Sustainable financial inclusion is an essential factor for economic development, social
justice, and environmental sustainability. The primary objective of this bibliometric
analysis is to investigate trends in sustainable financial inclusion publications
using 1467 Scopus and WoS-indexed documents published between 2007 and 2025. The review
visualized major trends, intellectual structures, and thematic clusters using VOSviewer
and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)
protocol. This analysis identified eight thematic clusters, including digital finance,
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) integration, green finance, and financial
literacy, which demonstrate the multidimensional nature of the field. Since 2017,
research on sustainable financial inclusion has grown, led by China, India, and the
USA, revealing geographic imbalances and underrepresentation of the Sub-Saharan Africa
and Central Asia regions. Major barriers identified were financial illiteracy and
uncoordinated regulations among institutions. This review suggests critical insights
for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners should align inclusive finance with
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advocate for a shift from mere financial
access to systemic, sustainability-driven models. It calls for collaboration between
decision-makers and financial institutions to foster inclusive, fair, sustainable,
and environmentally responsible financial ecosystems.
