Does Digital Finance Upgrade Trickle-down consumption effect in China?

Abstract

This paper investigates the trickle-down consumption effect and the moderating effect of digital finance in China. Three realistic patterns motivate this study; trickle-down consumption has been confirmed in many developed countries, digital finance facilitates household consumption, and China exhibits income inequality across regions. Using data from the 2017 and 2019 China Household Finance Survey, we find that Chinese households exhibit trickle-down consumption behavior and that digital finance development moderates the trickle-down consumption; this moderating effect is somewhat heterogeneous by year, geographic location, hukou, and household income. The mechanism analysis results confirm that the relaxation of liquidity constraints is the primary channel through which our positive moderating effect operates. Our findings are robust to various tests, and alternative specifications are also discussed. Some policies are suggested to alleviate consumption inequality by developing digital finance and stimulating a natural pattern of trickle-down consumption in China. • This study explores trickle-down consumption moderated by digital finance in China. • We focus on the multidimensional heterogeneity of moderation effects. • Generally, households in China “keep up with the richer Joneses.”. • Digital finance development has a moderating effect in most households. • Relaxing liquidity constraints is the mechanism for the moderating effect.