Bridging the Digital Divide in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of Gender Disparities in FinTech Adoption in Emerging Economies

Abstract

The rapid expansion of Financial Technology (FinTech) has brought about new opportunities for financial inclusion in emerging economies. Yet,
a large digital gender divide continues to restrict women's equitable access to digital financial services. This review examines differences in
FinTech adoption by collating evidence from peer-reviewed papers between 2013 and 2023 on emerging economies and indigenous findings
from Delhi NCR, India. With use of articles from peer-reviewed journals, government and NGO reports, as well as policy documents, the review
identifies key barriers such as digital illiteracy, financial constraints, lack of access to mobile phones, and entrenched cultural norms. The analysis
demonstrates that urban, educated, and working women have better access to FinTech and are likely to use it, whereas rural and economically
poor women have more challenging barriers. Policy initiatives such as Jan Dhan Yojana and computer literacy schemes have met with limited
success, at times without gender concerns in the design and outreach. In Delhi NCR, greater digital awareness and targeted NGO initiatives
depict success stories at a local level but gaps persist among various income and educational segments. The review highlights inclusive FinTech
design, localized digital training, and customized policy responses to address the multifaceted problem of gender-oriented digital exclusion. The
future research should emphasize original data collection, longitudinal studies, and user-led technology innovations to bridge the digital divide.