Mapping the FinTech-Big Data Nexus for Sustainable Smart Cities

While financial technology (FinTech) and smart-city sustainability are critical, research mapping their convergence remains fragmented, often trapped in disciplinary silos and overlooking the rapid post-2020 digital transformation catalyzed by the pandemic. This study addresses this gap by applying bibliometric “meta-big-data” analytics to 462 Scopus-indexed publications (2017–2024) to map the convergence of FinTech and sustainability within user-centric smart-city ecosystems. Employing VOSviewer network visualization and keyword co-occurrence analysis, this study identifies four core thematic clusters: (1) green finance innovation, (2) blockchain-enabled governance, (3) digital financial inclusion, and (4) urban-data analytics. The findings reveal a significant 37% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), confirming a post-2020 acceleration, and dominant research leadership from China and Malaysia. Key intellectual connections are found linking AI-driven credit scoring, micro-green-bond tokenization, and predictive traffic optimization. This study concludes that FinTech functions as a “meta-big-data” infrastructure for urban management, with blockchain playing a dual role in transparency and financing. Ultimately, these findings provide an essential roadmap for city managers and policymakers to leverage FinTech-enabled big-data platforms for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-aligned urban transformation.