ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH TRENDS IN THE FIELD OF DIGITAL FINANCE BASED ON BIBLIOMETRIC DATA

Abstract

The spread of digitalisation has led to the global penetration of digital finance in all sectors of the economy. The high relevance of the problem of digital finance necessitates deepening research in this area, in particular by carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the accumulated knowledge in it. The aim of the present research is to reveal the main trends and determinants of the evolution of scientific investigations in the field of digital finance by means of a bibliometric analysis of publications in the journals indexed by the Scopus scientometric database. This study was carried out in accordance with the traditional approach to bibliometric analysis and is aimed at the following objectives: determining the features of the scientific landscape in the field of digital finance by carrying out an evolutionary analysis of publication activity; identification of the main determinants for the development of research by mapping and clustering the existing array of publications using VOSviewer software. The time frame of the study was set as 2008 – 1st quarter of 2024. The results showed that the term «digital finance» is of an interdisciplinary nature. It is found that China is leading in the number of publications in this area, followed by the United States, Great Britain, and India by a notable margin. 8 clusters have been selected that characterise the key research areas. The results of the bibliometric analysis showed that the most significant development of research in the field of digital finance was in 2021-2023, with an emphasis on the development of fintech, banking services and cryptocurrencies. In 2023, it was found that the number of studies on the following issues increased: the Green Deal, COVID-19, ecosystem formation, and green energy. They are considered to be research areas that require further development in the near future.