Readiness towards fintech adoption among micro-entrepreneurs in Malaysia

Purpose-- People start to acknowledge, accept and adopt fintech applications due to its flexibilities, compatibility, ease to use, security and usefulness. A growing body of research reveals a positive perception of micro-enterprises towards fintech instruments. Looking at the potential of the fintech platforms and tools in Malaysia, the purpose of this study is to look at the readiness of micro-entrepreneurs towards using it as a medium in generating more income and profit for their business. Design/methodology/approach-- This study uses a quantitative approach with 200 questionnaires distributed to micro-entrepreneurs in Malaysia. IBM SPSS was used to perform a preliminary analysis of the data (descriptive analysis), then partial least squares-structural equation modelling SmartPLS is used to test the hypothesised relationships. Findings-- This study found perceived ease of use H1 (beta = 0.523, p < 0.01) and trust H4 (beta = 0.211, p < 0.10) play an important role in readiness to adopt fintech. Whereas, security H3 (beta = 0.068) and perceived usefulness, H2 (beta = 0.120) are insignificant (rejected). Practical implications-- This study provides evidence on the factors that contribute most towards the inclination to use fintech application among micro-entrepreneurs. In fact, tightening the policy regarding the security matter could enhance the readiness of micro-entrepreneurs to use fintech application. Originality/value-- This study investigates factors that influence the readiness of micro-entrepreneurs to adopt fintech application, which were not considered by previous studies.