Factors Affecting the Adoption and Financial Behavior of Users of "Baam" Application of Bank Melli Iran: Extending the UTAUT2 Model

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student in Development Economics, Department of Economic Development and Planning, Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Economic Development and Planning, Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Economic Development and Planning, Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

10.22034/jepr.2026.145261.1338

Abstract

With the rapid expansion of financial technology in Iran's banking sector, identifying the behavioral drivers of digital banking adoption has become a strategic priority. This study investigates users’ behavioral intention to adopt Bank Melli Iran’s “Baam” mobile application using an extended UTAUT2 framework that incorporates trust. The target population consists of active Baam users in the Tabriz metropolitan area. Data were collected in the summer of 2025 through a hybrid approach combining in-person and online surveys, yielding 420 valid responses. Given the ordinal nature of the dependent variable and diagnostic evidence of heteroskedasticity, the analysis employed two complementary methods: robust ordinary least squares (Robust OLS) and a three-category ordered probit model. The findings consistently identify trust and hedonic motivation as the most influential determinants of higher adoption intention, significantly increasing the probability of falling into the “strong adoption” category. Performance expectancy and price value also exhibit significant positive effects, while effort expectancy shows a comparatively weaker association. Overall, the results validate the applicability of the extended UTAUT2 model in the Iranian context and underscore policy implications centered on trust-building, user-centered experience design, and enhancing perceived value.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 April 2026

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History

  • Receive Date: 31 December 2025
  • Revise Date: 07 April 2026
  • Accept Date: 15 April 2026
  • Publish Date: 15 April 2026

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