Technology-driven shifts in trade policy and global financial markets: a bibliometric analysis of trends and impacts (2016–2025)

Abstract

This study aims to examine the intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and global research patterns of technology-driven trade policy and global financial systems by analysing publication trends, influential contributors, and emerging themes. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using 606 Scopus-indexed publications (2016–2025). A PRISMA-based screening process refined the dataset, while Excel, VOSviewer, and Publish or Perish were used to assess publication trends, co-authorship networks, keyword clusters, and citation performance. The results show a consistent rise in research output, with the USA, China, and the United Kingdom dominating contributions and citations. Thematic clusters highlight growing interest in economic integration, financial innovation, digital governance, and sustainability transitions, while research from developing economies remains limited. Highly cited works focus on monetary spillovers, financial development, and environmental quality, reflecting the convergence of technology, finance, and policy. This analysis is limited to Scopus-indexed and publications published in English, potentially underrepresenting regional scholarship. The findings support policymakers in understanding how digital transformation, financial resilience, and sustainability considerations shape global economic governance. This study is the first to systematically map research at the intersection of technology-driven trade policy and global financial markets, offering integrated insights that earlier bibliometric studies, which analysed these domains separately, have not captured.