Transforming Student Lifestyles through Digital Payment: A Socio-Economic Perspective

Abstract

This study explores the transformative effects of digital payment adoption on student lifestyles through a socio-economic lens. In an increasingly cashless society, students have emerged as early adopters of fintech platforms such as e-wallets, QR-based payments, and mobile banking. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected via in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with university students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. The findings reveal that digital payments contribute to enhanced financial autonomy, redefine consumption priorities, and reshape patterns of social interaction. Students reported greater awareness of personal spending, increased engagement with digital marketplaces, and a sense of inclusion in modern financial systems. However, the convenience of these platforms also led to impulsive buying behaviors, highlighting the dual nature of digital finance. Overall, the research concludes that digital payment systems do not merely facilitate transactions they foster new lifestyle dynamics, social belonging, and economic agency among students. These shifts suggest that digital financial tools are pivotal in shaping youth identity and participation in a digitally integrated economy.