IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jknowl/v16y2025i1d10.1007_s13132-024-02088-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Examining the Transformative Influence of Digital Finance on Green Technological Innovation: Empirical Insights from China

Author

Listed:
  • Beibei Zhao

    (Hengshui University)

Abstract

In the pursuit of high-quality development and sustainability, China has been at the forefront of scientific and technological advancements. This research paper delves into the dynamic interplay between digital finance and green technological innovation, offering valuable insights for policymakers, enterprises, and the academic community. While flourishing in many aspects, China’s innovation ecosystem faces challenges related to limited independent innovation capacity and slow market transformation. This paper sheds light on the often-overlooked but critical aspect of financial support as the foundation for enterprises’ technological innovation efforts. It explores how digital finance, as an innovative financial service model, plays a pivotal role in overcoming challenges related to funding, financing costs, and unstable financing channels, particularly in the context of green technology innovation. The study employs a threshold model for nonlinear characteristic testing, unraveling the dynamic impact of digital finance on green innovation. Also, it integrates heterogeneity analysis with traditional financial resource mismatch scenarios, showcasing the inclusive characteristics of digital finance in fostering green innovation across various dimensions. Empirical examinations substantiate the positive effect of digital financial development on green innovation and provide empirical support for the integration of digital finance into the innovation landscape. This paper underscores the vital role of digital finance in enhancing the quality of enterprise green innovation, promoting sustainability, and contributing to China’s high-quality development goals. It proposes key recommendations, including deepening integration, strengthening digital technologies, and building an inclusive financial system to seamlessly integrate scientific and technological innovation with digital financial services. These recommendations pave the way for substantive and sustainable green innovation, aligning with China’s vision of innovation-driven development and low-carbon transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Beibei Zhao, 2025. "Examining the Transformative Influence of Digital Finance on Green Technological Innovation: Empirical Insights from China," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(1), pages 2068-2081, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jknowl:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s13132-024-02088-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s13132-024-02088-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13132-024-02088-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13132-024-02088-4?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 search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Juanmei Zhou & Fenfang Cui & Wenli Wang, 2022. "The Spatial Effect of Financial Innovation on Intellectualized Transformational Upgrading of Manufacturing Industry: An Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.
    2. Haddad, Valentin & Ho, Paul & Loualiche, Erik, 2022. "Bubbles and the value of innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(1), pages 69-84.
    3. Whan Shin & Byungchul Choi, 2022. "Digital Competency, Innovative Medical Research, and Institutional Environment: A Global Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Laeven, Luc & Levine, Ross & Michalopoulos, Stelios, 2015. "Financial innovation and endogenous growth," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 1-24.
    5. Suha Mahmoud Alawi & Wajih Abbassi & Rukhma Saqib & Madeeha Sharif, 2022. "Impact of Financial Innovation and Institutional Quality on Financial Development in Emerging Markets," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-11, March.
    6. Lee, In & Shin, Yong Jae, 2018. "Fintech: Ecosystem, business models, investment decisions, and challenges," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 35-46.
    7. Maria Demertzis & Silvia Merler & Guntram B Wolff, 2018. "Capital Markets Union and the Fintech Opportunity," Journal of Financial Regulation, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 157-165.
    8. Mylonidis, Nikolaos & Chletsos, Michael & Barbagianni, Vanessa, 2019. "Financial exclusion in the USA: Looking beyond demographics," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 144-158.
    9. Shuai Shao & Zhigao Hu & Jianhua Cao & Lili Yang & Dabo Guan, 2020. "Environmental Regulation and Enterprise Innovation: A Review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1465-1478, March.
    10. Wang, Xiaozhen & Zou, Honghui, 2018. "Study on the effect of wind power industry policy types on the innovation performance of different ownership enterprises: Evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 241-252.
    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. Yue, Sishi & Yang, Mo & Dong, Dayong, 2024. "Do enterprises adopting digital finance exhibit higher values? Based on textual analysis," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    2. Tianlei Pi & Haoxuan Hu & Jingyi Lu & Xue Chen, 2022. "The Analysis of Fintech Risks in China: Based on Fuzzy Models," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Xia, Yanchun & Qiao, Zhilin & Xie, Guanghua, 2022. "Corporate resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of digital finance," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    4. Wang, Xiaoting & Hou, Siyuan & Kyaw, Khine & Xue, Xupeng & Liu, Xueqin, 2023. "Exploring the determinants of Fintech Credit: A comprehensive analysis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    5. Bu, Ya & Du, Xin & Wang, Yuting & Liu, Shuyu & Tang, Min & Li, Hui, 2024. "Digital inclusive finance: A lever for SME financing?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    6. Linjie Feng & Huangxin Chen & Yuriy Bilan & Salahuddin Khan & Weipeng Zhan, 2024. "Green innovation: the role of government subsidies under the system of digital finance -based on a zero-inflated negative binomial model," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(11), pages 29621-29642, November.
    7. Liu, Shasha & Jin, Yifan & Kong, Dongmin, 2024. "Enterprise digital transformation and return comovement of business groups," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    8. Feng, Suling & Zhang, Rong & Li, Guoxiang, 2022. "Environmental decentralization, digital finance and green technology innovation," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 70-83.
    9. Yi Sun & Shihui Li & Rui Wang, 2023. "Fintech: from budding to explosion - an overview of the current state of research," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 715-755, April.
    10. Mehmet Çağlar & Seyhan Nişel, 2024. "Efficiency measurement of fintech companies: a two-stage DEA approach," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 1335-1366, June.
    11. Zhang, Chaolin & Yu, Fangbo, 2024. "Can local fintech development improve analysts’ earnings forecast accuracy? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    12. Xinmin Liu & Xinjiang Wang & Wencheng Yu, 2023. "Opportunity or Challenge? Research on the Influence of Digital Finance on Digital Transformation of Agribusiness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, January.
    13. Kun Song & Yu Tang & Dungang Zang & Hua Guo & Wenting Kong, 2022. "Does Digital Finance Increase Relatively Large-Scale Farmers’ Agricultural Income through the Allocation of Production Factors? Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-15, November.
    14. Yang, Yang & Lin, Zibo & Xu, Zhaoyi & Liu, Shuwen, 2024. "The impact of digital finance on regional economic resilience," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    15. Rui Li & Jing Rao & Liangyong Wan, 2022. "The digital economy, enterprise digital transformation, and enterprise innovation," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(7), pages 2875-2886, October.
    16. Ang, James & Yan, Zhenli & Xiao, Tusheng & Yuan, Chun & Wang, Jingfang, 2024. "Impact of Fintech on labor allocation efficiency in firms: Empirical evidence from China," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    17. Xie, Chunyu & Ye, Linlin & Zhong, Nan & Wan, Wenjun, 2024. "Impact of digital finance on corporate green innovation: Exploring role of land resource misallocation in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    18. Yu Huan & Md. Qamruzzaman, 2022. "Innovation-Led FDI Sustainability: Clarifying the Nexus between Financial Innovation, Technological Innovation, Environmental Innovation, and FDI in the BRIC Nations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-26, November.
    19. Cowling, Marc & Ughetto, Elisa & Lee, Neil, 2018. "The innovation debt penalty: Cost of debt, loan default, and the effects of a public loan guarantee on high-tech firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 166-176.
    20. Katherin Carrera-Silva & Olga Maritza Rodríguez Ulcuango & Paula Abdo-Peralta & Ángel Gerardo Castelo Salazar & Carmen Amelia Samaniego Erazo & Diego Haro Ávalos, 2024. "Beyond the Financial Horizon: A Critical Review of Social Responsibility in Latin American Credit Unions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-23, September.

    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:spr:jknowl:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s13132-024-02088-4. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.