Abstract:
This study explored the consumer perception and willingness for digital finance in Albania,
the special case having the E-Para platform. While digital finance inclusion is gaining
momentum internationally, Albania continues to face specific challenges, such as distrust in
institutions, infrastructure not being developed on time, and socio-cultural barriers against
electronic payment system adoption. The aspects under study, behavioral, institutional, and
systemic, correspond to the decisions of the users themselves, using an integrated conceptual
framework that merges with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Unified Theory of
Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), Trust-Calibration Models, Institutional
Theory, and the Financial Inclusion Framework. A convergent mixed-methods design was
used with survey data from mainland Albanian users, alongside qualitative interviews with
fintech stakeholders. Quantitative findings confirm that perceived security and ease of use
are among the determinants of digital payment adoption. However, in an unconcluded
variability, urban users declared to be more concerned about technological complexity and
fraud as opposed to rural users. While E-Para excels in its core services of bill payments and
transfers, users rate it as inferior to regional alternatives. The study concludes that trust-
building, inclusive infrastructure, and regulatory harmonization are essential for enhancing
digital financial inclusion in Albania. Interventions focused on developing community-level
digital literacy, implementing gender-sensitive outreach, and establishing agent networks are
recommended to foster a more accessible and resilient fintech ecosystem that aligns with EU
standards.