IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jresou/v14y2025i6p101-d1680343.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

FinTech Adoption and Its Influence on Sustainable Mineral Resource Management in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Asif Raihan

    (Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia)

  • Syed Masiur Rahman

    (Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
    Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
    Interdisciplinary Research Center for Construction and Building Materials, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mohammad Ridwan

    (Department of Economics, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali 3814, Bangladesh)

  • Tapan Sarker

    (School of Business, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4300, Australia)

Abstract

Sustainable mineral resource management is critical amid escalating environmental concerns and growing demand for minerals in digital and clean energy technologies. While financial technology (FinTech) has been widely recognized for enhancing financial inclusion and economic efficiency, its role in environmental governance—particularly in the mining sector—remains underexplored, especially within developed economies like the United States. This study addresses this gap by examining how FinTech adoption influences mineral sustainability, using time series data from 1998 to 2023. Four FinTech proxies—mobile cellular subscriptions, Internet usage, fixed broadband access, and financial inclusion—were analyzed alongside environmental compliance and investment in sustainable mining technologies. Using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model and Frequency Domain Causality (FDC) analysis, the results show that greater FinTech adoption significantly reduces mineral depletion rates, indicating improved sustainability. Internet and broadband access exhibit strong long-term impacts, while mobile connectivity and credit access show notable short- and medium-term effects. Investment in sustainable mining technologies further enhances these outcomes. Our findings suggest that FinTech serves as a multidimensional enabler of sustainability through digital inclusion, transparency, and access to green financing. This study provides empirical evidence to guide policymakers in integrating digital financial infrastructure into strategies for sustainable mineral resource governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Asif Raihan & Syed Masiur Rahman & Mohammad Ridwan & Tapan Sarker, 2025. "FinTech Adoption and Its Influence on Sustainable Mineral Resource Management in the United States," Resources, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:14:y:2025:i:6:p:101-:d:1680343
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/14/6/101/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/14/6/101/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tiwari, Sunil, 2024. "Impact of Fintech on natural resources management: How financial impacts shape the association?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    2. Onifade, Moshood & Adebisi, John Adetunji & Shivute, Amtenge Penda & Genc, Bekir, 2023. "Challenges and applications of digital technology in the mineral industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    3. Zheng, Ye & Tarczyński, Waldemar & Jamróz, Paweł & Ali Raza, Syed & Tiwari, Sunil, 2024. "Impacts of mineral resources, economic growth and energy consumption on environmental sustainability: Novel findings from global south region," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Ediriweera, Amali & Wiewiora, Anna, 2021. "Barriers and enablers of technology adoption in the mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    5. Yang, Xiaodong & Razzaq, Asif, 2024. "Does Fintech influence green utilization efficiency of mineral resources? Evidence from China's regional data," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    6. Khan, Imran & Khan, Inayat & Ikram, Rana Muhammad Adnan & Ali, Mohammad Ajmal, 2024. "Integrating FinTech with Industry 4.0 for sustainable mineral resource management: Exploring the interplay of technology, regulation, and economic dynamics," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Tang, Yi, 2024. "Nexus of natural resource depletion, corruption and financial inclusion on bio-diversity loss: A systematic study on corrupt economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    8. Koranteng, Barbara & You, Kefei, 2024. "Fintech and financial stability: Evidence from spatial analysis for 25 countries," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    9. Sonia Sayari & Nidhal Mgadmi & Imed Ben Dhaou & Mohammed Almehdar & Syed Khusro Chishty & Abbassi Rabeh, 2025. "Advancing Sustainable Development Through Digital Transformation and Fintech Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-23, May.
    10. Abbasi, Kashif Raza & Hussain, Khadim & Haddad, Akram Masoud & Salman, Asma & Ozturk, Ilhan, 2022. "The role of Financial Development and Technological Innovation towards Sustainable Development in Pakistan: Fresh insights from consumption and territory-based emissions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    11. Violeta Jovanović & Sunčica Stanković & Vesna Krstić, 2023. "Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability in Mining Companies as a Result of the Interaction between Knowledge Management and Green Innovation—The SEM Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-15, August.
    12. Dickey, David A & Fuller, Wayne A, 1981. "Likelihood Ratio Statistics for Autoregressive Time Series with a Unit Root," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(4), pages 1057-1072, June.
    13. Eid M Alotaibi & Ashraf Khallaf & Abed Al-Nasser Abdallah & Taisier Zoubi & Awwad Alnesafi, 2024. "Blockchain-Driven Carbon Accountability in Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-30, December.
    14. A. Akofa Amegboleza & M. Ali Ülkü, 2025. "Sustainable Energy Transition for the Mining Industry: A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends and Emerging Research Pathways," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-21, March.
    15. Alsedrah, Ibrahim Tawfeeq, 2024. "Fintech and green finance revolutionizing carbon emission reduction through green energy projects in mineral-rich countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    16. Arvind Ashta, 2023. "How Can Fintech Companies Get Involved in the Environment?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-18, July.
    17. Li, Aimin & Zhou, Shuyu, 2024. "Role of mineral-based industrialization in promoting economic growth: Implications for achieving environmental sustainability through financial management," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    18. Dao Ha & Phuong Le & Duc Khuong Nguyen, 2025. "Financial inclusion and fintech: a state-of-the-art systematic literature review," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 11(1), pages 1-42, December.
    19. Chinwe Sam-Abugu & Xiaojun Luo & Ben Wong, 2025. "The combined role of FinTech innovation and financial literacy in sustainable financial inclusion in Nigeria," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 72(2), pages 1-25, December.
    20. Ayad, Fayssal, 2023. "Mapping the path forward: A prospective model of natural resource depletion and sustainable development," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    21. Niu, Juanjuan & He, Jun & He, Yiqun, 2024. "Harnessing FinTech for sustainable mineral development with innovative financing strategies in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    22. Ul-Durar, Shajara & De Sisto, Marco & Arshed, Noman & Naveed, Shabana & Farooqi, Madiha Rehman, 2024. "FinTech adoption in achieving ecologically sustainable mineral management in Asian OBOR countries – A cross-section and time autoregressive robust analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    23. Liu, Jili & Kim Loan, Vo Thi & Mousa, Saeed & Ali, Anis & Muda, Iskandar & Cong, Phan The, 2023. "Sustainability and natural resources management in developed countries: The role of financial inclusion and human development," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    24. M. Hashem Pesaran & Yongcheol Shin & Richard J. Smith, 2001. "Bounds testing approaches to the analysis of level relationships," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(3), pages 289-326.
    25. Nilashi, Mehrbakhsh & Ali Abumalloh, Rabab & Keng-Boon, Ooi & Wei-Han Tan, Garry & Cham, Tat-Huei & Cheng-Xi Aw, Eugene, 2024. "Unlocking sustainable resource management: A comprehensive SWOT and thematic analysis of FinTech with a focus on mineral management," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    26. Elliott, Graham & Rothenberg, Thomas J & Stock, James H, 1996. "Efficient Tests for an Autoregressive Unit Root," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 64(4), pages 813-836, July.
    27. Zhou, Yongbin & Liu, Yiying & Niu, Juanjuan, 2024. "Role of mineral-based industrialization in promoting economic growth: Implications for achieving environmental sustainability and social equity," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    28. Liu, Junfeng & Shen, Fei & Zhang, Jingru, 2023. "Economic and environmental effects of mineral resource exploitation: Evidence from China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    29. Sun, Wei & Yao, Guohui, 2023. "Impact of mineral resource depletion on energy use: Role of energy extraction, CO2 intensity, and natural resource sustainability," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    30. Raihan, Asif & Atasoy, Filiz Guneysu & Coskun, Mehmet Burhanettin & Tanchangya, Tipon & Rahman, Junaid & Ridwan, Mohammad & Sarker, Tapan & Elkassabgi, Ahmed & Atasoy, Murat & Yer, Huseyin, 2024. "Fintech adoption and sustainable deployment of natural resources: Evidence from mineral management in Brazil," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    31. Raihan, Asif & Pavel, Monirul Islam & Muhtasim, Dewan Ahmed & Farhana, Sadia & Faruk, Omar & Paul, Arindrajit, 2023. "The role of renewable energy use, technological innovation, and forest cover toward green development: Evidence from Indonesia," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 2(1).
    32. Tang, Zhao & Qin, Danghong, 2024. "Sustainable mining and the role of environmental regulations and incentive policies in BRICS," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    33. Yadav, Sanjeev & Samadhiya, Ashutosh & Kumar, Anil & Luthra, Sunil & Pandey, Krishan Kumar, 2024. "Nexus between fintech, green finance and natural resources management: Transition of BRICS nation industries from resource curse to resource blessed sustainable economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    34. Abdalla Al Khub & Mohamed Saeudy & Ali Meftah Gerged, 2024. "Digital Financial Inclusion in Emerging Economies: Evidence from Jordan," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-14, February.
    35. Abbasi, Kashif Raza & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Jiao, Zhilun & Tufail, Muhammad, 2021. "How energy consumption, industrial growth, urbanization, and CO2 emissions affect economic growth in Pakistan? A novel dynamic ARDL simulations approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    36. Arim Park & Huan Li, 2021. "The Effect of Blockchain Technology on Supply Chain Sustainability Performances," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    37. Breitung, Jorg & Candelon, Bertrand, 2006. "Testing for short- and long-run causality: A frequency-domain approach," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 132(2), pages 363-378, June.
    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. Raihan, Asif & Atasoy, Filiz Guneysu & Coskun, Mehmet Burhanettin & Tanchangya, Tipon & Rahman, Junaid & Ridwan, Mohammad & Sarker, Tapan & Elkassabgi, Ahmed & Atasoy, Murat & Yer, Huseyin, 2024. "Fintech adoption and sustainable deployment of natural resources: Evidence from mineral management in Brazil," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    2. Raihan, Asif & Ridwan, Mohammad & Zimon, Grzegorz & Rahman, Junaid & Tanchangya, Tipon & Bari, ABM Mainul & Atasoy, Filiz Guneysu & Chowdhury, Anwarul Islam & Akter, Runa, 2025. "Dynamic effects of foreign direct investment, globalization, economic growth, and energy consumption on carbon emissions in Mexico: An ARDL approach," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 4(2).
    3. Hasanov, Fakhri J. & Javid, Muhammad & Mikayilov, Jeyhun I. & Shabaneh, Rami & Darandary, Abdulelah & Alyamani, Ryan, 2025. "Macroeconomic and sectoral effects of natural gas price: Policy insights from a macroeconometric model," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    4. Ahmed, Khalid, 2015. "The sheer scale of China’s urban renewal and CO2 emissions: Multiple structural breaks, long-run relationship and short-run dynamics," MPRA Paper 71035, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Ali, Adnan & Faisal, Faisal & Zhakanova Isiksal, Aliya & Maktoumi, Iman Sulaiman Amur AL, 2025. "Do green finance and health expenditures lessen the ecological footprint to ensure sustainable development?," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 4(2).
    6. Chowdhury, Rosen & Cook, Steve & Watson, Duncan, 2023. "Reconsidering the relationship between health and income in the UK," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 332(C).
    7. Pedro Hugo Clavijo Cortes, 2017. "Balance comercial y volatilidad del tipo de cambio nominal: Un estudio de series de tiempo para Colombia," Revista Economía y Región, Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, vol. 11(1), pages 37-58.
    8. Fatih Kaplan & Ayşe E. Ünal, 2020. "Industrial Production Index - Crude Oil Price Nexus: Russia, Kazakhstan And Azerbaijan," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 65(227), pages 119-142, October –.
    9. Xia, Wanjun & Murshed, Muntasir & Khan, Zeeshan & Chen, Zhenling & Ferraz, Diogo, 2022. "Exploring the nexus between fiscal decentralization and energy poverty for China: Does country risk matter for energy poverty reduction?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    10. Uddin, Gazi Salah & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Arouri, Mohamed & Teulon, Frédéric, 2014. "Financial development and poverty reduction nexus: A cointegration and causality analysis in Bangladesh," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 405-412.
    11. Saqlain Latif Satti & Muhammad Shahid Hassan & Fozia Hayat & Sudharshan Reddy Paramati, 2016. "Economic Growth and Inflow of Remittances: Do They Combat Poverty in an Emerging Economy?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(3), pages 1119-1134, July.
    12. Apergis, Nicholas & Payne, James E., 2014. "Resurrecting the size effect: Evidence from a panel nonlinear cointegration model for the G7 stock markets," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 46-53.
    13. Jiranyakul, Komain, 2008. "Empirical Assessment of the Present Value Model of Stock Prices Using the Data from Thailand’s Stock Market," MPRA Paper 55156, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Singh, Tarlok, 2010. "Does domestic saving cause economic growth? A time-series evidence from India," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 231-253, March.
    15. Fabien Candau & Michaël Goujon & Jean-François Hoarau & Serge Rey, 2014. "Real exchange rate and competitiveness of an EU's ultra-peripheral region: La Reunion Island," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 137, pages 1-21.
    16. Zhou, Runyu & Abbasi, Kashif Raza & Salem, Sultan & Almulhim, Abdulaziz.I. & Alvarado, Rafael, 2022. "Do natural resources, economic growth, human capital, and urbanization affect the ecological footprint? A modified dynamic ARDL and KRLS approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    17. Muhammad Shahbaz & Muhammad shahbaz Shabbir & Muhammad sabihuddin Butt, 2016. "Does Military Spending Explode External Debt in Pakistan?," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(5), pages 718-741, September.
    18. Ferda HALICIOGLU, 2012. "The Demand for Calories in Turkey," Iktisat Isletme ve Finans, Bilgesel Yayincilik, vol. 27(316), pages 93-108.
    19. Muhammad, Anees & Ishfaq, Ahmed, 2011. "Industrial development, agricultural growth, urbanization and environmental Kuznets curve in Pakistan," MPRA Paper 33469, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Dahiru Alhaji-Bala Birnintsaba & Hüseyin Ozdeser & Andisheh Saliminezhad, 2021. "Impact Analysis on the Effective Synergy Between Climate Change, Ecological Degradation and Energy Consumption on Economic Growth in Nigeria," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, December.

    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:gam:jresou:v:14:y:2025:i:6:p:101-:d:1680343. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.