Abstract

The proliferation of financial technology (FinTech) has fundamentally altered the architecture of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) financing in the United States, generating transformative opportunities and multidimensional challenges across digital supply chain ecosystems. This study examines how FinTech innovations including artificial intelligence (AI)-driven credit scoring, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, blockchain-based supply chain finance (SCF), and embedded finance APIs have reconfigured access to capital for U.S. SMEs. Drawing on a systematic review of 44 empirical and theoretical studies published between 2017 and 2026, the paper synthesizes evidence on adoption patterns, financing efficiency gains, digital ecosystem integration, and regulatory complexities. We situate our analysis within the broader context of digital transformation, applying theoretical lenses from technology acceptance models, financial intermediation theory, and sustainability frameworks. The findings reveal that while FinTech significantly reduces information asymmetries and processing costs thereby broadening credit accessibility structural barriers including algorithmic bias, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and fragmented regulatory environments limit equitable adoption. The paper contributes a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamic interplay between FinTech, SME financing, and digital supply chains, and proposes policy and managerial recommendations for sustaining inclusive digital financial ecosystems in the United States.

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