Mapping embedded finance: a bibliometric review and knowledge visualization of an emerging financial paradigm

Abstract

This paper systematically analyzes 783 peer-reviewed research papers subdivided into fifteen thematic clusters, each aligned with the components of embedded finance and financial well-being. This review conducted bibliometric methods using the Scopus database from 1951 to 2025, integrating descriptive analysis, citation measure tool, and co-occurrence mapping. Advanced analytical tools, including pivot charts, tables, and VoSviewer software, were utilized to evaluate citation patterns, co-authorship networks, publication outlets, country-wise productivity, and the theoretical and procedural frameworks underpinning research on embedded finance and financial well-being (FWB). The findings here provide a consolidated base for acknowledging research gaps, identifying the selection of the model, and hence, strengthening the experimental base for the current study focused on embedded finance and financial well-being. Embedded Finance studies have recorded robust growth, increasing from 20 to a peak of 145 publications in 2024. The cumulative trend is toward higher scholarly interest in Embedded Finance, fueled by its embedding into digital platforms and changing financial ecosystems. The direction requires more profound interdisciplinary research into its real-world applications, regulatory implications, and socioeconomic effects.