Regional financial technology and shadow banking activities of non-financial firms: Evidence from China

Financial technology has greatly revolutionized the finance industry. However, the impact of financial technology on the shadow banking activities of non-financial firms has not been examined. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms from 2011 to 2018, we find that regional financial technology is positively associated with the shadow banking activities of non-financial firms, which is more pronounced for firms with low profitability and firms listed only in China’s A-share market. We show that financial technology can enhance the shadow banking activities by alleviating financing constraints. In addition, an increase in the equalization of profit rate and an increase in investment in the real economy reduce the positive effect of financial technology on the shadow banking activities. Further analysis suggests that financial regulations can attenuate excessive shadow banking activities of non-financial firms driven by financial technology.