Financial technology (Fintech) has emerged as a transformative force in the global financial landscape, particularly with rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and the expansion of digital financial ecosystems. Chinese Fintech firms have demonstrated significant domestic success in areas such as mobile payments, digital banking, and personal finance, fostering competitive advantages that support strategic global expansion. As these firms increasingly internationalize, they encounter diverse economic conditions, regulatory structures, and consumer preferences across markets, especially in emerging regions such as Southeast Asia. This paper synthesizes theoretical and empirical perspectives on Fintech internationalization, drawing from existing literature on innovation diffusion, global value creation, and service delivery models. The review highlights how organizational capabilities, market adaptation strategies, and customer-centric approaches shape performance outcomes in international environments. This paper has two key research objectives. First, to synthesize theoretical frameworks and empirical findings that explain the strategic drivers and contextual challenges influencing the internationalization of Fintech services. Second, to assess how Fintech firms leverage innovation, partnerships, and service model adaptation to enhance competitiveness and support financial inclusion in international markets. The synthesis contributes to advancing scholarly understanding of Fintech globalization while offering conceptual insights for firms seeking to strengthen their strategic positioning in diverse cross-border contexts.
Arner, D. W., Barberis, J., & Buckey, R. P. (2016). FinTech, RegTech, and the reconceptualization of financial regulation. Nw. J. Int'l L. & Bus., 37, 371.
Boston Consulting Group. (2024). Financial Institutions Global Fintech 2024: Prudence, Profits, and Growth. (2024). BCG & QED. Retreived from https://web-assets.bcg.com/a9/4e/eeb7ae814bfb98d918fac0fcc4ce/2024-fintech-report-june-2024-edit-03.pdf
Boston Consulting Group. (2024). Financial Institutions Global Fintech 2024: Prudence, Profits, and Growth. (2024). BCG & QED. Retreived from https://web-assets.bcg.com/a9/4e/eeb7ae814bfb98d918fac0fcc4ce/2024-fintech-report-june-2024-edit-03.pdf
Chorzempa, M., & Huang, Y. (2022). Chinese Fintech innovation and Regulation. Asian Economic Policy Review, 17(2), 274–292. https://doi.org/10.1111/aepr.12384
Cumming, D., Johan, S., & Reardon, R. (2023). Global Fintech trends and their impact on international business: a review. Multinational Business Review, 31(3), 413–436. https://doi.org/10.1108/mbr-05-2023-0077
den Hertog, P. (2010). Managing service innovation: firm-level dynamic capabilities and policy options. [Thesis, externally prepared, Universiteit van Amsterdam]. Dialogic Innovatie & Interactie.
Han, A.S. (2021). Chinese Fintech companies and their “going out” strategies. Journal of Internet and Digital Economics, 1(1), 47–63. https://doi.org/10.1108/jide-07-2021-0003
He, Y. (2024). Chinese fintech goes global: political challenges and business strategies. Asia Policy, 19(1), 35–50. https://doi.org/10.1353/asp.2024.a918869
Johanson, J. & Vahlne, J.-E. (1977), “The internationalization process of the firm: a model of knowledge development and increasing foreign market commitments”, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 23-32.
Johanson, J. & Vahlne, J.-E. (2009), “The Uppsala internationalization process model revisited: from liability of foreignness to liability of outsidership”, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 40 No. 9, pp. 1411-1431.
Jones, E. (2024). Fintech on the move: Unravelling Chinese domestic and global M&A strategies. Edgar, Dunn & Company. Retreived from https://www.edgardunn.com/articles/fintech-on-the-move-unravelling-chinese-domestic-and-global-m-a-strategies
KPMG. (2023). 2023 Chinese Fintech CEO Survey Report. NIFA & KPMG. Retreived from https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/cn/pdf/zh/2023/06/2023-chinese-fintech-ceo-survey-report.pdf
Kayode, S. (2023). Revolutionizing Financial Landscapes: The Role of Emerging Technologies in Fintech Transformation.
Li, S., Zhang, H., Jia, Z., Zhong, C., Zhang, C., Shan, Z., Shen, J., & Babar, M. A. (2021). Understanding and addressing quality attributes of microservices architecture: A Systematic literature review. Information and Software Technology, 131, 106449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2020.106449
Peilin, L., & Xintong, W. (2024). China’s software service providers bet on AI amid funding chill. Nikkei Asia. Retreived from https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Caixin/China-s-software-service-providers-bet-on-AI-amid-funding-chill
Puschmann, T. (2017). Fintech. Business & Information Systems Engineering, 59, 69-76.
Santosdiaz, R., & Santosdiaz, R. (2024). Malaysia’s Fintech Boom: A Growing Force in Southeast Asia. The Fintech Times. Retreived from https://thefintechtimes.com/fintech-landscape-of-malaysia/
Slotta, D. (2023). FinTech in China - statistics & facts. Statista. Retreived from https://www.statista.com/topics/6893/fintech-in-china/#topicOverview
Vahlne, J. E., & Johanson, J. (2017). From internationalization to evolution: The Uppsala model at 40 years. Journal of international business studies, 48, 1087-1102.
Vernon, R. (1966). 1966: International investment and international trade in the product cycle. Quarterly Journal of Economics 80, 190-207.
Wu, A., & Kao, D. (2022). Mapping the sustainable Human-Resource challenges in Southeast Asia’s Fintech sector. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 15(7), 307. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm15070307
Zhu, V. (2021). China’s Fintech: the end of the wild west. Policy Paper). Paris: Institut Montaigne.
Zohari, T. (2024). The Uppsala Internationalization Model and its limitation in the new era. digitProMag, Digital Professionals. Retreived from https://www.digitpro.co.uk/the-uppsala-internationalization-model-and-its-limitation-in-the-new-era/
Renzhong, L., & Teo, P.-C. (2026). Internationalizing Fintech Services: A Synthesis of Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 16(1), 897–903.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode