BRIDGING RURAL DIGITAL DIVIDES: Obstacles to E-Money Transactions in Langsa City’s Micro-Businesses and Pathways to ASEAN Inclusive Finance
Keywords:
E-Money, Digital Economies, Rural Digital Divides, Inclusive Finance, ASEAN, Micro-BusinessesAbstract
Abstract
Purpose: This study investigates the obstacles hindering E-Money adoption in micro-businesses within Kota Langsa, Aceh, Indonesia, and explores pathways to achieving inclusive digital finance in semi-urban ASEAN contexts.
Method: Drawing on qualitative fieldwork, including observations and interviews with participants at five coffee shops, the SAMS Coffee, Kopi Sui, Kopi Kay, Sedotan Kopi, and Skala Coffee.
Findings: The research reveals that while participants are aware of and actively implementing E-Money systems, technical barriers such as unstable electricity, unreliable internet connectivity, and system maintenance disruptions severely limit transaction efficiency. These challenges underscore persistent rural digital divides, exacerbating inequalities in access to financial technologies between urban centers and peripheral regions
Limitations and Theoretical Implications: The study contributes to debates on digital transformation in Islamic economies by highlighting how infrastructural gaps undermine the potential of E-Money to align with Shariah-compliant principles of equitable financial inclusion
Practical Implications: The findings call for targeted policy interventions, including rural infrastructure investment, subsidized digital literacy programs, and public-private partnerships to stabilize technological ecosystems. Framing Kota Langsa struggles within ASEAN’s broader agenda for inclusive finance, the research underscores the urgency of addressing systemic barriers to ensure digital economies empower micro-enterprises rather than deepen marginalization.
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