Trust in Government, Electronic Taxation, and the Adoption of Fintech

Mobile money (MoMo) services have become an integral part of the banking system in developing countries. Research is needed to understand the implications of taxing this financial technology sector and inform public policy. The current MoMo tax literature is limited by its focus on personal factors while neglecting institutional factors. The present study develops an integrated model of individuals’ attitudes toward MoMo tax payments and their intentions to use MoMo services while paying related MoMo taxes. To test the model, we analyze survey data collected from 892 participants across 16 regions of Ghana using structural equation modeling. Our findings indicate that perceived trust in government and perceived tax burden are significant determinants of attitudes toward MoMo tax payment, while perceived tax burden is influenced by perceived trust in government. Similarly, perceived tax burden mediates the effect of perceived trust in government on attitudes toward MoMo tax payments. Furthermore, the perceived usefulness of MoMo services is determined by perceived ease of use of MoMo services, whereas MoMo services use/tax payment intentions are determined by perceived trust in government, attitudes toward MoMo tax payments, and perceived usefulness of MoMo services. Finally, perceived usefulness of MoMo services mediates the effects of perceived ease of use on MoMo services and MoMo service use/tax payment intentions. We discuss explanations for these findings and provide practical, theoretical, and research implications.