Bridging intention and behavior in digital zakat adoption: an integrative model with generational moderation from Indonesia

Purpose This study aims to develop and empirically validate an integrative model that examines the determinants of both intention and actual behavior in digital zakat payment in Indonesia, with a particular emphasis on the moderating effect of age. The research seeks to bridge the widely acknowledged intention–behavior gap in Islamic financial technology (fintech) adoption while grounding the study in Islamic theoretical foundations such as maqasid al-shariah and the religious duty of zakat as a social obligation. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative explanatory research design was used using data collected from 736 Indonesian respondents familiar with digital zakat platforms. The model includes digital literacy, perceived ease of use, trust and subjective norms as cognitive predictors, attitude and satisfaction as affective mediators and age as a moderating variable. Hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The results reveal that trust is the strongest predictor of attitude, and attitude significantly affects intention. Although satisfaction also influences intention, its impact is less pronounced. Intention strongly predicts actual behavior, and this relationship is significantly moderated by age, with younger users exhibiting a stronger intention–behavior linkage. These findings confirm not only the technological determinants but also the religio-ethical motivation underpinning digital zakat adoption. Research limitations/implications This study adopts a cross-sectional design, which limits the ability to track behavioral dynamics over time. Additionally, the use of purposive online sampling may underrepresent users with limited digital access, such as older populations in remote regions. Practical implications Findings offer actionable insights for zakat institutions, fintech developers and policymakers. Enhancing digital literacy, simplifying platform usability, building institutional trust and designing age-sensitive strategies are crucial for increasing digital zakat participation across generations. Moreover, policy interventions should explicitly align with the maqasid al-shariah by safeguarding wealth distribution and promoting social justice. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the first to empirically model the full pathway from cognitive factors to actual digital zakat behavior while integrating both affective mediators and demographic moderators. It contributes to the Islamic fintech literature by extending technology acceptance model (TAM) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) frameworks with religio-social and generational dimensions. By extending TAM and UTAUT with religio-ethical and generational dimensions, the study differentiates itself from prior research on Islamic fintech adoption.