Investigating factors affecting consumer adoption of mobile banking: empirical evidence from Afghanistan

Purpose This study examines the factors influencing consumer adoption of mobile banking (MB) in Afghanistan, a fragile economy where mobile technology offers significant potential for financial inclusion. Design/methodology/approach Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research integrates external constructs—service awareness, resource availability, perceived trust, and perceived risk—alongside perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and demographic factors, and tests their impact on consumers' intention to adopt MB. Primary data were collected via a structured survey of 377 commercial bank customers in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and hypotheses were tested using partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings Perceived trust, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and income significantly and positively affect consumers' intention to adopt MB. In contrast, the impact of education, service awareness, resource availability, and perceived risk on adoption intention was found to be insignificant. The importance of trust, usability, and perceived benefits over infrastructure or awareness-related factors in this context is also highlighted. Practical implications The study extends TAM to the context of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and provides valuable insights for financial institutions and policymakers to promote digital financial inclusion. Strengthening trust mechanisms, simplifying MB interfaces, and tailoring services across income levels are crucial. Originality/value Most prior studies on mobile banking adoption have examined stable, developed, and developing economies, leaving LDCs' fragile contexts understudied. This study fills this gap by exploring Afghanistan's unique institutional environment, illustrating how weak governance infrastructure and low systemic trust reshape core TAM relationships. In this way, it makes a conceptual contribution by expanding TAM's applicability to fragile, underdeveloped countries with unique behavioral and institutional dynamics.