The role of fintech barriers in influencing financial resilience in small and medium-sized enterprises

In the contemporary digital economy, financial technology (fintech) barriers pose substantial challenges to the survivability and adaptability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (Legenzova et al., 2025). This study investigates the impact of digital technology adoption and financial management practices on SMEs’ financial resilience, with a specific focus on the moderating role of fintech barriers (Kurniasari et al., 2023). Employing an explanatory quantitative design, empirical data were gathered via a structured survey administered to 137 SME owner-managers across Central Java, Indonesia. The conceptual framework was evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) executed via SmartPLS 4.0. The empirical findings reveal that both digital technology adoption and sound financial management significantly enhance SMEs’ financial resilience. Furthermore, fintech barriers, comprising cybersecurity concerns, inadequate digital literacy, and regulatory ambiguities, exert a significant negative moderating effect on these relationships. Consequently, policy and managerial initiatives must prioritize digital-financial capabilities and robust regulatory support to transform digital solutions into sustainable organizational resilience.