Post-COVID-19: leveraging digital payment services for a sustainable future through bibliometric analysis

Purpose The study aims to uncover the factors driving the increased use of digital payments during the pandemic and provide insights into the evolution of India’s payment ecosystem with sustainable development goals. Design/methodology/approach Utilizing a bibliometric analysis framework, the study examines a dataset of 418 papers sourced from Scopus, spanning publication years from 2020 to 2024, investigating trends in publications, contributions by authors, patterns of citation and emerging research domains. Findings The research identifies trends and gaps in the current body of knowledge, highlights emerging research areas, influential studies, authors, importance of technology, infrastructure and policy measures in shaping the future of financial transactions. Key findings include a significant increase in scholarly output on digital payments post-pandemic, highlighting interest in understanding the digital payment landscape during this period. Research limitations/implications The study’s reliance on publications from Scopus limits the generalizability of the findings. Future research could include a broader range of databases and consider qualitative analyses to deepen the understanding of the factors driving digital payment adoption. Practical implications The research underscores the need to address challenges such as digital literacy and connectivity disparities to facilitate a smooth transition towards a cashless economy. It provides valuable insights for policymakers, financial institutions, and technology providers to enhance digital payment infrastructure and services. Social implications Addressing digital literacy and connectivity disparities can improve financial stability and foster economic expansion. The findings highlight the critical role of inclusive technology and policy measures in ensuring equitable access to digital payment systems, contributing to broader social and economic development. Originality/value The study offers a bibliometric analysis of digital payment research amidst the pandemic, providing comprehensive insights into trends, emerging areas and influential studies. It uniquely connects the evolution of digital payments to sustainable development goals in India’s context.