INFLUENCE OF BLOCKCHAIN SECURITY AND DIGITAL PAYMENT ACCESSIBILITY ON CUSTOMER ADOPTION OF FINTECH SERVICES IN SAUDI ARABIA: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF PERCEIVED TRUST

Abstract

The research queries the effect of blockchain security and the eased access to digital payment on customer adoption of Fintech services in Saudi Arabia, where perceived trust acts as a mediator. This paper offers a picture of successful control of digital transformation and growth in the financial industry and leads to financial inclusion, reliable digital infrastructure, and responsible innovation. Purposive sampling was done to get a total of 400 respondents to achieve diversity in terms of demographics and profession of respondents. The analysis of data was based on the method of partial least squares structural equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). These findings affirm the positive and significant effect that blockchain security (b = 0.221, p < 0.001) and digital payment accessibility (b = 0.490, p < 0.001) have on Fintech adoption. In spite of the fact that there was a strong direct influence on adoption, perceived trust failed to mediate these relationships. The theoretical contribution of this research is a refined theoretical model of adoption and an emphasis on difference between the technological and psychological factors. Practical implications suggest that policy and business stakeholders prioritize a secure, readily available, and accessible infrastructure and enhance users' trust in Fintech.' The limitations and future research directions are presented, including the relevance of longitudinal designs, more variables, cross-cultural comparison, and mixed-methods approaches to better understand the complexities of the adoption of the Fintech in various contexts.