Digital Dividend or Digital Divide: Can Fintech Bridge the Wealth Gap Amid Public Health Emergencies? a Comparative Research of Urban and Rural China

Chuna Chen, Zhuomin Tan, Song Liu · 2026 · International Journal of Finance & Economics

Summary. During COVID-19, fintech protected urban household wealth in China but failed to help rural families, widening the urban-rural wealth gap. The study analyzed survey data from 2015-2021 using difference-in-differences models. Rural residents' lower financial literacy prevented them from accessing fintech benefits, meaning digital financial innovation actually deepened existing inequality rather than bridging it.

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Chen, C., Tan, Z., & Liu, S.. (2026). Digital Dividend or Digital Divide: Can Fintech Bridge the Wealth Gap Amid Public Health Emergencies? a Comparative Research of Urban and Rural China. International Journal of Finance & Economics. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijfe.70195

@article{chen-2026-digital-dividend-digital-divide-can,
  title   = {Digital Dividend or Digital Divide: Can Fintech Bridge the Wealth Gap Amid Public Health Emergencies? a Comparative Research of Urban and Rural China},
  author  = {Chuna Chen and Zhuomin Tan and Song Liu},
  journal = {International Journal of Finance & Economics},
  year    = {2026},
  doi     = {10.1002/ijfe.70195},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ijfe.70195}
}

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TI  - Digital Dividend or Digital Divide: Can Fintech Bridge the Wealth Gap Amid Public Health Emergencies? a Comparative Research of Urban and Rural China
AU  - Chuna Chen
AU  - Zhuomin Tan
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JO  - International Journal of Finance & Economics
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DO  - 10.1002/ijfe.70195
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Details

DOI: 10.1002/ijfe.70195
Countries: China
Regions: Asia
Categories: broadband-and-digital, funding, rural-data-and-definitions, general-innovation
Added: 2026-09-01