Antecedents of Intention to Use Online Peer-to-Peer Platform in Malaysia

Abstract

Considering the demand for alternative source of finance, the number of online peer-to-peer (P2P) financing platforms is increasing tremendously in Malaysia with the upward trend in the number of users and the introduction of secondary market for P2P platforms. As such, it is of great importance to investigate the antecedents of intention to use this online-based financing platform. This study examines if P2P platform ease of use, P2P platform usefulness, perceived expertise, P2P platform trustworthiness and reciprocity contribute to the usage intention of online P2P platforms building on technology acceptance model (TAM), source credibility theory (SCT) and social exchange theory (SET). By estimating partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the results reveal that P2P platform ease of use, P2P platform usefulness and reciprocity are the crucial determinants influencing the intention to use online P2P financing platforms. The findings imply that P2P service providers should emphasize more on the ease of use and usefulness of the platform with reciprocity to increase usage the intention of borrowers or lenders.