The goal of this study is to find out what people think about cryptocurrencies and how they feel about it. The study used a questionnaire to assess the factors that influence people’s willingness to accept cryptocurrency. The study used a pretest, posttest quantitative analysis to determine the level of awareness among users in the first phase. In the second step, information regarding the conceptual framework was gathered using a survey approach. For the study, 350 university students were chosen as the sample size. Hypotheses about the significant effects of perceived benefits, perceived risks, perceived value, and structural provisions on behavioral intention to adopt cryptocurrency were accepted, while hypotheses about social effects, moderating effect of self-efficacy and personal innovativeness as well as the mediator attitudes towards using cryptocurrency, were not statistically proven. The tested model and resultant findings have brought many managerial and theoretical implications for enhancing the intention to adopt cryptocurrency.

For DNA barcoding, the Cytochrome C Oxidase 1 gene (CO1) is a genetic marker used as uniform, testimonial authentication and reliable evidence for a universal species-level bio-cataloguing system compared with the morphological identification. The barcoding of Catla catla, Cirrhinus mrigala and Labeo rohita of family Cyprinidae was accomplished in the present study. Amplified CO1 gene through PCR was sequenced and figured out using bioinformatic tools. Conspecific and congeneric, K2P nucleotide deviation and nucleotide composition, the number of haplotypes and haplotype diversity were calculated. All three species of studied fish (C. catla, L. rohita and C. mrigala) were G-deficient (17.2, 17.8 and 18.5%) than C (28.3, 27.0, 27.3), A (25.2, 27.3, 26.8) and T (28.0, 28.5, 28.1), respectively. The mean intraspecific and intergeneric K2P genetic distance was .031% and 1.23%, respectively, with a high rate of transitional substitutions. Study revealed that C. catla followed the neutral evolution (R ¼ .5), while C. mrigala (R ¼ 2.01) and L. rohita (R ¼ 2.84) deviated from it and offered very low genetic diversity (<.55).

PurposeDue to increase in operational risk, banks are facing huge losses. In order to avoid losses, banks need to manage operational risk. This study aims to analyze the impact of operational risk management (ORM) processes, which include identification, assessment, analysis, monitoring and control in the presence of corporate governance (CG) that can also contribute to effective ORM practices.Design/methodology/approachOperational risk management processes are used to manage operational risk along with CG. Primary data are collected through questionnaire from (167) operational risk managers of commercial banks. Multiple linear regressions has been run to analyze the data.FindingsResults indicate significant impact of CG and operational risk identification (ORI), monitoring and control on ORM practices in commercial banks of Pakistan.Originality/valueThe study suggests policy makers to improve the ORM framework by CG. Beside this, in order to lessen operational risk, proper identification, monitoring and control of operational risk could also contribute.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the reputational risk, which is elusive and difficult to measure due to the lack of its conclusive definition. Literature supports the notion that financial risks may translate into reputational risks that pose threat to bank performance. However, empirical investigations in this context are still at their nascent stage. Design/methodology/approach This study has used a panel dataset for the sample of 24 conventional and Islamic banks regarding the period 2007–2017 by using a structural equation model. Findings The results of this study show that reputational risk partially mediates the relationship between financial risks and the performance of conventional banks. However, for Islamic banks, the reputational risk remains insignificant as a mediator. This study provides significant implications to risk managers in banks, regulators and academics to understand the role of reputational risk linked to financial risks for the improvement of bank performance. Originality/value This study aims to add to the literature by measuring reputational risk through the shareholders reputational score index, which is used as a mediator to determine whether financial risks of banks affect the performance of conventional and Islamic banks in Pakistan.

This study aimed to ascertain the factors that affect the Profit Distribution Management (PDM) practices employed by Islamic banks (IBs) to retain their market share. It further analysed whether the presence of Islamic corporate governance can smoothen the profit sharing mechanism followed by the IBs. The study utilized the panel data analysis technique to analyse the data collected from 40 full-fledged IBs for the period 2010-2017 from three different regions, that is, South Asia, Middle East and South East Asia. The findings of the study support the premise that third party funds, asset composition, capital adequacy and market share all have a significant and positive impact on the PDM practices of IBs. Moreover, Islamic corporate governance strengthens the relationship between market share and the PDM practices of IBs. The results of this study have policy implications for the regulators of IBs and financial institutions as they provide insight into the factors that affect the PDM practices of IBs.

No abstract

Authors' Contribution MQ planned the research project. HA Collected samples, performed laboratory work and wrote the article. IA and MZB helped in sampling. SLS provided laboratory facilities at Pakistan Museum of Natural History, Islamabad and identified zooplankton species. NS Proofread the manuscript and helped in data analysis.

Fintech revolutionized the traditional banking business models in emerging countries. The effect of fintech on banks’ operating efficiency and risk-taking behavior is still inconclusive. The study is aimed at exploring the effect of fintech products on banks’ operating efficiency and risk-taking behavior. The study used a quantitative research approach by collecting secondary data from annual reports of 50 commercial banks from emerging countries, namely, China, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, for the period 2014 to 2021. The study used panel data for path analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the theoretical mediation model by using STATA. The results show that the fintech product reduces the bank’s risk-taking behavior by enhancing the bank’s operating efficiency. The path analysis results show that operating efficiency mediates the relationship between fintech products and bank risk-taking behavior in emerging countries. The paper offers useful recommendations for central bank and commercial bank policymakers. The study is also beneficial for commercial banks that use fintech solutions to increase operational effectiveness and reduce risk. The study is the first empirical investigation into the connection between the growth of fintech products, bank operational effectiveness, and risk-taking behavior in developing nations.