HOUSEHOLD FINANCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL FINANCIAL SERVICES: A BEHAVIOURAL ECONOMICS ANALYSIS OF EU COUNTRIES

Анотація

Introduction. The article examines the transformation of household financial behaviour in EU countries under the influence of the development of digital financial services. The relevance of the study is determined by the rapid digitalisation of the financial sector, the growing use of internet banking, and the spread of digital models of consumer behaviour. Particular attention is paid to behavioural aspects of households’ adaptation to digital financial services and cross-country differences in the integration of digital financial services. Materials and methods. The study is based on Eurostat statistical data for 2021–2025. The research covers 27 EU countries and relies on indicators reflecting internet use, internet banking usage, and online purchases. The study employs statistical, comparative, and correlation analysis. To assess the level of households’ digital financial adaptation, the GAP indicator and the ratio of online purchases to internet banking usage were calculated. Based on the results obtained, a typology of household digital financial behaviour models in EU countries was developed. Results and discussion. The findings reveal a steady increase in internet use, internet banking, and online purchases across EU countries during 2021–2025, indicating the growing digitalisation of both financial and consumer behaviour. It was found that the growth rate of internet banking exceeds the overall rate of digital integration of the population. The cross-country analysis demonstrated significant differentiation in the level of households’ digital financial adaptation. The highest level of integration of digital financial services is observed in Northern and Western European countries, whereas a considerable gap between internet use and internet banking remains evident in several Central and Eastern European countries. Based on the results of the analysis, four models of household digital financial behaviour were identified: the fully digitalised model, the consumer-oriented model, the transitional model, and the financially conservative model. Conclusions. The results of the study confirm that digital financial services are an important factor in the transformation of household economic behaviour in EU countries. The spread of digital finance is accompanied by increased digital consumer activity and the integration of online financial services into the everyday economic activities of the population. At the same time, the level of households’ digital financial adaptation across EU countries remains uneven, indicating the existence of behavioural and institutional differences in the digital transformation of the financial sector.

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