Trust in Financial Technology: The Role of Financial Literacy, Digital Financial Literacy, Technological Literacy, and Trust in Artificial Intelligence
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study examines the relationships among financial literacy, digital financial literacy, technological literacy, and trust in artificial intelligence (AI) as predictors of consumer trust in fintech applications involving robo-advisors or chatbots. A sample of 117 college students responded to an online survey with scales designed to measure these constructs. Results confirmed that the three literacy measures were significantly correlated, reflecting their overlapping knowledge and cognitive perspective. However, trust in AI showed no significant correlation with any literacy measure, and regression analysis revealed that trust in AI was the sole statistically significant predictor of trust in consumer fintech. These findings suggest that fintech adoption is driven largely by trust rather than financial or technological competence, creating potential vulnerabilities when consumers lack the literacy to evaluate AI-generated financial advice. The results highlight the need for financial education programs to integrate fintech alongside traditional literacy topics and suggest a possible role for regulatory reform to support users of fintech.
DOI: 10.3390/jrfm19020097
Authors: Thomas A. Hanson, Caleb Ott
Institution: Butler University
Language: English
Subfield: Management Information Systems
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $1,689
OpenAlex ID: W7127126567