CONSUMER AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION TOWARDS E-PAYMENTS: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS BASED ON RESEARCH TRENDS (1952-2026)

DOI: https://doie.org/10.65985/APER.2026609321

Authors:

Dr. Atul Kumar Karn, Shruti Priya

Keywords:

Consumer Perception, Consumer Awareness, Digital Payment Adoption, Financial Technology (FINTECH), Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract:

The global payment system is undergoing rapid evolution and transformation. This is leading to a significant penetration and widespread usage of e-payment technologies, making way as an integral part of the everyday lives of consumers. With digitalization and financial inclusion as key goals, it is imperative to understand the impact of consumer awareness and perception towards e-payments. The present study aims to advance thematic development and contribute to the existing body of e-payments literature by analyzing the evolution and trends in e payments. A total of 742 documents were retrieved from the Scopus database (1952 -2026) out of which 573 were retained to analyze publication trends, the most productive authors and journals, and contributing institutions. However, substantial research activity in this domain picked up pace after 2000, as the interpretations indicate. There were 573 papers, 8,116 citations, and an h-index of 39, signifying the growing importance of this research area. Three major thematic clusters have emerged to be 1) digital transformation and financial inclusion 2) consumer behavior and adoption of technology and 3) trust in e-payments. The publications were also analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Co-authorship patterns and citation relationships were analyzed using the VOS viewer tool. There has been a significant increase in e-payment publications since 2016, driven by rising smartphone adoption and financial technology. The government policies too focused on broadening the horizons of e-payments. China and India lead in research output, whereas the USA and European countries lead in the theoretical development of e-payments. Computer science, engineering, and business are leading contributors to the e-payments literature, signifying the emergence of an interdisciplinary research landscape in the field. This research study is however limited to data retrieved from Scopus. There is scope in future to carry out comparative analysis using papers from many other sources.

PDF