The Moderating Effect of Financial Requirements and Financial Literacy on the Relationship Between Financial Technology and Money Laundering
Keywords:
Financial requirement, financial literacy, financial technology, money launderingAbstract
The objective of this study is to explore the impact of financial technology on the emergence of money laundering, with an emphasis on the moderating role of financial requirements and financial literacy. Given the significant growth of fintech tools and platforms, it is essential to analyze their effects on financial risks, particularly in the realm of economic crimes. While the emergence of financial technology—through innovative solutions such as digital payments, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized platforms—has brought about positive transformations in financial access, it has also, due to features such as anonymity, high speed, and the elimination of intermediaries, become an attractive tool for financial criminals and introduced new risks into the money laundering process. The aim of the present research is to examine the moderating effects of financial requirements and financial literacy on the relationship between financial technology and money laundering. This study is categorized as applied research in terms of its objective and employs a survey-based methodology for data collection. The statistical population comprises financial managers and employees of institutions affiliated with the Iranian Association of Certified Accountants in Tehran. Based on Morgan’s table, the sample size was determined to be 384 individuals, selected through a random sampling method. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed, and the data were analyzed using PLS3 software. The findings indicate that financial technology has a direct effect on the phenomenon of money laundering, and this impact can be mitigated when effective financial requirements and high levels of financial literacy are present. The results suggest that the presence of clear financial regulations and users’ financial awareness plays a significant role in preventing the misuse of innovative financial technologies for money laundering purposes. Moreover, the interaction among the study’s variables demonstrates that regulatory frameworks and financial education are crucial in strengthening financial transparency. Overall, the integration of financial technology with efficient regulatory institutions and financial education may lead to a reduction in risks associated with financial crimes.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Mohsen Hashemi Gohar (Corresponding author); Mohaddeseh Rahmati Fakhrabadi (Author)
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