IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ehl/lserod/128413.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Banking on trust: institutional trust and the geography of financial exclusion in Central and Eastern Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés
  • Sandu, Alexandra

Abstract

In this paper we investigate what determines access to banking in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The research uses different waves of the OeNB Euro Survey – covering over 91,000 individuals during the period 2012–2020 – and pooled and multilevel logit models to analyse how the interplay of trust in institutions, socio-economic attributes and geographic contexts shapes access to bank accounts, savings deposits and loans across 10 CEE countries. The findings reveal significant disparities in banking inclusion across products: while institutional trust enhances access to current accounts and savings deposits, its impact on loans is weaker. Socio-economic factors and geographical contexts, particularly at the local NUTS3 level, also matter enormously for financial inclusion. National and local economic conditions are key in shaping variations in financial inclusion/exclusion across CEE.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Sandu, Alexandra, 2025. "Banking on trust: institutional trust and the geography of financial exclusion in Central and Eastern Europe," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 128413, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:128413
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/128413/
    File Function: Open access version.
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cottarelli, Carlo & Dell'Ariccia, Giovanni & Vladkova-Hollar, Ivanna, 2005. "Early birds, late risers, and sleeping beauties: Bank credit growth to the private sector in Central and Eastern Europe and in the Balkans," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 83-104, January.
    2. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Tobias Ketterer, 2020. "Institutional change and the development of lagging regions in Europe," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(7), pages 974-986, July.
    3. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose & Roberto Ganau & Kristina Maslauskaite & Monica Brezzi, 2021. "Credit constraints, labor productivity, and the role of regional institutions: Evidence from manufacturing firms in Europe," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(2), pages 299-328, March.
    4. Chipeta, Chinyamata & Kanyumbu, Esmie, 2018. "Determinants of Access to Banking Services in Malawi," Working Papers b8e1a1c7-7b06-4b8b-b313-e, African Economic Research Consortium.
    5. Mihai Niţoi & Dorina Clichici & Simona Moagăr-Poladian, 2021. "Foreign Banks in Central and Eastern Europe: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2021(5), pages 596-612.
    6. Valerija Botric & Tanja Broz, 2017. "Gender Differences in Financial Inclusion: Central and South Eastern Europe," South-Eastern Europe Journal of Economics, Association of Economic Universities of South and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region, vol. 15(2), pages 209-227.
    7. repec:aer:wpaper:e5ca6f6aaaaf is not listed on IDEAS
    8. A Leyshon & N Thrift, 1996. "Financial Exclusion and the Shifting Boundaries of the Financial System," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 28(7), pages 1150-1156, July.
    9. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Roberto Ganau, 2022. "Institutions and the productivity challenge for European regions," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 22(1), pages 1-25.
    10. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2014. "The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 5-44, March.
    11. Christian Ambrosius, 2016. "Remittances and Financial Access: Is There Really a Link and for Whom? Evidence from Mexican Household Data," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(7), pages 964-982, July.
    12. Mariya Hake & Philipp Poyntner, 2019. "Household loans in CESEE from a new perspective: the role of income distribution," Focus on European Economic Integration, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue Q2/19, pages 75-93.
    13. W. Scott Langford & Harrison W. Thomas & Maryann P. Feldman, 2024. "Banking for the Other Half: The Factors That Explain Banking Desert Formation," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 38(2), pages 71-81, May.
    14. Lidija Barjaktarović & Maja Paunović & Dejan Ječmenica, 2013. "Development of the Banking Sector in CEE Countries – Comparative Analysis," Journal of Central Banking Theory and Practice, Central bank of Montenegro, vol. 2(2), pages 93-114.
    15. Márton Gosztonyi & Dániel Havran, 2022. "Highways to Hell? Paths Towards the Formal Financial Exclusion: Empirical Lessons of the Households from Northern Hungary," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(3), pages 1573-1606, June.
    16. repec:aer:wpaper:351 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. John Bonin & Paul Wachtel, 2003. "Financial Sector Development in Transition Economies: Lessons from the First Decade," Financial Markets, Institutions & Instruments, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(1), pages 1-66, February.
    18. Germana Corrado & Luisa Corrado, 2015. "The geography of financial inclusion across Europe during the global crisis," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(5), pages 1055-1083.
    19. Julie Birkenmaier & Jin Huang, 2024. "A systematic conceptual review of financial access," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(2), pages 367-396, June.
    20. Xiuhua Wang & Jian Guan, 2017. "Financial inclusion: measurement, spatial effects and influencing factors," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(18), pages 1751-1762, April.
    21. Delis, Manthos D., 2012. "Bank competition, financial reform, and institutions: The importance of being developed," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 450-465.
    22. Mohd Afjal, 2023. "Bridging the financial divide: a bibliometric analysis on the role of digital financial services within FinTech in enhancing financial inclusion and economic development," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-27, December.
    23. Alison Stenning & Adrian Smith & Alena Rochovská & Dariusz Świątek, 2010. "Credit, Debt, and Everyday Financial Practices: Low-Income Households in Two Postsocialist Cities," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(2), pages 119-145, April.
    24. Millán Arroyo-Menéndez & Noelia Gutiérrez-Láiz & Blanca Criado-Quesada, 2022. "The Digitization of Seniors: Analyzing the Multiple Confluence of Social and Spatial Divides," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-38, June.
    25. Xu, Xiaoyan, 2020. "Trust and financial inclusion: A cross-country study," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    26. Demirguc-Kunt,Asli & Hu,Bingjie & Klapper,Leora, 2019. "Financial Inclusion in the Europe and Central Asia Region : Recent Trends and a Research Agenda," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8830, The World Bank.
    27. Alison Stenning & Adrian Smith & Alena Rochovská & Dariusz Świątek, 2010. "Credit, Debt, and Everyday Financial Practices: Low‐Income Households in Two Postsocialist Cities," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 86(2), pages 119-145, April.
    28. repec:cbk:journl:v:2:y:2013:i:1:p:93-114 is not listed on IDEAS
    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. Julie Birkenmaier & Jin Huang, 2024. "A systematic conceptual review of financial access," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(2), pages 367-396, June.
    2. Roberto Ganau & Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose, 2023. "Firm‐level productivity growth returns of social capital: Evidence from Western Europe," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(3), pages 529-551, June.
    3. Jonathan Muringani & Rune Dahl Fitjar & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2024. "Political trust and economic development in European regions," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 73(4), pages 2059-2089, December.
    4. P. M. Vik & D. Kamerāde & K. T. Dayson, 2024. "The Link Between Digital Skills and Financial Inclusion—Evidence from Consumers Survey Data from Low-Income Areas," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 373-393, September.
    5. Luisa Alamá-Sabater & Joan Crespo & Miguel Ángel Márquez & Emili Tortosa-Ausina, 2025. "Regional development, quality of government, and the performance of universities," Working Papers 2025/09, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).
    6. Dar, Shafkat Shafi & Sahu, Sohini, 2022. "The effect of language on financial inclusion," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    7. Cainelli, Giulio & Ganau, Roberto & Giunta, Anna, 2022. "Business groups, institutions, and firm performance," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 114553, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Roberto Martino, 2021. "Public Investment, Convergence and Productivity Growth in European regions," Working Papers - Economics wp2021_19.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    9. Ganau, Roberto & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2023. "Firm-level productivity growth returns of social capital: Evidence from Western Europe," CEPR Discussion Papers 17979, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    10. Costanza Giannantoni & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2025. "Regional government institutions and the capacity for women to reconcile career and motherhood," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 25(3), pages 311-328.
    11. Andreas Diemer & Simona Iammarino & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2022. "The Regional Development Trap in Europe," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 98(5), pages 487-509, October.
    12. Adeabah, David & Asongu, Simplice & Andoh, Charles, 2021. "Remittances, ICT and pension income coverage: The international evidence," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    13. Ekin Ayşe Özşuca, 2025. "Gender gap in digital financial inclusion across generations," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 52(2), pages 197-210, May.
    14. Javier Barbero & Ernesto Rodríguez-Crespo, 2022. "Technological, institutional, and geographical peripheries: regional development and risk of poverty in the European regions," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 69(2), pages 311-332, October.
    15. Heyert, Axelle & Weill, Laurent, 2025. "Trust in banks and financial inclusion: Micro-level evidence from 28 countries," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    16. Badeeb, Ramez Abubakr & Wang, Bo & Zhao, Jun & Khan, Zeeshan & Uktamov, Khusniddin Fakhriddinovich & Zhang, Changyong, 2023. "Natural resources extraction and financial inclusion: Linear and non-linear effect of natural resources on financial sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    17. Koranteng, Barbara & You, Kefei, 2025. "Does P2P lending promote the traditional bank-based financial inclusion? Spatial evidence from 34 developing economies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(PB).
    18. Stoian, Andreea & Vintila, Nicoleta & Iorgulescu, Filip & Cepoi, Cosmin Octavian & Dina Manolache, Aurora, 2021. "How Risk Aversion and Financial Literacy Shape Young Adults’ Investment Preferences," MPRA Paper 109755, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Kebede, Jeleta & Naranpanawa, Athula & Selvanathan, Saroja, 2021. "Financial inclusion: Measures and applications to Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 365-379.
    20. Iqbal, Kazi & Roy, Paritosh K. & Alam, Shamsul, 2020. "The impact of banking services on poverty: Evidence from sub-district level for Bangladesh," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:ehl:lserod:128413. 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: LSERO Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/lsepsuk.html .

    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.