Idftutkimukset

Idftutkimukset is a Finnish research initiative that focuses on the study of financial systems, digital transformation, and their impact on society. Established in 2005 as a collaboration between the University of Turku and the Finnish Ministry of Finance, the group has grown to include scholars from the fields of economics, computer science, and public policy. The name combines the English acronym IDF (for “Integrated Digital Finance”) with the Finnish word tutkimukset, meaning “studies,” reflecting its multidisciplinary nature.

The organization’s research agenda centers on three interrelated themes. First, it investigates the design and regulation of digital payment systems and their effect on financial inclusion. Second, it examines the role of emerging technologies such as blockchain and smart contracts in public administration. Third, it conducts comparative studies of financial regulatory frameworks across the European Union and other advanced economies. Work by Idftutkimukset is typically carried out in small, collaborative teams that include both faculty members and graduate students.

Idftutkimukset has secured funding from a variety of sources, including grants from the European Research Council, the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, and national research funds administered by the Science Foundation of the Republic of Finland. It publishes regularly in peer‑reviewed journals such as the Journal of Financial Technology and the European Economic Review, and it hosts an annual conference on digital finance that attracts scholars from more than 20 countries. The group is also known for its open‑access data repositories, which provide researchers worldwide with tools for replicating and extending its findings.