The evidence of the impact of digital inclusion finance on household education decision-making

As exemplified by Digital Inclusive Finance (DIF), inclusive finance is widely regarded as a powerful tool for promoting social development and ensuring inclusiveness. However, whether DIF influences household education decisions remains a critical yet underexplored question. This study finds that DIF significantly increases household education expenditures (HEE). By leveraging its advantages—raising expected income and lowering consumption costs—DIF reshapes household decision-making and subsequently boosts HEE. Moreover, the availability of diversified financial investment channels and low-threshold lending encourages households that have not previously engaged in these activities to increase their education spending. The study also uncovers notable heterogeneity in DIF’s impact on HEE, with variations observed across different levels of educational pressure and expense types. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature on the digital economy’s influence on education decision-making.