yener Altunbas & Leonardo Gambacorta & David Marques-Ibanez, 2010. "Does monetary policy affect bank risk-taking?," BIS Working Papers 298, Bank for International Settlements.
    2. Nathan Nunn & Nancy Qian, 2014. "US Food Aid and Civil Conflict," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(6), pages 1630-1666, June.
    3. Boubakri, Narjess & El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Hossain, Mahmud, 2020. "Post-privatization state ownership and bank risk-taking: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    4. Borio, Claudio & Zhu, Haibin, 2012. "Capital regulation, risk-taking and monetary policy: A missing link in the transmission mechanism?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 236-251.
    5. Philippon, Thomas, 2016. "The FinTech Opportunity," CEPR Discussion Papers 11409, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Adams, Renée B. & Mehran, Hamid, 2012. "Bank board structure and performance: Evidence for large bank holding companies," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 243-267.
    7. Luo, Yun & Tanna, Sailesh & De Vita, Glauco, 2016. "Financial openness, risk and bank efficiency: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 132-148.
    8. Pathan, Shams, 2009. "Strong boards, CEO power and bank risk-taking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(7), pages 1340-1350, July.
    9. Laeven, Luc & Levine, Ross, 2009. "Bank governance, regulation and risk taking," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 259-275, August.
    10. Yihui Wang & Han Xia, 2014. "Do Lenders Still Monitor When They Can Securitize Loans?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 27(8), pages 2354-2391.
    11. Phan, Dinh Hoang Bach & Narayan, Paresh Kumar & Rahman, R. Eki & Hutabarat, Akhis R., 2020. "Do financial technology firms influence bank performance?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    12. Ashraf, Badar Nadeem & Zheng, Changjun & Jiang, Chonghui & Qian, Ningyu, 2020. "Capital regulation, deposit insurance and bank risk: International evidence from normal and crisis periods," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    13. Delis, Manthos D. & Kouretas, Georgios P., 2011. "Interest rates and bank risk-taking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 840-855, April.
    14. Daniel, Betty C. & Jones, John Bailey, 2007. "Financial liberalization and banking crises in emerging economies," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 202-221, May.
    15. Laeven, Luc & Levine, Ross & Michalopoulos, Stelios, 2015. "Financial innovation and endogenous growth," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 1-24.
    16. Tobias Adrian & Hyun Song Shin, 2009. "Money, Liquidity, and Monetary Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 600-605, May.
    17. Beck, Thorsten & Demirguc-Kunt, Asli & Levine, Ross, 2006. "Bank concentration, competition, and crises: First results," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 1581-1603, May.
    18. Jiménez, Gabriel & Lopez, Jose A. & Saurina, Jesús, 2013. "How does competition affect bank risk-taking?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 185-195.
    19. Instefjord, Norvald, 2005. "Risk and hedging: Do credit derivatives increase bank risk?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 333-345, February.
    20. Cubillas, Elena & González, Francisco, 2014. "Financial liberalization and bank risk-taking: International evidence," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 11(C), pages 32-48.
    21. Danisman, Gamze Ozturk & Demirel, Pelin, 2019. "Bank risk-taking in developed countries: The influence of market power and bank regulations," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 202-217.
    22. Khan, Muhammad Saifuddin & Scheule, Harald & Wu, Eliza, 2017. "Funding liquidity and bank risk taking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 203-216.
    23. Liu, Guoping & Sun, Jerry, 2021. "Independent directors’ legal expertise, bank risk-taking and performance," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1).
    24. Kim, Teakdong & Koo, Bonwoo & Park, Minsoo, 2013. "Role of financial regulation and innovation in the financial crisis," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 662-672.
    25. Angela Maddaloni & Jose-Luis Peydro, 2011. "Bank Risk-taking, Securitization, Supervision, and Low Interest Rates: Evidence from the Euro-area and the U.S. Lending Standards," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(6), pages 2121-2165.
    26. Daniel Broby, 2021. "Financial technology and the future of banking," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 1-19, December.
    27. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Ni, Wenjie & Zhang, Xiaoming, 2023. "FinTech development and commercial bank efficiency in China," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    28. Akbar, Saeed & Kharabsheh, Buthiena & Poletti-Hughes, Jannine & Shah, Syed Zulfiqar Ali, 2017. "Board structure and corporate risk taking in the UK financial sector," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 101-110.
    29. Altunbas, Yener & Gambacorta, Leonardo & Marques-Ibanez, David, 2010. "Bank risk and monetary policy," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 121-129, September.
    30. de Reuver, Mark & Sørensen, Carsten & Basole, Rahul C., 2018. "The digital platform: a research agenda," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 80669, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    31. Nguyen, James, 2012. "The relationship between net interest margin and noninterest income using a system estimation approach," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 2429-2437.
    32. Pin Guo & Maoyong Cheng & Yue Shen, 2024. "FinTech adoption and bank risk-taking: evidence from China," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(7), pages 594-602, April.
    33. Zhang, Yujin & Ye, Shujun & Liu, Jie & Du, Lihong, 2023. "Impact of the development of FinTech by commercial banks on bank credit risk," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    34. Cebenoyan, A. Sinan & Strahan, Philip E., 2004. "Risk management, capital structure and lending at banks," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 19-43, January.
    35. Kevin C. Murdock & Thomas F. Hellmann & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2000. "Liberalization, Moral Hazard in Banking, and Prudential Regulation: Are Capital Requirements Enough?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(1), pages 147-165, March.
    36. Houston, Joel F. & Lin, Chen & Lin, Ping & Ma, Yue, 2010. "Creditor rights, information sharing, and bank risk taking," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(3), pages 485-512, June.
    37. Brogi, Marina & Lagasio, Valentina, 2022. "Better safe than sorry. Bank corporate governance, risk-taking, and performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 44(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. Dutra, Tiago M. & Teixeira, João C.A. & Dias, José Carlos, 2023. "Banking regulation and banks’ risk-taking behavior: The role of investors’ protection," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 124-148.
    2. Tiago M. Dutra & João C. A. Teixeira & José Carlos Dias, 2024. "The effect of political institutions on the interplay between banking regulation and banks’ risk," Journal of Banking Regulation, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(2), pages 179-196, June.
    3. Wu, Ji & Guo, Mengmeng & Chen, Minghua & Jeon, Bang Nam, 2019. "Market power and risk-taking of banks: Some semiparametric evidence from emerging economies," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    4. Bui, Duy-Tung & Nguyen, Canh Phuc & Su, Thanh Dinh, 2021. "Asymmetric impacts of monetary policy and business cycles on bank risk-taking: Evidence from Emerging Asian markets," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 24(C).
    5. Ferdaous Bahri & Taher Hamza, 2020. "The Impact of Market Power on Bank Risk-Taking: an Empirical Investigation," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(3), pages 1198-1233, September.
    6. Huang, Yiping & Li, Xiang & Wang, Chu, 2021. "What does peer-to-peer lending evidence say about the Risk-Taking Channel of monetary policy?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    7. Whelsy Boungou, 2019. "Negative interest rate, bank profitability and risk-taking," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2019-10, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
    8. Huang, Yiping & Li, Xiang & Wang, Chu, 2021. "What does peer-to-peer lending evidence say about the Risk-Taking Channel of monetary policy?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    9. repec:zbw:bofitp:2019_016 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Ekin Ayse Ozsuca & Elif Akbostanci, 2012. "An Empirical Analysis of the Risk Taking Channel of Monetary Policy in Turkey," ERC Working Papers 1208, ERC - Economic Research Center, Middle East Technical University, revised Dec 2012.
    11. Veríssimo, Pedro & de Carvalho, Paulo Viegas & Laureano, Luís, 2021. "Asymmetries in the Euro area banking profitability," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 24(C).
    12. Wu, Ji & Chen, Minghua & Jeon, Bang Nam & Wang, Rui, 2017. "Does foreign bank penetration affect the risk of domestic banks? Evidence from emerging economies," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 45-61.
    13. Shabir, Mohsin & Jiang, Ping & Shahab, Yasir & Wang, Peng, 2023. "Geopolitical, economic uncertainty and bank risk: Do CEO power and board strength matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    14. Seza Danışoğlu & Z. Nuray Güner & Hande Ayaydın Hacıömeroğlu, 2018. "International Evidence on Risk Taking by Banks Around the Global Financial Crisis," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(9), pages 1946-1962, July.
    15. Feld, Lars P. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Schnabel, Isabel & Truger, Achim & Wieland, Volker, 2019. "Den Strukturwandel meistern. Jahresgutachten 2019/20 [Dealing with Structural Change. Annual Report 2019/20]," Annual Economic Reports / Jahresgutachten, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, volume 127, number 201920.
    16. Teixeira, João C.A. & Matos, Tiago F.A. & da Costa, Gui L.P. & Fortuna, Mário J.A., 2020. "Investor protection, regulation and bank risk-taking behavior," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    17. Wang, Li & Menkhoff, Lukas & Schröder, Michael & Xu, Xian, 2019. "Politicians’ promotion incentives and bank risk exposure in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 63-94.
    18. Dell'Ariccia, Giovanni & Laeven, Luc & Marquez, Robert, 2010. "Monetary Policy, Leverage, and Bank Risk-Taking," Working Papers 11-05, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, Weiss Center.
    19. Taha Zaghdoudi & Samir Maktouf, 2017. "Monetary Policy and Bank Excessive Risk-Taking," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 13(2), pages 157-173, April.
    20. Al-Shboul, Mohammad & Maghyereh, Aktham & Hassan, Abul & Molyneux, Phillip, 2020. "Political risk and bank stability in the Middle East and North Africa region," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    21. DellʼAriccia, Giovanni & Laeven, Luc & Marquez, Robert, 2014. "Real interest rates, leverage, and bank risk-taking," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 65-99.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

    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:riibaf:v:76:y:2025:i:c:s0275531925000601. 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/ribaf .

    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.