Digital Finance and Environmental Sustainability: A Bibliometric Review for Key Trends and Policy Implications for Advancing SDGs 8, 9, and 13

Abstract

Environmental sustainability (ES) is essential for improving resource efficiency and advancing the broader goal of sustainable development. Digital finance (DF) has emerged as a transformative mechanism in recent years, offering innovative solutions to reduce environmental degradation. To explore more, this study presents a comprehensive review of DF and ES through bibliometric analysis to understand their linkage with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From 2011 to 2024, a total of 167 articles were retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases via targeted keywords related to DF and ES. The analysis was conducted in R software using the Biblioshiny interface of the Bibliometrix package. The results revealed an increasing trend in scholarly publications from 2021. This highlights the emergence of this topic as a dynamic and high‐potential research frontier. Notably, China, Pakistan, and Malaysia lead in publication output in the relevant field of study. Among institutions, Jiangsu University contributed more than any other. The findings underscore the growing influence of DF to promote ES and provide actionable insights from researchers. By utilizing these insights, policymakers can assist in advancing several SDGs such as SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The study also offers a valuable foundation for future investigations and policy frameworks aimed at integrating DF into sustainable development strategies.