Objective: Digital transformation in the financial services industry in recent years has led to the emergence of a new generation of banks known as neobanks. Neobanks, leveraging advanced financial technologies, digital infrastructures, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and big data analytics, provide banking services without physical branches through online platforms and mobile applications. By offering fast, low-cost, personalized, and user-centered services, these financial institutions have played a significant role in the development of digital banking, the enhancement of customer experience, and the expansion of financial inclusion. Consequently, attention from researchers, policymakers, and banking industry practitioners toward this emerging phenomenon has increased substantially, leading to a growing body of scientific literature in this field. However, existing studies are often fragmented, and a comprehensive overview of the knowledge structure, scientific networks, thematic trends, and future research directions in neobanking has not yet been fully established. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis and literature review of research related to neobanks to identify the existing knowledge structure and current research trends and to forecast future research areas in this domain.
Methodology: This study employed a bibliometric approach using VOSviewer and Gephi software packages. The analysis initially examined scientific contributors based on the number of publications, bibliographic coupling, citation analysis, prestige analysis, and co-word analysis. Subsequently, network analysis was conducted using co-authorship analysis, co-citation analysis, and dynamic co-citation analysis. The process of selecting and collecting relevant literature for this bibliometric study was carried out in three consecutive stages, including search, screening, and analysis (sample reporting). The search was conducted in the Web of Science database using keywords related to neobanks, resulting in the identification of 691 records, including books, research articles, review articles, conference papers, and short communications. After the final screening process, 518 articles were selected for analysis. These articles were used in bibliographic coupling, citation analysis, co-word analysis, and co-authorship analysis. It should also be noted that for prestige analysis, co-citation analysis, and dynamic co-citation analysis, 293 articles were processed in Gephi based on citation relationships. Furthermore, considering the importance of the four identified main clusters, a total of 148 articles were selected for the final analysis.
Findings: The findings obtained from all three bibliometric indicators (number of publications, bibliographic coupling, and citation analysis) indicate that Rajesh and Bhatnagar ranked first and second, respectively, among the researchers in this field. At the organizational level, based on publication output, Universitas Bina Nusantara achieved the first rank. In addition, Amity University and the Jaipuria Institute of Management ranked first and second, respectively, in both bibliographic coupling and citation analysis. This dual achievement highlights the central role and significant influence of these two Indian academic institutions within the global knowledge network and mainstream research on neobanking. At the country level, India ranked first across all three bibliometric indicators (publication output, bibliographic coupling, and citation analysis). The findings further revealed that research on neobanks is concentrated in four main thematic areas: (1) customer experience, (2) modern banking adoption, (3) digital transformation, and (4) factors related to attitude and behavior. Moreover, publication trend analysis indicated that the themes of customer experience and modern banking adoption, particularly in developing countries and emerging economies, demonstrate greater dynamism and growth potential. Therefore, these areas are expected to receive increasing scholarly attention in the coming years. It is also noteworthy that, despite the strong presence of Asian countries, Iran does not appear among the leading and influential countries in this field. This situation may indicate a research gap between Iran and pioneering Asian countries in the field of neobanking and digital banking studies. The continuation of this gap, from the perspective of knowledge development and financial innovation, is a concerning issue and a warning for researchers, universities, and policymakers, as it may reduce Iran’s role and share in shaping future scientific trends and developments in modern banking. Furthermore, it should be noted that authors’ and journals’ keywords were also analyzed and categorized into three clusters: (1) modern banking adoption, (2) infrastructure-related technological factors, and (3) factors related to attitude and behavior.
Conclusion: The present study provides a comprehensive overview of the knowledge landscape and research trends in neobanking. It demonstrates that future research is likely to focus on gaining a deeper understanding of customer experience and the factors influencing the adoption of innovative services. These findings may serve as valuable guidance for researchers and policymakers in advancing future research and strategic planning in the field of neobanking.