How does Islamic fintech promote the SDGs? Qualitative evidence from Indonesia

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to explore the existing Islamic financial technology (fintech) lending in Indonesia. Doing so is to better understand in what way the fintech firms have been promoting the global movement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the local context.Design/methodology/approachThis study engages qualitative methods. This paper first reviews relevant literature related to fintech and establishes the substantive definition of Islamic fintech. Further, the existing literature of SDGs is explored to understand its original idea and its recent implementation, particularly in Indonesia. Following this, the official reports from the domestic regulators are referred to select the fintech firms which meet the criteria of Islamic fintech lending based on the proposed definition. The selected firms are then analysed based on several themes which best capture their position in promoting the SDGs. Finally, the discussion is linked to the recent performance of Indonesia in implementing SDGs.FindingsThis work finds that the reviewed fintech firms have been promoting the idea of financial inclusion, for example, financing the underdeveloped sectors such as agriculture and small and micro enterprises (SMEs). Furthermore, the selected fintech firms are also found to collect and distribute Islamic social funds such as infaq (charity spending), waqf (endowment) and sadaqah (voluntary charity). Besides, the firms are also found to initiate charity programmes for underprivileged community. In some degree, these findings are synonymous of the firms’ effort in promoting SDG of ending poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2) and reducing the inequalities (SDG 10).Research limitations/implicationsThe discussion of this work does not provide any positivist generalisation due to the method used.Practical implicationsThe Indonesian Government is advised to legally engage with the existing fintech firms and other related stakeholders to best solve its recent issue of the declining trend in SDG 15 (life on land).Social implicationsThis work elaborates in what way the Islamic fintech lending has been promoting the SDGs in Indonesian context. In some extent, such discussion can best challenge the social issue of fintech which has been stigmatised of bringing mafsadah (harm), as subjectively claimed by one particular religious group in Indonesia.Originality/valueThis study is among the pioneers which offers the definition of Islamic fintech and further explains its position in endorsing the global movement of SDGs.