Main Article Content
Abstract
Fintech still has significant room for growth, but industry competition is becoming increasingly challenging. To increase fintech adoption, companies must understand individual behavior. This study aims to examine perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) as central factors that may impact fintech adoption (FA) among college students, a group with a high likelihood of fintech use. This study adopts a quantitative approach, with data collected via a questionnaire distributed to 364 Indonesian college students. Data processing and analysis were performed with Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that PEOU positively affects FA among students, both directly and indirectly through PU. In addition, PEOU enhances PU, thereby positively influencing FA. Easy-to-use fintech services help students recognize their practical benefits, thereby encouraging quick adoption. These results suggest that fintech companies targeting college students should prioritize user-friendly design, relevant features, and marketing messages that emphasize ease of use and real benefits to enhance adoption.
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References
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- Almashhadani, I. S., Abuhashesh, M., Bany Mohammad, A., Masa'deh, R., & Al-Khasawneh, M. (2023). Exploring the determinants of FinTech adoption and intention to use in Jordan: The impact of COVID-19. Cogent Social Sciences, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2256536
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- Campanella, F., Serino, L., Battisti, E., Giakoumelou, A., & Karasamani, I. (2023). FinTech in the financial system: Towards a capital-intensive and high-competence human capital reality? Journal of Business Research, 155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113376
- Cuandra, F., Susanto, S., Hesniati, H., & Candy, C. (2024). Deciphering investment decision in fintech: The role of behavioral bias and risk perception. Jurnal Organisasi Dan Manajemen, 20(2), 271–286. https://doi.org/10.33830/jom.v20i2.8248.2024
- Daragmeh, A., Lentner, C., & Sági, J. (2021). FinTech payments in the era of COVID-19: Factors influencing behavioral intentions of ‘Generation X' in Hungary to use mobile payment. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, 32. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbef.2021.100574
- Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008
- Demirgüç-Kunt, A., Klapper, L., Singer, D., & Ansar, S. (2022). The Global Findex Database 2021:Financial Inclusion, Digital Payments, and Resilience in the Age of COVID-19. In The Global Findex Database. http://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/book/10.1596/978-1-4648-1897-4
- Edo, O. C., Etu, E. E., Tenebe, I., Oladele, O. S., Edo, S., Diekola, O. A., & Emakhu, J. (2023). Fintech adoption dynamics in a pandemic: An experience from some financial institutions in Nigeria during COVID-19 using a machine learning approach. Cogent Business and Management, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2242985
- Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). In Sage (2nd ed.). http://lccn.loc.gov/2016005380
- Idris, H. (2025). Understanding financial inclusion through fintech: A qualitative inquiry into the role of technology in shaping financial landscapes. Golden Ratio of Finance Management, 5(1), 260–269. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52970/grfm.v5i1.1235
- Irimia-Diéguez, A., Albort-Morant, G., Oliver-Alfonso, M. D., & Ullah, S. (2024). Predicting the intention to use Paytech services by Islamic banking users. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 17(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMEFM-07-2022-0298
- Irimia-Diéguez, A., Liébana-Cabanillas, F., Blanco-Oliver, A., & Lara-Rubio, J. (2025). What drives consumers to use P2P payment systems? An analytical approach based on the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) model. European Journal of Management and Business Economics. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJMBE-12-2022-0374
- Jafri, J. A., Mohd Amin, S. I., Abdul Rahman, A., & Mohd Nor, S. (2024). A systematic literature review of the role of trust and security on Fintech adoption in banking. Heliyon, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22980
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- Krah, R., Tetteh, L. A., Boateng, A., & Amankwa, R. F. (2024). Financial technology adoption among small and medium enterprises in Ghana. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2321786
- Kumar, J., & Rani, V. (2024). Financial innovation and gender dynamics: a comparative study of male and female FinTech adoption in emerging economies. International Journal of Accounting & Information Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJAIM-03-2024-0098
- Nawi, N. C., Husin, H. S., Said Al-Jahwari, N., Zainuddin, S. A., Khan, N. U., Hassan, A. A., Wan Ibrahim, W. S. A. A., Mohamed, A. F., Mohd Nasir, N. S., & Muhamad Hasan, M. Z. (2024). The path to sustainability begins with going paperless: Antecedents of intention to use an electronic wallet using a serial mediation approach. Heliyon, 10(2), e24127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24127
- Nguyen, T. T. U., Nguyen, P. Van, Huynh, H. T. N., Truong, G. Q., & Do, L. (2024). Unlocking e-government adoption: Exploring the role of perceived usefulness, ease of use, trust, and social media engagement in Vietnam. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2024.100291
- Nugraha, D. P., Setiawan, B., Nathan, R. J., & Fekete-Farkas, M. (2022). Fintech adoption drivers for SME innovation in Indonesia. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 8(4), 208. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8040208
- Paramita, D. A., & Hidayat, A. (2023). The effect of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived benefits on interest in using Bank Syariah Indonesia mobile banking. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147–4478), 12(5), 01–09. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i5.2643
- Poyoi, P., Gassiot-Melian, A., & Coromina, L. (2024). Generation Z and Millennials' food-sharing behaviour: a cross-generational analysis of motivations, satisfaction and behavioural intention. British Food Journal, 126(13), 207–225. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-10-2023-0899
- Purwianti, L., Nurjanah, L., Katherine, K., & Chen, R. (2024). The impact of TAM, social influence, and information quality on purchase intention in e-commerce. Jurnal Organisasi Dan Manajemen, 20(2), 187–206. https://doi.org/10.33830/jom.v20i2.9123.2024
- Putro, A. K., & Takahashi, Y. (2024). Entrepreneurs' creativity, information technology adoption, and continuance intention: Mediation effects of perceived usefulness and ease of use and the moderation effect of entrepreneurial orientation. Heliyon, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25479
- Rahardja, U., Hapsari, I. D., Putra, P. O. H. A. D. I., & Hidayanto, A. N. (2023). Technological readiness and its impact on mobile payment usage: A case study of go-pay. Cogent Engineering, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2023.2171566
- Rahman, S., Nguyen-Viet, B., Nguyen, Y. T. H., & Kamran, S. (2024). Promoting fintech: driving mobile wallet adoption among developing-country consumers through gamification and trust. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 42(5), 841–869. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-01-2023-0033
- Saadah, K., & Setiawan, D. (2024). Determinants of fintech adoption: evidence from SMEs in Indonesia. LBS Journal of Management & Research, 22(1), 55–65. https://doi.org/10.1108/LBSJMR-11-2022-0076
- Savitha, B., & Hawaldar, I. T. (2022). What motivates individuals to use FinTech budgeting applications? Evidence from India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cogent Economics and Finance, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2022.2127482
- Setiawan, B., Nugraha, D. P., Irawan, A., Nathan, R. J., & Zoltan, Z. (2021). User innovativeness and fintech adoption in Indonesia. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(3), 188. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7030188
- Shahzad, A., Zahrullail, N., Akbar, A., Mohelska, H., & Hussain, A. (2022). COVID-19's impact on fintech adoption: Behavioral intention to use the financial portal. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 15(10), 428.
- Shahzad, M. F., Xu, S., Lim, W. M., Hasnain, M. F., & Nusrat, S. (2024). Cryptocurrency awareness, acceptance, and adoption: the role of trust as a cornerstone. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02528-7
- Sultana, N., Chowdhury, R. S., & Haque, A. (2023). Gravitating towards Fintech: A study on Undergraduates using the extended UTAUT model. Heliyon, 9(10). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20731
- Wardana, A. A., Saputro, E. P., Wahyuddin, M., & Abas, N. I. (2022). The effect of convenience, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness on intention to use e-wallet. Proceedings of the International Conference on Economics and Business Studies (ICOEBS 2022). https://doi.org/10.2991/aebmr.k.220602.051
- Widiar, G., Yuniarinto, A., & Yulianti, I. (2023). Perceived ease of use's effects on behavioral intention mediated by perceived usefulness and trust. Interdisciplinary Social Studies, 2(4), 1829–1844. https://doi.org/10.55324/iss.v2i4.397
- Wijayanti, H. T., & Sriyanto, S. (2025). Exploring the impact of fintech innovation on financial stability and regulation: A qualitative study. Golden Ratio of Finance Management, 5(1), 21–33. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52970/grfm.v5i1.423
- Wu, G., & Peng, Q. (2024). Bridging the digital divide: Unraveling the determinants of FinTech adoption in rural communities. SAGE Open, 14(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241227770
- Xie, J., Ye, L., Huang, W., & Ye, M. (2021). Understanding FinTech platform adoption: Impacts of perceived value and perceived risk. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 16(5), 1893–1911. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer16050106
- Zhang, D., Wang, C., He, Y., & Vigne, S. A. (2024). Does FinTech effectively prevent manipulation of ESG data? The British Accounting Review, August. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2024.101494
- Zhang, W., Siyal, S., Riaz, S., Ahmad, R., Hilmi, M. F., & Li, Z. (2023). Data security, customer trust, and intention for adoption of fintech services: An empirical analysis from commercial bank users in Pakistan. SAGE Open, 13(3), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231181388
References
Agustin, I. N., Oskar, F., & Suprapto, Y. (2025). Factors influencing e-wallet usage among Generations X and Y. Golden Ratio of Finance Management, 6(1), 15–32. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52970/grfm.v6i1.1783
Akhtar, M., Salman, A., Abdul Ghafoor, K., & Kamran, M. (2024). Artificial intelligence, financial services knowledge, government support, and user innovativeness: Exploring the moderated-mediated path to fintech adoption. Heliyon, 10(21). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39521
Almashhadani, I. S., Abuhashesh, M., Bany Mohammad, A., Masa'deh, R., & Al-Khasawneh, M. (2023). Exploring the determinants of FinTech adoption and intention to use in Jordan: The impact of COVID-19. Cogent Social Sciences, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2256536
Cahyadi, H., Tarigan, R. P., Masman, R. R., Trisnawati, E., & Wijaya, H. (2024). Exploring the dynamics of fintech usage behavior moderated by customer characteristics in Indonesia. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 7(3), 997–1008. https://doi.org/10.53894/ijirss.v7i3.2993
Campanella, F., Serino, L., Battisti, E., Giakoumelou, A., & Karasamani, I. (2023). FinTech in the financial system: Towards a capital-intensive and high-competence human capital reality? Journal of Business Research, 155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113376
Cuandra, F., Susanto, S., Hesniati, H., & Candy, C. (2024). Deciphering investment decision in fintech: The role of behavioral bias and risk perception. Jurnal Organisasi Dan Manajemen, 20(2), 271–286. https://doi.org/10.33830/jom.v20i2.8248.2024
Daragmeh, A., Lentner, C., & Sági, J. (2021). FinTech payments in the era of COVID-19: Factors influencing behavioral intentions of ‘Generation X' in Hungary to use mobile payment. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, 32. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbef.2021.100574
Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008
Demirgüç-Kunt, A., Klapper, L., Singer, D., & Ansar, S. (2022). The Global Findex Database 2021:Financial Inclusion, Digital Payments, and Resilience in the Age of COVID-19. In The Global Findex Database. http://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/book/10.1596/978-1-4648-1897-4
Edo, O. C., Etu, E. E., Tenebe, I., Oladele, O. S., Edo, S., Diekola, O. A., & Emakhu, J. (2023). Fintech adoption dynamics in a pandemic: An experience from some financial institutions in Nigeria during COVID-19 using a machine learning approach. Cogent Business and Management, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2242985
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). In Sage (2nd ed.). http://lccn.loc.gov/2016005380
Idris, H. (2025). Understanding financial inclusion through fintech: A qualitative inquiry into the role of technology in shaping financial landscapes. Golden Ratio of Finance Management, 5(1), 260–269. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52970/grfm.v5i1.1235
Irimia-Diéguez, A., Albort-Morant, G., Oliver-Alfonso, M. D., & Ullah, S. (2024). Predicting the intention to use Paytech services by Islamic banking users. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 17(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMEFM-07-2022-0298
Irimia-Diéguez, A., Liébana-Cabanillas, F., Blanco-Oliver, A., & Lara-Rubio, J. (2025). What drives consumers to use P2P payment systems? An analytical approach based on the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) model. European Journal of Management and Business Economics. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJMBE-12-2022-0374
Jafri, J. A., Mohd Amin, S. I., Abdul Rahman, A., & Mohd Nor, S. (2024). A systematic literature review of the role of trust and security on Fintech adoption in banking. Heliyon, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22980
Kelly, A. E. (2024). The sustainability and contribution of Generation Z, influenced by hedonic and utilitarian values, to the use of mobile money services for fee payment. Telematics and Informatics Reports, 14(April). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teler.2024.100145
Krah, R., Tetteh, L. A., Boateng, A., & Amankwa, R. F. (2024). Financial technology adoption among small and medium enterprises in Ghana. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2321786
Kumar, J., & Rani, V. (2024). Financial innovation and gender dynamics: a comparative study of male and female FinTech adoption in emerging economies. International Journal of Accounting & Information Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJAIM-03-2024-0098
Nawi, N. C., Husin, H. S., Said Al-Jahwari, N., Zainuddin, S. A., Khan, N. U., Hassan, A. A., Wan Ibrahim, W. S. A. A., Mohamed, A. F., Mohd Nasir, N. S., & Muhamad Hasan, M. Z. (2024). The path to sustainability begins with going paperless: Antecedents of intention to use an electronic wallet using a serial mediation approach. Heliyon, 10(2), e24127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24127
Nguyen, T. T. U., Nguyen, P. Van, Huynh, H. T. N., Truong, G. Q., & Do, L. (2024). Unlocking e-government adoption: Exploring the role of perceived usefulness, ease of use, trust, and social media engagement in Vietnam. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2024.100291
Nugraha, D. P., Setiawan, B., Nathan, R. J., & Fekete-Farkas, M. (2022). Fintech adoption drivers for SME innovation in Indonesia. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 8(4), 208. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8040208
Paramita, D. A., & Hidayat, A. (2023). The effect of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived benefits on interest in using Bank Syariah Indonesia mobile banking. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147–4478), 12(5), 01–09. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i5.2643
Poyoi, P., Gassiot-Melian, A., & Coromina, L. (2024). Generation Z and Millennials' food-sharing behaviour: a cross-generational analysis of motivations, satisfaction and behavioural intention. British Food Journal, 126(13), 207–225. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-10-2023-0899
Purwianti, L., Nurjanah, L., Katherine, K., & Chen, R. (2024). The impact of TAM, social influence, and information quality on purchase intention in e-commerce. Jurnal Organisasi Dan Manajemen, 20(2), 187–206. https://doi.org/10.33830/jom.v20i2.9123.2024
Putro, A. K., & Takahashi, Y. (2024). Entrepreneurs' creativity, information technology adoption, and continuance intention: Mediation effects of perceived usefulness and ease of use and the moderation effect of entrepreneurial orientation. Heliyon, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25479
Rahardja, U., Hapsari, I. D., Putra, P. O. H. A. D. I., & Hidayanto, A. N. (2023). Technological readiness and its impact on mobile payment usage: A case study of go-pay. Cogent Engineering, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2023.2171566
Rahman, S., Nguyen-Viet, B., Nguyen, Y. T. H., & Kamran, S. (2024). Promoting fintech: driving mobile wallet adoption among developing-country consumers through gamification and trust. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 42(5), 841–869. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-01-2023-0033
Saadah, K., & Setiawan, D. (2024). Determinants of fintech adoption: evidence from SMEs in Indonesia. LBS Journal of Management & Research, 22(1), 55–65. https://doi.org/10.1108/LBSJMR-11-2022-0076
Savitha, B., & Hawaldar, I. T. (2022). What motivates individuals to use FinTech budgeting applications? Evidence from India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cogent Economics and Finance, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2022.2127482
Setiawan, B., Nugraha, D. P., Irawan, A., Nathan, R. J., & Zoltan, Z. (2021). User innovativeness and fintech adoption in Indonesia. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(3), 188. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7030188
Shahzad, A., Zahrullail, N., Akbar, A., Mohelska, H., & Hussain, A. (2022). COVID-19's impact on fintech adoption: Behavioral intention to use the financial portal. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 15(10), 428.
Shahzad, M. F., Xu, S., Lim, W. M., Hasnain, M. F., & Nusrat, S. (2024). Cryptocurrency awareness, acceptance, and adoption: the role of trust as a cornerstone. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02528-7
Sultana, N., Chowdhury, R. S., & Haque, A. (2023). Gravitating towards Fintech: A study on Undergraduates using the extended UTAUT model. Heliyon, 9(10). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20731
Wardana, A. A., Saputro, E. P., Wahyuddin, M., & Abas, N. I. (2022). The effect of convenience, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness on intention to use e-wallet. Proceedings of the International Conference on Economics and Business Studies (ICOEBS 2022). https://doi.org/10.2991/aebmr.k.220602.051
Widiar, G., Yuniarinto, A., & Yulianti, I. (2023). Perceived ease of use's effects on behavioral intention mediated by perceived usefulness and trust. Interdisciplinary Social Studies, 2(4), 1829–1844. https://doi.org/10.55324/iss.v2i4.397
Wijayanti, H. T., & Sriyanto, S. (2025). Exploring the impact of fintech innovation on financial stability and regulation: A qualitative study. Golden Ratio of Finance Management, 5(1), 21–33. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52970/grfm.v5i1.423
Wu, G., & Peng, Q. (2024). Bridging the digital divide: Unraveling the determinants of FinTech adoption in rural communities. SAGE Open, 14(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241227770
Xie, J., Ye, L., Huang, W., & Ye, M. (2021). Understanding FinTech platform adoption: Impacts of perceived value and perceived risk. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 16(5), 1893–1911. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer16050106
Zhang, D., Wang, C., He, Y., & Vigne, S. A. (2024). Does FinTech effectively prevent manipulation of ESG data? The British Accounting Review, August. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2024.101494
Zhang, W., Siyal, S., Riaz, S., Ahmad, R., Hilmi, M. F., & Li, Z. (2023). Data security, customer trust, and intention for adoption of fintech services: An empirical analysis from commercial bank users in Pakistan. SAGE Open, 13(3), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231181388