Customer Readiness and Adoption Potential of Fintech in Sri Lanka: An Empirical Investigation Using Online Platform

Abstract

This study investigates the readiness of Sri Lankans to adopt fintech and explores its adoption potential. The research uses demography, financial health, financial literacy, e-readiness, mental preparedness, and overall sentiment toward fintech as independent variables, with Customer Fintech Usage (CFU) as the dependent variable. The objectives were to assess the relationships between these factors and fintech usage and to build an index representing fintech readiness. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire from a sample of 396 respondents across all nine provinces of Sri Lanka, derived from an internet user population of 1,458,000 as of January 2023. Regression analysis revealed that while demographics and mental preparedness did not show significant relationships with fintech usage, financial health, financial literacy, e-readiness, and overall sentiment positively influenced CFU. The model accounts for 42.14% of the variability in fintech usage (R-squared = 0.4214). Additionally, the findings indicate that a Customer Fintech Readiness Index can be constructed based on the supported relationships. The findings indicate that although Sri Lanka’s current fintech readiness is relatively low, there is strong potential for growth in the future as these factors continue to evolve.