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From financial development to informality: a causal link

Author

Listed:
  • Salvatore Capasso

    (Rome and University of Naples Parthenope, Naples and CSEF University of Naples Federico II)

  • Franziska Ohnsorge

    (World Bank)

  • Shu Yu

    (World Bank)

Abstract

Financial development reduces the cost of accessing external financing and thus incentivizes investment in higher-productivity projects that allow firms to reach the scale needed to operate in the formal economy. It also encourages participants of the informal sector to join the formal sector to gain access to credit and financial services. This paper documents two findings. First, countries with less pervasive informality tend to have greater financial development. Second, the impact of financial development, and especially banking sector development, on informality appears to be causal. This causal link is estimated using an instrumental variable for domestic financial development: financial development in other (neighboring) countries. The causal link between informality and financial development is stronger in countries with greater trade openness and capital account openness. The findings are robust to alternative specifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Salvatore Capasso & Franziska Ohnsorge & Shu Yu, 2025. "From financial development to informality: a causal link," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 203(3), pages 539-572, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:pubcho:v:203:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s11127-024-01217-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-024-01217-6
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Informal economy; Financial development; Cross-border financial integration; Emerging market and developing economies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E26 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Informal Economy; Underground Economy
    • G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General

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